gated by means of the Duncan Canal, and this priority has been credited to this canal in the analysis.

At the time of this survey (October, 1914), 153 acres were being irrigated from this canal, while the area given by the landowners in the proofs of appropriation was 207 acres.

The stock of the Black & McCloskey Canal Co. is divided into seven shares, which are held by five persons. Articles of incorporation were never filed.

The Colmenero Canal.-The Colmenero Canal was constructed in 1890. During that year 20 acres were put under cultivation and a gradual increase in the irrigated area has taken place since that time.

This ditch was irrigating 390 acres of land at the time of this survey, which amount corresponds closely to the acreage given by the landowners.

The Colmenero Canal Co. was incorporated in March, 1897, with a capital of $2.400, divided into 240 shares of the par value of $10 each. These shares have all been issued and are now owned by 16 individuals holding land under the canal.

The Seston Canal.-The Sexton Canal, heading just below the town of Sheldon, was constructed in 1901. The ditch is about 2 miles long and irrigates 75.5 acres, an additional 19 acres having been previcusly irrigated.

The Billingsley ditch.-This is a small ditch constructed and still owned by Mr. Billingsley. It was built in 1907 and originally served to irrigate only 40 acres of land, but was irrigating 82 acres at the time of this survey.

The York Canal. This canal was originally called the Greaser Flat Canal, later the English & Herrel Canal, and finally the York Canal.

So far as could be learned, this canal, or rather a small ditch irrigating part of the land under the present York Canal, was constructed about the year 1881 by several Mexicans. In 1886, or thereabout, the "CA" Cattle Co. bought out the Mexicans and proceeded to enlarge the canal. Difficulty was encountered because of the solid rock through which part of this ditch had to be carried, and it ap pears that several attempts at reconstruction of the canal may have been abandoned for a time.

In 1905 Herrel and English took this canal over, rebuilt a portion of it, and also extended it. The permanent heading, consisting of a tunnel cut through the cliff into the York Box Canyon, was constructed in 1909, just after the incorporation of the York Canal Co. What is really the only permanent diversion dam on the entire Gila is the lower weir constructed across the channel forming the division for this canal.

This canal served to irrigate 265 acres at the time of this survey, and 29 acres was shown to have been previously irrigated. This area corresponds very closely with the estimates furnished by the several landowners under the canal.

The York Canal Co. was incorporated in 1909, with a capitalization of $3,000, divided into 300 shares. These shares are held by five landowners under the canal.

PUMPING PLANTS.

In the narrow section of the valley extending from Sheldon to Guthrie 10 pumping plants have been installed and serve to irrigate small patches of land. These pumps are of the centrifugal type, driven by gasoline engines, and lift the water direct from the river. They are usually located advantageously with respect to the lowwater flow.

These plants are operated by individual owners, and most of them are of recent date. In some instances the pumps were installed because of the failure of former gravity irrigating ditches. A brief description of these plants follow:

Just below the Sexton Canal is located a small pumping plant station owned by Phil McNair, who has been irrigating his land since 1913. At the present time he has 11.5 acres under irrigation.

On the west bank of the Gila, at York, Ariz., two pumping plants are situated. One is owned by Edwards and Cauthens, the other by J. F. Goolsby.

The land under the Edwards and Cauthens pumping plant has been irrigated since 1906, but it is claimed by present owners that this land was first irrigated by means of a syphon from the York Canal. The area which is being irrigated by this pumping plant is 18.5 acres. In addition to this amount, 5.5 acres could be irrigated.

Under the Goolsby pumping plant there are 10 acres of irrigated land, 16.5 acres show evidences of previous irrigation and could be irrigated with the expenditure of a little labor in clearing and leveling of the adjoining fields. This land was first irrigated about 10 years ago.

The small pumping plant located on the east bank of York, Ariz., is owned and operated by Earnest Shade, who has been irrigating by this method since 1911. The pumping plant irrigates 6 acres of land in garden truck, but a larger area of land could be placed under irri- . gation by clearing and extending the present irrigating system.

Down the river 2 or 3 miles, on the same bank, is located another pumping plant, which is owned and operated by J. W. Foote. This pumping plant has been in operation since April, 1914, and has irrigated 7 acres of garden-truck land. An additional area of 5 or 10 acres could be irrigated by this pump.

Just below this pumping station is another plant owned and operated by A. C. and T. A. Angle, of Guthrie, Ariz. This pumping plant has been in use since 1908 and irrigates 15 acres of land.

Across the river from this farm is located J. H. Brown's pumping plant, which has been in use for irrigation since 1913. This land was formerly irrigated by a gravity ditch constructed about the year 1900. Since that time floods have destroyed this canal and heading, and the pumping has been resorted to as a means of supplying the ditch with water from the river. Eleven acres are irrigated by this plant.

Just below Mr. Brown's plant is the pumping plant owned by R. S. Medina, which will be placed in operation during the year 1015. Some 10 acres will be irrigated by this pumping system. This land, according to Mr. Medina, has never before been irrigated.

C. M. Short's pumping plant, which is located at Guthrie, Ariz., was constructed in 1907. Previous to that time a gravity canal was in

use here, but in 1907 this was destroyed by floods. This canal had been in use since 1885, and the irrigation of this tract of land dates back to that time. At one time a self-operated water-lifting wheel was installed, but this did not prove to be a successful venture. This pumping plant irrigates 35 acres of garden-truck land.

Between the Guthrie Canyon and the first diversion, which is made for the Solomonville Valley, there are three small pumping plants irrigating small areas near the mouth of the San Francisco River.

The Gila River surveys were not extended to include this small acreage, but the information which has been gathered concerning this cultivation was to the effect that on the east and west sides of the river about 60 acres of land has been irrigated continuously since 1899 by E. Funtes and Telles, two Mexicans, who sell their produce in Morenci and Clifton.

Farther down the river on the north side is located John Velton's farm of 20 acres, which has been under cultivation since 1902.

Another farm, still farther down the river on the south side, consists of 10 acres of cultivated land, which has been irrigated since 1899 by Albert Suvia.

Below the Suvia farm the Gila River flows through a narrow box canyon until it reaches the Solomoville valley.

IRRIGATION ANALYSIS.

The irrigation analysis, under the different dates representing five-year periods, has been based upon actually cultivated areas. The areas under the 1914 column represent the areas actually cultivated at time of and as shown by this survey.

As related in the body of the report the irrigation of many of the tracts in the Duncan Valley has not been carried on continuously under the same ditches, but a great deal of land, especially the irrigated areas in New Mexico, have been served at various times by a number of small ditches. It was found practically impossible, however, to ascertain the detailed history of these numerous small ditches. After obtaining the general history of irrigation in this valley from all available sources the analysis of priorities was estimated from these general data and from the information furnished by the landowners in the claims of appropriation. In each case the landowner has been requested to give an estimate of the land he had under cultivation during previous times and at the time of the survey, and these estimates were then compared with the results of the survey. Where discrepancies occurred a proportional adjustment of 'the estimates was made, and the area thus arrived at was credited to the canal now serving the land.

Many of the former landowners have sold out and left the country, and the evidence readily obtainable was not altogether satisfactory. Some errors in the analysis may occur, yet it is believed that for all practical purposes they are substantially correct.

IRRIGATION ON THE TRIBUTARIES OF THE GILA (DISTRICT No. 6).

A reconnaissance survey was made to ascertain the extent and nature of the irrigation along all of the important tributaries of the Gila with the exception of the Salt River. The irrigation on the

extreme upper reaches of the Gila was also covered by a reconnaissance survey.

A summary of the irrigation in the several districts, as well as the general conditions pertaining thereto, is given in the following report.

These tributaries will be taken up separately in the order in which they join the Gila, beginning with the San Pedro, and proceeding upstream.

SAN PEDRO RIVER,

The San Pedro River rises in the Huachuca Mountain range, in northern Sonora, Mexico, and, flowing in a northeasterly direction, crosses the international boundary line into Cochise County, Ariz., at a point one-half mile east of international boundary line, survey monument No. 98. It continues in the same direction for about 6 miles, then takes a course of about north by west, and leaves Cohise County at a point 3 miles south of its northwest corner. then flows through the northwest corner of Pima County into Pinal County; thence in the same direction, north by west, to its confluence with the Gila River in the center of sec. 23, T. 5 S., R. 15 E., G. & S. R. B. & M.

It

After crossing the international boundary into the United States the river flows through a narrow valley with hills on either side which confine the irrigable land to narrow strips along the river bottom. In places the hills open out, forming small valleys of excellent farming land. Of these valleys, the St. David and Benson are the largest, and are practically a single valley, being interrupted only by points of the mesa which project out to the river.

Irrigation on the San Pedro River has been practiced since ancient times. When the first Spanish explorers came into this region during the sixteenth century, they found Indians irrigating land along this river. Several of the trails between Mexico and northern Arizona followed the San Pedro along the greater part of its course, and mention is made in the narratives of the early Spanish explorers of the Indian ranchos along this river.

In more recent years Mexicans have immigrated to this valley and have irrigated small patches of land. Some of these parcels have been continuously irrigated to the present time, this being especially true of the lands along the upper part of the river, on the old Spanish grants, and in the lower Benson Valley.

The whites began to irrigate lands along the San Pedro in the early sixties. The number of new ditches and irrigated fields increased rapidly until the occurence of the floods of 1894 and 1895. These floods did great damage, washing out a number of ditch headings and destroying many acres of irrigated and irrigable land. Other destructive floods occurred in 1905 and again in 1914. The flood damages were so great as to make further irrigation impractical at some points along the river, besides rendering it more difficult and expensive in all irrigated districts. In spite of these floods, however, the total irrigated acreage has gradually increased.

From the annual report of the Indian agent of the San Carlos Indian Reservation it has been learned that prior to 1868, about 75 Indians irrigated small tracts along this river and Aravaipa

Creek, a tributary. Many of these Indians either have abandoned their lands or have been forced out by the whites, and those few who remain at the present time are cultivating only a few acres.

IRRIGATION BY DISTRICTS.

Mexican land grants.-There is no irrigation along the San Pedro in the Republic of Mexico. The first irrigated area is on the upper course of this river, situated near the town of Hereford, near the south boundary of the San Rafael Del Valle grant, and is served by the Hereford Canal. On this grant and on the Rancho San Juan de las Boquillas y Nogales, which is also an old Mexican land grant, there are four ditches irrigating land as follows:

Of the Union or Hill ditch, a 230/380 part interest is owned by the Boquillas Land & Cattle Co., owners of the grant lands, who irrigate 244 acres of said land. The remaining 120 acres of irrigated land is owned by a number of ranchers living in the upper St. David Valley.

The Boquillas east and west side ditches are provided with a single diversion dam, the ditches taking out on opposite sides of the river.

In the land-grant areas there were about 100 acres irrigated in 1901, when the land was purchased by the present holders. This acreage has been gradually increased since that date.

The oldest ditches in this district are now obliterated and no definite data could be obtained concerning the number, location, and area served. It is evident, however, that they were small, irrigated small areas, and that all land originally served by these ditches which has not been washed away is now irrigated under the present ditch.

St. David district. Proceeding down the river, the next irrigated area is the St. David district.

On the west side of the river in this district there are no ditches diverting water from the river, but a few small patches of land are irrigated by means of artesian wells.

On the east side of the river are located the Union or Hill ditch, already mentioned, in the Grant land district, which irrigates 120 acres in this district, and the St. David Canal. Besides these two canals, water from numerous artesian wells is used for irrigation. Prior to 1877 there were only a few scattered settlers in this district, but during that year a Mormon colony came in and the Union or Hill ditch was constructed. The earthquake of 1887 opened a fissure from which water flowed for some time and led to the discovery of artesian water during that year. During this period and until 1902 the area under irrigation increased rapidly. In 1902 the water supply first became noticeably inadequate and trouble began to be experienced with the ditch headings. About this time à