142 



THE IERIGATION AGE. 



pumping for irrigation than southern California. The 

 Rio Grande Valley possesses many advantages which 

 southern California has not and lacks few that are 

 possessed by the Golden State. Many of the wells from 

 which water is pumped for irrigating purposes in 

 California are several hundred feet deep and sunk at 

 an expense for original cost far greater than is neces- 

 sary in this valley. Land is many times more expen- 

 sive in California than here and labor much more 

 costly. The prices received for products are about the 

 same in both California and New Mexico and the mat- 

 ter of markets, with proper development, ought to be 

 extensive enough in this territory to take care of all 



be made against a large plant located at the head of a 

 ditch are: 



1st. The difficulty and great cost of developing 

 water at one place in a sufficiently large quantity. 



2nd. Opportunities for misappropriation and waste 

 of water. 



3rd. Loss of water by seepage and evaporation. 



4th. Making and maintaining a just and equit- 

 able division of the water. 



The same objections, in a much modified degree, 

 might be raised against plants so placed as to supply 

 only a small number of shareholders. With a few 

 shareholders, however, it would be a much easier task 



the products that can be raised. We can, however, 

 learn from the California irrigator the lesson of 

 economical methods and the proper use and duty of 

 water. 



A comparison of the conditions existing in the 

 valleys of New Mexico in which irrigation by pumping 

 can be practiced can not but inspire faith in the great 

 possibilities of our territory in any one who will care- 

 fully study the question. 



PUMPING PLANTS AND CO-OPERATION. 



Pumping plants resolve themselves into two classes, 

 namely, co-operative and individual plants, in each of 

 which there is much of merit. The former may be defined 

 as a pumping plant from which two or more farmers 

 may obtain water, while the latter refers to pumping 

 plants located upon each farm under individual control 

 and supplying individual needs. The moment the con- 

 trol is divided or there is a division of water, however 

 obtained, the- plant passes into the co-operative class, 

 though it may be a modified form of co-operation. 



A co-operative plant, wherever located, for obvious 

 reasons should render the maximum of efficiency and 

 economy of production. Objections which might justly 



to divide the water properly and there would be far less 

 danger of misappropriation. 



Perhaps the strongest objections that can be made 

 against individual plants are: 1st, a relatively large 

 initial cost of installation, and second, a low rate of 

 efficiency and economy. However, the individual pump- 

 ing plant has advantages that should not be overlooked. 

 They are : 1st, misappropriation of water is impos- 

 sible. The water is developed iipon the farm where 

 it is used and therefore at all times is within the domain 

 and under tire control of its owner. 2nd, loss by 

 evaporation and seepage is minimized. 3rd, there is 

 no division of water and, therefore, injustice from a 

 lack of equitable distribution is entirely eliminated. 

 4th, there are no long ditches to maintain at great 

 cost, and, 5th, the initial cost is within the means of 

 every farmer. 



The writers, however, believe that a combination 

 under favorable circumstances of these two sys- 

 tems will prove not only satisfactory but at the same 

 time the most economic method of producing large 

 quantities of water for irrigation during droughty 

 periods. This combination consists in the maintenance 

 of individual pumping plants upon each farm, thus se- 



