134 IRRIGATION INVESTIGATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. 



irrigated two or three times during the season the crops have been better than those 

 on unirrigated land. There are about i,000 acres of volunteer hay and grain which 

 is cut for hay in the district. An average crop is 1 ton to the acre. 



IRKIGATION OF CORN AND STRAWBERRIES. 



Corn and strawberries do well. The furrow system of irrigation is used, and 

 they are irrigated every ten or twelve days. 



METHOD USED BY SAM SING COMPANY. 



The following method is in use by some Chinamen for irrigating vegetables, such 

 as sweet potatoes, etc. : 



The vegetables are planted in parallel rows. The ditches are made along the 

 ridges, which run at right angle to the furrows. These are successively filled. This 

 is continued until the whole garden is gone over; b}' that time the water in the first 

 furrow has all soaked into the ground. Then, if necessary, they go over the whole 

 gai-den again. This method is very thorough and no water is wasted. 



LOSS BY SEEPAGE AND EVAPORATION. 



Because of the character of the soil and the location of the main or lateral 

 ditches, there is very little loss by seepage. Most of the flumes have been lately 

 replaced, and leakage is reduced to a minimum. Owing to the carelessness in the 

 construction of the distributing ditches the loss bj' seepage is considerable, the ground 

 being wet on both the upper and lower sides for some distance. 



There is no data in regard to the loss of water from these ditches due to evapora- 

 tion, but it must be considerable, especially in smaller ditches, owing to the extreme 

 heat of the summer. 



LOSS BY UNSKILLFUL IRRIGATION AND INSUFFICIENT PREPARATION OF LAND. 



Evidences of the losses due to unskillful irrigation are visible almost everywhere. 

 All the creeks and ravines have running water in them through the summer, though 

 before irrigation commences they are dry. When irrigation is in progress, waste 

 water can be seen even in the roads. With the exception of that used by one or two 

 farmers who utilize the water flowing in the ravines, it all runs to waste; most of 

 them do not realize that surplus and waste water can be used the second time. 



The waste from insufficient preparation of the ground is considerable. It is due 

 to lack of experience, insufficient means, and the indifference begotten by prolonged 

 litigation and clouded titles. The owners do not feel justified in making large expend- 

 itures on land that might be taken away from them at any time. 



MEASUREMENT. 



The standard of measurement is the miner's inch under a 6-inch head. The 

 method of measurement is as follows: A box with a gate in it is set in the side of the 

 ditch. When the ditch tender wishes to turn into a distribution ditch, say, 4 miner's 

 inches of water, if the water in the main ditch is about 7 inches above the bottom of 

 the box, he raises the gate of the box (a 4-inch box) 1 inch. If the water is more 



