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Irrigation water cannot bear a high rate. This amount is capa- 
ble of variations according to localities and the market value of 
the produce it is proposed to raise, rates ranging from Ils. to 4s. 
per 1,000 gallons. With shallow wells, and the larger size wind- 
mills, water can be elevated for 2d. per 1,000 gallons; the life of 
the windmill, cost of well, and overhead tanks being practically 
the only expenses. 
At Mildura the quantity of water taken varies somewhat with 
the class of soil, but, generally speaking. it may be assumed at six 
inches per watering. The dates of watering usually commence in 
August, October, and December, lasting five to seven weeks. A 
fourth watering for crops and citrus is given in March-April. For 
vine land and fruit trees the rate struck this year (19/20) ranges 
from 45s. to 60s. per acre per annum for three waterings; crop 
land being given two waterings at a reduction of 10s. per acre. 
Mertuops or Irrigation 
differ with the nature of the crops grown. As a rule, the method 
of flooding land is practised in the case of pastures, meadows, and 
cereal crops, whereas either permanent ditches or fresh furrows are 
resorted to in watering orchards, vineyards, or crops grown in lines. 
In this second case furrows are traced each side of rows run- 
ning from the distributing channels down the slopes. On steep and 
broken slopes difficult to plough and where the soil is apt to wash, 
permanent ditches are laid out on gentle grades for slow running 
of the water, which slowly perecolates from these ditches and sup- 
plies moisture to the trees or crops below them. The great draw- 
back of this system of watering land is that a eonsiderable amount 
of hand-hoeing has to be done on the banks of the furrows, whieh 
not being turned up by the plough, would soon be covered with a 
thick growth of couch grass and weeds. For this reason, and on 
level land, wherever the land has been well graded and levelled, as 
it is the practice on most irrigation colonies, the fruit trees are wat- 
ered by means of plough furrows, which are closed after each water- 
ing. Where the grade is steep, a shovelful or two of earth thrown 
at intervals in the channel will break the current of the water. As 
soon as the water has reached the lower end of the furrow, the 
watering may be stopped altogether and other furrows filled; or 
should a good soaking be required, one-half or two-thirds of the 
water should be cut off and smaller streams allowed to trickle a 
few hours longer, until the land has been sufficiently moistened. A 
rapid flow of water along the distributing furrows will glaze the 
surface and will prove an obstruction to the water soaking deeply 
down into the ground. 
The Supply Furrow, which is fed from the Main Channel, is 
made to run along the highest side of the ground and supplies the 
water to the Distributing Furrows, which are made to run perpen- 
