ibe certain rules for wiring a house, and they insist that their
agent inspect and pass such wiring before current is turned on. Once
the wiring is passed, the advantage is all in favor of the farmer
with electricity over the farmer with kerosene. The National Board of
Fire Underwriters is sufficiently logical in its demands, and powerful
enough, so that manufacturers who turn out the necessary fittings find
no sale for devices that do not conform to insurance standards.
Therefore it is difficult to go wrong in wiring a house.

Finally, as to the added value a water-power electric plant adds to
the selling price of a farm. Let the farmer answer this question for
himself. If he can advertise his farm for sale, with a paragraph
running: "Hydroelectric plant on the premises, furnishing electricity
for light, heat, and power"--what do you suppose a wide-awake
purchaser would be willing to pay for that? Perkins and his neighbor
believe that $1,000 is a very modest estimate added by their electric
plant to both places. And they talk of doing still more. They use only
a quarter of the power of the water that is running to waste through
the wheel. They are figuring on installing a larger dynamo, of say 30
electrical horse-power, which will provide clean, dry, safe heat for
their houses even on the coldest days in winter. When they have done
this, they will consider that they are really putting their small
river to work.

CHAPTER II

A LITTLE PROSPECTING

Small amount of water required for an electric plant--Exploring, on
a dull day--A rough and ready weir--What a little water will
do--The water wheel and the dynamo--Electricity consumed the
instant it is produced--The price of the average small plant, not
counting labor.

The average farmer makes the mistake of considering that one must have
a river of some size to develop power of any practical use. On your
next free day do a little prospecting. We have already said that 250
cubic feet of water falling 10 feet a minute will provide light, heat
and small motor power for the average farm. A single water horsepower
will generate enough electricity to provide light for the house and
barn. But let us take five horsepower as a desirable minimum in this
instance.

[Illustration: Measuring a small stream with a weir]

In your neighborhood there is a creek three or four feet wide,
toiling along day by day, at its task of watering your fields. F