XCIV. RELATION OF ELECTRICITY TO IRRIGATION WORKS. 
fornia, and electricity is also being supplied for tle same 
purpose from transmission lines in the neighbourhood of 
Los Angeles. There is a large tract of land in the Kern 
Valley where there is no surface water for a large portion 
of the year, but a plentiful undercurrent which can be 
reached by wells 60 feet deep. 
Power is transmitted at 10,000 volts pressure to pumping 
stations, which contain step down transformers to 500 volts ° 
and a 30 to 40 HP. induction mot r. Centrifugal pumps of 
special design are used. The motor is coupled direct to 
the pump by means of a vertical shaft, the pump being 
placed some 18 to 20 feet above the water, and the motor 
at a convenient height above ground level. The suction is 
brought in on top of the pump so as to relieve the weight 
of moving parts on the step bearing, for which suitable 
automatic oiling arrangements are provided. It is found 
that a 30 HP. motor will pump enough water to irrigate a 
square mile of land, the lift being 25 feet. One man attends 
to 8 or 10 pumps, which are visited once or twice a day. 
The pumps are run very nearly continuously, but are 
shut down for short periods when there is shortage of power 
owing to the demand for light. The same company have 
under consideration a further extension of the system for 
operating stock wells by means of # HP. motors, which 
would be attached to pumps now driven by a boy anda 
mule. The estimated cost of 120 pumping plants and 120 
miles of pole line being £12,000. 
An investigation recently carried out by Mr. J. B. Lip- 
pincott, Hydrographer of the Geological Survey in Cali- 
fornia, showed that some 650,000 acres of land could be 
irrigated at an estimated cost of $8 per acre. The water 
would be obtained from storage reservoirs and electrically 
operated pumping plants. The estimated addition to the 
taxable property of the state, irrespective of town and city 
property, was $20,000,000. 7 
