Fitting the Surface for Irrigation 351 



FITTING THE SURFACE FOR IRRIGATION 



Whichever system of flooding or other irrigation is 

 used, it is very important that the smaller inequalities 

 of the surface should be removed by some method of 

 grading, in order that the water may spread uni- 

 formly, wetting the whole area. If this leveling is 

 not done, some portions of the field will receive too 

 much water while other areas will receive too little or 

 none at all, and hence yields far below the maximum 

 will be the result. 



Various forms of leveling devices are in use, and 

 Fig. 90 represents one of the best, made specially for 

 this purpose, and an ordinary road grader would un- 

 questionably form an excellent tool for doing this 

 work. 



There are many forms of scrapers of simple con- 

 struction which are improvised on the farm to meet 

 the needs of the moment. One of these is a letter A 

 form, made of two 2x12- 

 inch plank, put together 

 so as to stand on edge 

 and be drawn over the 

 ground weighted with 

 the driver riding upon 

 it. The lower edges of 

 the plank may be shod 

 with strips of steel or 

 band iron, and thus made more durable and effective. 



Another form is represented in Fig. 91, and con- 

 sists of two side runners held together by cross-bars 



