New geographies . Fig. 47. — A large ditch, in western United States, in which water is led from a river to be used in watering crops in the desert. Its work in drainage is always of valueto the farmers who live in the valleythrough which it flows; but its impor-tance is most plainly seen when heavyrains fall, or when the snow melts thirsty soil, so that plants can thrive(Fig. 47). That is called irrigation, andin many places, including some parts ofour Owncountry, no crops can be raisedwithout it. 38 HOME OEOOBAPHT Again, many animals and people de-pend upon rivers for the water thatthey drin
New geographies . Fig. 47. — A large ditch, in western United States, in which water is led from a river to be used in watering crops in the desert. Its work in drainage is always of valueto the farmers who live in the valleythrough which it flows; but its impor-tance is most plainly seen when heavyrains fall, or when the snow melts thirsty soil, so that plants can thrive(Fig. 47). That is called irrigation, andin many places, including some parts ofour Owncountry, no crops can be raisedwithout it. 38 HOME OEOOBAPHT Again, many animals and people de-pend upon rivers for the water thatthey drink. Even whole cities often. Fig. 48. — An old-lashioned water wheel used to give thepower for grinding grain into flour in a grist mill. obtain their drinking water from out where your own drinking watercomes from, if you do not already water of rivers is also used forturning water wheels Their use (^ig- 48). for manufac- YoU have, ^S perhaps, noticed how wind-millswork. Thewindblows the large wheelround and round, andit may be so con-nected with otherwheels that it canpump water, or turna saw for sawing wood, or grind corn. Steam is also usedfor power; for example, to turn thewheels of a railway engine, so that itcan drag the heavy cars along. Hiver water is made to do work inmuch the same manner. Where thereis a swift current, or where there arewaterfalls, such as the Niagara Falls,it is often easy to run some of the wateroff to one side through a ditch or water, racing rapidly along, orfalling with great force, strikes a wheel(Fig. 48) and makes it whirl wheel, being
Size: 1373px × 1820px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectgeography, bookyear19
