SOURCES OP IRRIGATION WATER 203 



should be avoided. My first flume has been in use nine years and is appar- 

 ently as good as ever. 



The first thing to be considered is getting a flume put in properly, as this 

 alone will cause much trouble if not done right. A flume should run nearly 

 on a level. It should be placed about two-thirds in the ground at the com- 

 mencement, and, as soon as it comes out of the ground to about two-thirds 

 of its height, there should be a drop made of 1, 2, or 3 inches, if necessary, 

 and then carried along as before, so as to keep the entire length of flume 

 practically on a level. 



Sixteen-foot lumber is better than longer, as it is lighter to handle. I 

 prefer 8-inch sides with 18-inch bottom, or, in some cases, 10-inch sides 

 with 16-inch bottom. The first section, however, should be about 2 feet 

 wide, narrowed to the size of the flume, so as to control the stream. Collars 

 should be put around the flume every 8 feet of distance; that is, one in the 

 center and one to cover the joints at each end. These collars should be 2 by 

 3 inch stuff on the bottom and sides and 1 by 3 inches on top. This makes a 

 strong, durable flume. The length of the flume should be divided, so that 

 the stream will decrease as it goes along. The width should be decreased 

 also, say from 16 inches to 14, 12, 10, and 8 inches, the sides being the same 

 throughout or reduced so as to have 10-inch sides on the 16-inch bottom 

 and 8-inch sides on the rest, nailed to the side of the bottom, making 7 

 inches depth inside. Two-inch holes should be about 30 inches apart and 

 2-inch gates placed on the inside instead of outside, as they will collect less 

 trash, the hole through the wood, if uncovered, making a lodgment for leaves, 

 etc. In the narrow and flat flume it is much easier to fix the gates. 



From 8 to 9 furrows for trees set 24 feet apart is sufficient. The streams 

 should be run from one-eighth to one-half the capacity of the holes in the 

 flume, according to the soil and fall of ground. I commence the stream 

 small and increase it if necessary later on. The streams should be kept as 

 near together as possible, and when the end is reached the gate should be 

 nearly closed down, so as to allow the stream to just trickle to the end. 

 In this manner the soil will become thoroughly wet from one end to the 

 other. The streams should be run very slowly on most of our soils. A great 

 many failures have been made on hard soils by running the stream too large 

 and then reducing it. This seems to "slick" or cement the soil so that it 

 will not take the water, and the consequence is a poor and unsatisfactory 

 irrigation. On the other hand, if the streams are started small and allowed 

 to soak the ground as they go along, it is simply astonishing how much 

 water can be put in the ground. On sandy soils the streams should be 

 larger. A little practice would give any one the desired information. 



About three rows of trees at the lower end should be blocked up, provided 

 one has no place where the overflow water could be used. This last pro- 

 vision is the better, however, as there would be only about 10 inches of 

 water run over the last three or four hours, and a thorough job would be 

 done from one end to the other. 



In making furrows I have an extension made for by cultivator to bolt on 

 each side and use four plows. With this extension I can wet the whole 

 ground thoroughly. The furrows will extend under the limbs of the trees, 

 and by making a slight curve around each tree the ground will become wet 

 in the rows as well as between. 



As compared with the check system, the furrow method, properly handled, 

 makes the soil light and loose, while the check system is apt to pack the 

 soil, rendering it lifeless and leaving it so that it will -not retain moisture 

 long. Besides, the cost of ridging and extra labor in handling water in 

 checks for one season will nearly pay for the flume by which one man can 

 do the irrigating. Two horses will furrow out 10 acres in half a day, and a 

 little hand labor at the flume will connect the furrows. In the check system 

 generally a disk is run first where the ridges are to be made, and then the 

 ridger is run with 4 horses ; then the jump scraper is run to stop up one side of 

 the blocks; then ditches must be made; then from 2 to 3 men are required 

 to handle the water by shutting up the checks when filled. Afterwards the 

 ridges must be plowed down before the ground can be harrowed and got 

 in condition to cultivate. At a glance one can see that it costs fully three 

 times as much to irrigate by the check system as by the furrow system, 

 and with the latter the soil acts more as it does after a rain. 



