136 IRRIGATION INVESTIGATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. 



The same class of land above the ditch is worth from $5 to |7 per acre. If the 

 conditions were such as to remove the doubts as to titles the price of land would rise. 

 It was the custom, before the district leased the mechanical privileges of its 

 water, to allow the residents to do the work necessary to keep the system up. The}' 

 were paid in water at the rate of $1.50 per daj^ the water being sold at $2.50 per 

 miner's inch, running continuous!}' through the season. 



METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING THE WATER. 



The method of using the water is different in different parts of the district. It 

 seems to depend somewhat on the friendliness of the farmers to one another. Some 

 buj' as large a head as they desire to use, and it is kept running continuously whether 

 used or wasted. In some parts of the district several farmers will combine their 

 rights to water and use the entire head in turn, the length of time varying in 

 proportion to each contributor's share. For instance, if the combined head was 24 

 inches and A furnished 4 inches and it was decided to irrigate everj' 12 days, A 

 would have the use of 24 inches for two daj's in every twelve. The reason of this is 

 that one can irrigate better and more economicalh' with a large head than with a 

 small one. A very few make some attempts at storing water. 



The district owns no service reservoirs. There are a number of sites for such 

 reservoirs, as yet undeveloped. 



Distribution of water is arranged as follows: At any time a purchaser wants 

 water he informs the secretary of the district, who orders the ditch tender to turn it 

 on. The district charges a uniform price of $2.50 per inch per season, whether irri- 

 gation is started at the beginning of the season or not. But the district does not 

 guarantee the delivery of the water. 



There is no surplus water to be purchased by landowners outside of the district, 

 but ordinarily, and particularly this year, there is a deficiency. 



DUTY OF WATER AROUND AUBURN. 



This region, although not embraced in the Yuba River watershed, is supplied 

 therefrom, and it is deemed advisable to outline the practice and results there 

 obtained. 



W. J. McCann irrigates 40 acres, of which about one-half acre is in oranges, the 

 balance deciduous fruits, planted 108 trees to the acre. He uses one miner's inch to 

 eveiy 10 acres. He says he is not using sufficient water, and could do better if he 

 used about 1^ inches to 10 acres. His practice is to run a ditch midway between the 

 rows of trees and one alongside of each row, with circles inclosing the trees. 



Mrs. Robinson has under cultivation 60 acres, of which 50 acres are irrigated 

 with 4 inches of water. She says that she has not water enough. Olives planted 80 

 trees to the acre are the principal crop, but peaches, pears, plums, and grapes are 

 also raised. She does not run the ditches along the rows, but runs them on a very 

 light grade and encircles each tree. The water is used in continuous rotation over 

 the ti-act. 



George Kellogg has 60 acres in his place, of which 56 acres are irrigated with 8 

 inches of water. The ranch is in deciduous fruits. 108 trees to the acre. He irri- 



