Utah exhibits [of the] State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, City of San Diego, and County of San Diego, defendants, United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners, State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties

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AGRICULTURE UNDER IRRIGATION IN BA8IN OF VIRGIN RIVER. 255 respective rights of the builders of the original ditch. In making the survey for the ditch the county surveyor estimated that Muddy Creek was carrying 2,000 u inches,v and it was on this estimate that Bonelli claimed 400 "inches" as his one-fourth share. Evidently Bonelli filed his claim to 400 "inches'' in perfectly good faith with his coowners in the ditch, and in the absence of any conception of what an '¦"inch" of water was, it was natural that he should hold to the original estimate of the county surveyor. The case is simply another instance of the confusion sure to follow leaving the establishment of titles to so valuable a commodity as water to the haphazard methods of individual appropriators having no exact knowledge of measurement and no adequate conception of the value of clear, indisputable title. Had some efEcient public supervision of the appropriations from Muddy Creek been exercised when water was first used, the disputed questions would never have appeared in court. The lessons of the case should show the farmers of this division of Virgin River Basin the necessity for putting water titles into shape before there is any occasion for disagreement. The fact that nothing has yet been done toward establishing titles at the settlements of Littlefield, Mesquite, and Bunkerville is sufficient proof that tljere is still ample opportunity for profiting by the past experiences on the Muddy. THE TTPPEB. DIVISION OF THE BASIN. The upper agricultural division of Virgin River is principally Long Valley, on the East Fork. There are in addition several smail areas irrigated on the headwaters and upper tributaries of Zion Creek, principally on North Fork. Long Valley is a narrow valley "ith an elevation of from 4,000 to 5,000 feet, the main section being 7 or 8 miles long. In this section are the three settlements of Mount Carmel, Orderville, and Glendale. At the head of East Fork, 12 miles from the valley proper, is Ranche. East of Long Valley, but a few miles from the headwaters of Virgin River, flowing to the south and west, and Sevier River, flowing to the north, Kanab Creek rises and takes its way southward into the heart of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. Since about 1870 the water of this creek has been used iu irrigation, and there are to-day three settlements on its banks supported entirely from its waters. Chief of these settlements is Kanab, the county seat of Kane County, Utah, which is 4 miles north of the boundary line between Utah and Arizona. Just below the line, in Arizona, is Fredonia. At the headwaters is Upper Kanab. Although Kanab Creek is no part of the water system of Virgin Basin,, it is so closely related geographically and economically to the upper division, that a brief description of irrigation in its basin is included in the discussion of irrigation in that division. Agricultural conditions are practically the same in Mount Carmel, Orderville, and Glendale. Irrigation begins in March-sometimes as early as Februarv-and continues until the late fall. Frosts occur until the middle of June, and are expected again by September 10. The products grown are alfalfa, wheat, oats, potatoes, and corn, with some hardy fruits and vegetables. Land with water is worth an average of &5<> per acre. Water alone is held at an average of $20 per acre. In the valley there are approximately 600 acres of additional irrigable land, all of which is in private ownership. On the bench above there is an additional quarter section.