IRRIGATION 115 



Accurate knowledge of the methods of ap- 

 plying water, as well as the requirements of the 

 various agricultural crops, are prime essentials 

 to the successful use of a controllable water sup- 

 ply. These factors vary with the soil, the con- 

 tour of the land, the season of the year, and 

 the crop. For these reasons each irrigated dis- 

 trict should be provided with an experiment 

 station where these important local factors may 

 be determined. 



Irrigation entails high fixed charges. Land 

 with a water right is necessarily expensive. 

 The original cost of canals, laterals, and tile 

 drainage are all items entering into the ulti- 

 mate cost of irrigable lands. An annual rental 

 or charge based on land or water units must be 

 paid for the maintenance of canals and laterals 

 where the system is a co-operative enterprise 

 among the farmers benefited. When the water 

 is provided by a private corporation the charge 

 for water must not only pay the costs of main- 

 tenance but must provide a dividend on the cap- 

 ital invested. 



The cost of providing water varies from a 

 few dollars per acre, for the man who can di- 

 vert water from a perennial stream upon his 

 own land, to as much as $35 to $70 per acre 

 where larger canals are required. The annual 



