CHOOSING AND BUYING A FARM 523 



of drains and the amount and cost of new drains should 

 be carefully estimated. 



325. Water for irrigation. In irrigated regions, land 

 has little or no value without water. The amount and 

 character of the water supply is then of first importance. 

 The danger of accumulation of alkali, the danger of a 

 shortage of water, and the cost of water and up-keep of 

 ditches must all be considered. Also the legal status of 

 the water right, and whether there is danger of the more 

 extensive use of prior rights, so as to lessen the water 

 supply in the future. 



326. Condition. If stumps, stones, serious weeds, or 

 other obstacles are present, the cost of removing these 

 should be considered. 



327. Water supply. Water is very^ expensive on 

 farms. When labor is counted, it is much more expen- 

 sive than in cities. 



Occasionally, a farm has spring water piped to the 

 buildings so that there is practically no expense for water. 

 Unfortunately, the conditions that make this possible 

 sometimes result in poor farm land. If there is an abun- 

 dant supply of good water that can be pumped by a wind- 

 mill, the supply is fairly satisfactory. Many farms do 

 not have water enough, or the water is of poor quality, 

 or the wells are too deep to be pumped cheaply. 



328. Improvements. The site of the farmstead, its 

 location with respect to the fields, the number and kind 

 of buildings, fences, and orchards will, of course, be care- 

 fully inspected. Chief attention should be given to the 

 roofs and foundations and frames of buildings, and least 

 attention to paint. The arrangement or possible rear- 

 rangement for convenience in work is of importance. 



But one should be careful not to buy a farm merely for 



