Show PRIMITIVE irrigation METHODS companies organized will improve system in old mexico st louis the new irrigation lav which was recently passed by the mexican congress already has led to the inauguration of a number ot irrigation projects in different parts of that country the fact that the law carries an appropriation ot to be paid in subsidies to those who place land under serves as an incentive for the establishment 0 improvements prove ments of this character one of the largest of these irrigation enterprises under the new law Is being financed bi a syndicate of st louis men headed by david R francis his eon divald R francis jr is method of irrigation in old mexico actively interested in the project and has been spending much of his time in mexico of late the concession for this enterprise provides for the use of the water of lake chapala for ir about BOO acres of land adjacent to the lake the government will pay a subsidy of 25 per hectare of avs acres on all land placed under irrigation it Is stated that a system of canals and ditches will be built to cover every part of the tracts of land that are to be irrigated and that great electric pumping plants will be in stalled to raise the water out of the lake the cost of the construction ot the eastern of irrigation will be almost offset by the subsidy A number ol 01 applications for concessions to establish large irrigation plants under the new subsidy law are pending in the department of foments of the federal government minister OIe gario molina of that department re bently signed a contract with joaquin redo a wealthy business man of ma batlan for the establishment of a system of irrigation in the valley of the san lorenzo river in the state of sinaloa mr redo binds himself to place acres under irrigation within ten years from the date of the contract primitive methods of irrigation are in use in many parts of mexico some of these irrigating plants have been in operation continuously tor more than years the water Is raised by means of cumbersome water wheels operated by the native geons peons the capacity of the buckets on these wheels Is small but a considerable quantity of water Is lifted in the course of a days operation and sev eral acres may be irrigated from one water wheel the demand for mod ern pumping plants has increased very rapidly during the last few years and it is not unusual to see a gasoline en alne at work alongside of one of abr antiquated water wheels |