IRRIGATION. 177 



small amount is taken out at the upper dam and turned into a garden and a 

 small field. 



On the lands of Mr. Sloan, ten miles west of the town of San Saba, and on 

 the south side of the San Saba River, a fine large spring bursts out from 

 under the massive limestone rocks. This spring and branch made by it to 

 the junction with the San Saba River are all on the lands of Mr. Sloan, so 

 there is no one to set up a claim of riparian rights ; hence all the water from 

 this spring has been used to irrigate his fine farm of several hundred acres. 



The Richland Springs, at the head of Richland Creek, in the western part 

 of San Saba County, furnish enough water to irrigate several hundred acres, 

 but the water has never been used for this purpose. These springs occa- 

 sionally, in very dry times, go dry, but not until after the crops are ma- 

 tured. The lands are good and of such a character as to be well adapted to 

 irrigation. There are sixteen of these springs in San Saba County, and all 

 of them might be used for irrigating the lands in their immediate localities. 



The Colorado, San Saba, and Concho rivers can all be utilized for irrigat- 

 ing their broad valleys and the adjacent plateaus. 



The Colorado River would be the most difficult to divert from its channel, 

 as the lands are generally much above the bottom of the channel. The 

 valleys are of sufficient extent anywhere above San Saba County to consume 

 all the water of the river, and are very fertile. 



The waters of the San Saba are abundant, and no trouble would be ex- 

 perienced in taking the water from its present channel and conveying it to 

 the valleys above. The valleys are broad and fertile. They now produce 

 fine crops of corn, wheat, oats, and cotton without irrigation, but this yield 

 would be greatly increased by irrigating. There is less need for irrigation 

 along this river and in San Saba County than in any of the counties over 

 which my observations have extended. 



The Concho rivers and the country adjacent thereto are more adapted to 

 irrigation than either of the other rivers in the district described. The river 

 is more constant in its supply of water and the plateaus of level land above 

 the lower valleys are more, accessible. 



The South Concho River, Dove Creek, Spring Creek, and North Concho 

 River all have their source at the foot of the Staked Plains. They all have 

 very large springs at the head. None of these springs has a flow of less 

 than 2000 gallons of water per minute. Irrigation ditches have been taken 

 out on all these streams, and thousands of acres are already under irrigation. 

 In none of these streams has one-half of the water been utilized. ' The system 

 of irrigation, if it can be called a system, is of the most primitive kind. The 

 farming is mostly done by Mexicans, for a share of the crop. Every man 

 takes out what water he wants, and for as long a time as he wants it, letting 

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