STORAGE AND REGULATION OF WATER. LVIJ, 



level and attached to submerged tanks, which now rise and 

 pull the gates down. As the water falls the tanks descend, 

 thus allowing the gates to rise sufficiently to be forced 

 upward by the outward rush of water. 



When the irrigation farm is situated close to the river 

 bank the water must be raised by pumping, and to effect 

 this either steam, wind, or water power may be employed. 

 Up to the present time, in this State, the steam engine is 

 almost extensively used for this purpose. 



The following is an example of an ordinary plant which 

 irrigates 400 acres by means of a 15 inch centrifugal pump 

 and an engine, lifting water about 25 feet. The crops 

 irrigated are 300 acres of lucerne and 100 acres of cereals, 

 watering taking place about 180 clays in the year to a total 

 depth of 24 inches. The expenses of the whole scheme are 

 as follows : — 

 Cost of engine, boiler, pumps, etc. £1,700 \ interest £ 2 00 



„ laying out the land ... £300 > 



,, firewood 1 cord @ 5/- per day 



,, engine driver @ 9/- ,, 



oil @ 2/- per day 



man irrigating @ 6/- per day.., 



45 



81 

 18 

 54 



£398 



Total yearly cost 



or say £1 per acre. 



Sir S. McCaughey gives the total cost at 4/- to 4/6 per 

 acre per watering, which with 5 waterings comes to about 

 the same figure. 



In America of recent years windmills have been largely 

 used for irrigation, and owing to improvements in their 

 construction and increase of sail area, they are proving 

 very valuable machines for the purpose, and in that country 

 a windmill is almost as common an object on a farm as a 

 barn or the house the owner resides in. In this State 



