Farming and Irrigation. 
By the Hon. William Russell. 
i 
N writing a paper upon the importance of a 
plentiful water supply in connection with cattle 
farming or grazing, I might refer to what has 
been done in the East from the earliest history of our 
race, also to the grand works that have been constructed 
on this continent for the conservation of the precious 
element, but this is not my object. This paper is intended 
to trace, 1st. — What has been done in the way of water 
conservation by those who have gone before us ; 2nd. — 
The reason why so little has been done ; 3rd. — Its import- 
ance, especially in respect to the profitable raising of 
stock ; and, 4th. — How a supply may be secured at a 
trifling cost. 
First : When we come to examine into the works done 
by the early settlers of this colony to conserve water, they 
may be briefly described as none. It is true that in 
laying out the plantations, a space was left between every 
second estate for what was known as a bosom or Company 
Canal. These canals were intended to act as safety 
valves to the back dams of the estates when the natural 
small creeks became stopped- off by the works of polder- 
ing, and advantage was taken of this force to keep the 
drainage channels clear of silt ; and even when the water 
gave out in dry weather, advantage was taken of tidal 
influence to fill the bosom with tidal water, which was 
shut in by the sluice at its junction with the sea until 
