THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



311 



of the oil linings as regards seepage; but clay puddle 

 when wet becomes very soft and will not resist the 

 erosive force of the flowing water unless the velocity 

 is very small. It will not prevent the growth of weeds. 

 For these reasons it is probably not as efficient for canal 

 linings as oil. But where clay is plentiful it would be 

 preferable for reservoir lining. The slopes should, how- 

 ever, be protected against the erosive action of the waves 

 by the use of cobblestones or other protection. 



The use of oil in lighter quantities, while not very 

 efficient in preventing seepage, will no doubt prevent 

 the growth of vegetation, as illustrated by the example 

 of the ditch near Lemoore. In this case only 1% 

 gallons per square yard was used and this quantity 

 has been sufficient to prevent vegetation. 



Cement mortar plaster, so extensively used in 

 southern California, snowed a saving in seepage water 

 of 63 per cent. Better results were expected, and it is 

 probably safe to expect a greater saving where good 

 work is done, especially where the work is constructed 

 in cold weather. This lining had to be applied when 

 the temperature in the field was probably 110 or over. 

 The cement mortar was mixed in small quantity and 

 quickly applied. As soon as the setting had started 

 the lining was sprinkled and covered with wet canvas, 

 but even with these precautions better work could be 

 done in cooler weather. 



This plaster, while very efficient and economical on 

 small ditches, would not be of sufficient thickness and 

 strength to be used on the larger canals and laterals 

 of larger irrigation systems, where a thickness of from 

 2 to 4 inches would no doubt be successful. 



THE HYDRAULIC RAM AN IMPORTANT FACTOR 



IN SOLVING THE WATER SUPPLY 



PROBLEM. 



RECLAMATION SERVICE NEWS. 



The following described lands have been temporarily with- 

 drawn from any form of disposition whatever under the public 

 land laws in connection with the Sun river irrigation project, 

 Montana: Montana Principal Meridian. T. 22 N., R. 9 W., 

 all Sees. 26, 34, 35 and 36 ; T. 21 N., R. 10 W., all Sees. 3, 4, 

 8, 9, 17 and 20; T. 22 N., R. 10 W., all Sees. 28, 29, 32, 33 

 and 34. 



The Secretary of the Interior has arranged a simple plan 

 of cooperation whereby any settler so inclined may secure 

 work on the construction of the canals and ditches, on the big 

 irrigation projects in the West. The contracts with the water 

 users' associations are subdivided into units involving com- 

 paratively small yardage, and payment is made by the associa- 

 tion in the form of certificates, which are accepted by the 

 Government in payment for water rights. Usually a group of 

 farmers takes a contract together and divides the work be- 

 tween them. In this way many industrious farmers will be 

 able to work out the whole of their indebtedness to the Gov- 

 ernment. 



The Secretary of the Interior has modified the public 

 notice issued November 25, 1907, in connection with the open- 

 ing of the Shoshone irrigation project, Wyoming, in so far 

 as it relates to the payment of the first installment of the 

 building, operation and maintenance charges on all entries 

 made prior to November 25, 1907. In all cases of entries 

 made before that date for lands shown by the farm unit plats 

 approved September 25, 1907, and for s.\\ such lands in private 

 ownership at that time, the first installment of building, main- 

 tenance and operation charges will not be required at time of 

 filing water right application, but will become due and payable 

 on December 1, 1908. Those who have made entries since 

 the date of the public notice have been required to file water 

 right application accompanied by the payment of the first 

 installment, as tbo'f -ntries vere made with full knowledge 

 of the conditions 



We wish to call the attention of our readers to the 

 growing importance of the hydraulic ram as an assist- 

 ant to man for meeting the irrigation problem. 



It is not necessary to confine our comments regard- 

 ing the hydraulic ram entirely to irrigation by any 

 means, for as now built there are rams which are adapt- 

 able to practically all purposes, from the smallest to the 

 largest needs, o today the scope of the hydraulic 

 pumps are well-nigh unlimited where the conditions 

 for their use are favorable. 



To cite such conditions as are favorable, we need 

 only say that the water supply for power in the form 

 of a stream, pond or spring, situated anywhere within 

 a mile or so of where the water is to be delivered, is 

 all that is necessary, providing there is sufficient power 

 water to operate the ram and still meet the needs of 

 the user. 



So powerful and so mechanically perfect is the 

 Eife Automatic ram, being made, that the large sizes, 



One Method of Installing a Rife Hydraulic Ram. 



with capacities up to delivering one million gallons a 

 day each to the storage tank, are giving as satisfactory 

 service as are the small sizes used for farm work, 

 ranch, country estates and other purposes. 



The principal reasons why the hydraulic rams are 

 used for water supply power where possible are that 

 they are easy to install, pump continuously without 

 any attention or expense, and are comparatively low 

 in cost when considered with other forms of pumping 

 plants which will do the same work. 



The modern automatic ram has practically no wear- 

 ing parts, the valves being the only parts that may 

 need replacing, and even these become worn only every 

 two years or so and may be easily replaced. 



Another advantage in connection with Eife rams 

 is the fact that they are double-acting; that is, im- 

 pure water may be used to operate them, but they will 

 deliver pure water or spring water to the supply tank. 

 They will raise water 30 feet for every foot of fall 

 and work under a fall of from 18 inches to 50 feet 

 and deliver water to a height of 500 feet when neces- 

 sary and when proper conditions are provided. 



As to the efficiency of these rams may be cited 



