THE WAIMAKARIRI WATER RACE.

Oxford Observer, Volume 3, Issue 200, 3 October 1891, Page 4

THE WAIMAKARIRI WATER RACE.

(Fkom our Cobrespondent.) In continuation of this subject, I propose to answer two questions which ar j constantly cropping up, ( v iz.) Will irrigation pay, and does it deteriorate the soil ? and m doing so, I s] i jIII quote from two authorities. The first, a local man, (Wr J. Dobson) who is thoroughly acquainted with all land details throughout the whole of the proposed water race district ; and the other the Hon. Alfred Deakin, than whom no better authority can be found. I should nlso remark -hat the experiments carried out at Ashburton by the County Council are abundant proof, if proofs were needed of the enormous benefits to be derived from a proper system of irrigation. Mr Dobson stated, that during the last dry summer, he possessed at Rangiora, what ought to have been a clover field, but not a green leaf could be seen on the "dusty surface, and he took advantage of a small stream hard by, and irrigated the land m a very crud* 1 . form, and the result astonished him, and has made him long for the same results on a large scale, and he is convinced after making careful calculations that, a general system of irrigation will pay handsomely. S>o much for local evidence. Now the Hon. Mr Deal m, who, m his lvport to the Eoyal Commission; on water supply m Victoria bases his report upon the most reliable information gathered by personal travel and inspection, and on statistics supplied by the highest authorities throughout Europe, America, and Asia, and the deductions tliat irrigation will pay, and pay handsomely too, are irresistabie. I should occupy too much of your space, were I to go into the comparative cost of irrigable water throughout the world, but I shall be prepared to show m my next letter that the cost of irrigation m New Zealand at per acre, will be less than m any other country, thie re r suits for 'grazing land at least will be greater. Now, as to- the deterioration of the soil, although that is admitted such may be the ease, unless the irrigator uses his brains as well as the water, he wiil either turn his fields into, a moraps, or wash out all the fertiliziiig material, and -on the other hand, if he irrigates on scientific principles, coaxing nature without attempting to drive her, the land will increase m fertility, and as has been proved m other countries, the most nngnificient results will follow. Deakin says : — " It is generally recognised that where irrigation is sb controlled as to ail mi t of just as rnueh water being placed upon the land as it can drink at a draught, without allowing it either to stand or run away, then the consequence is invariably a maintained, or an increased "production. Not only is the' eron secured; but whether it be -graiio, root cafop, or fruit, the yield is oftea largely

enhanced so'-'iifc ..tQ^cach, m arid regions or upon po^v^eoils^^^feld equal to that obtain^ upon ferwe lands, enjoying a plentiful rainfall." Faimers' estimate of what this gain actually is differ considerably, ranging from 30 to lOOjper cent. That there is a gain, and a great gain no oue thinks of dis^ puting, though there may be some looseness m the figures concerning it. The richest silty watei', instead of having a fertilizing influence, will be fatal if allowed either to stagnate* ny to rush too rapidly through a field, hence the necessity of irriga'ing with intelligent caution, and it may be even necessary to have the work performed only by trained experts, which I believe is the. custom m Italy. One man being able to irrigate about 12 acres per day. There seems to be no products of which the crop may not be increased by irrigation, and there are none that will not suffer by over irrigation. But with this danger provided against, irrigation may mean fertilization to such an extent as to render any further means of enrichment of the soil unnecessary. So true is this, tbat iii Colorado are to be found, instances where grain has been grown every season for 10 or 15 years without perceptibly injuring th«.* land, and m Arizona and m Mexico, the native populatioti have raised their wheat and Indian corn from the same plots for scores, if not hundreds of years and to them the idea of manuring is quite unknown. I propose, with your kind permission, m your next' issue to deal with, —Comparative cost of water supply and the consequent increase m tha value of land.