The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1880-11-25

in main ditch. II it is desired to food
the upper part of any bed, and not the
whole oft at once. furrow Is run
across the lower end of the portion to be
flooded, making ridge 10 check the
water. Then the water is let from the
main ditch of the plat at the upper end
and the whole Of this portion is allowed
to become covered with water. Then
the water may be allowed to escape in
to the side bitches or the supply being
cut of, to soak into the ground; or it
may be let into another section Of the
bed, to be in IFS turn irrigated. On such
nearly level land the process is extreme
ly simple, and the work is easily per-
formed.
In the digging of this ditch no engi-
ncering was done. The ditch was started
short distance aud water let run in to
see if it would run. Then another por-
ton was dug and tried. Ofcoursc mis-
take could hardly be made in judging
where to run this ditch; having only the
main object and not the best selection
in view. The uniform declivity of the
Arkansas river bottom renders it ex-
trcmely easily to obtain fall after the
water is once brought out upon the bot
tom land.
There are believed TO be about six
thousand acres Of land that can DO
reached by water from this ditch. An
interesting question is, how much land
has the ditch actual capacity to irrigatc.
If the owners proceed upon the plan en-
ployed in locating the ditch that of trial
and experience merely, they may meet
with disappointment and loss. But,
doubtless, they will in this matter con-
suit the experience of irrigation else
where.
Taking the rules of hydraulic engi-
neering as guide for calculation, and
supposing this ditch to have fall of
three feet per mile and a twelve foot
volume of water, its capacity is 153,420
cubic feet Of water per hour.
From lengthy paper on irrigation in
the United States Agricultural Report
for 1860 have been enabled TO obtain
information for comparison of the Kan
sas experiments with works Of irriga-
ton in other countries.
In the south of France, in Italy and
Algeria, where irrigation has long been
very extensively practiced the season of
irrigation is, at the maximum, six
months that is from the first of May to
the end of October. Experience has
has there evolved at least general rules
for the computation of the capacity of
irrigating canals of various sizes
and the quantity Of water required for
irrigation and many other practical mat
tiers the result Of long experience and
careful observation have been deter
termincd. AS to the required quality
of water the rule is, one litrc of contin-
uous wafer per second for every hec-
tarc. That is fifty cubic feet cf water
per hour for one acre of ground taking
the season of irrigation through. The
Garden City ditch then, with capac-
i'y of l52 ,420 feet per hour will by the
French rule, irrigatc 3.O6S acres: or
about one half the are ofground with |
in the reach of the ditch. But this |
ditch can be easily increased to size
necessary to meet any demand that
may be made upon it.
The Garden City experiment has ma
turally enough excited the interest of
the people generally in the section of
the Upper Arkansas Valley, and other
canals are already projected. One other
has been begun and will be ready 10 sup
ply water for irrigation early next |
Spring. This is also by chartered
organization called the "kansas Irriga-
ting Water Power and Manufacturing
OF this company, Mr.. c.
J. Jones of Garden City was the orig
nator and is the active manager, as he
has also been most active in attracting
public attention TO this practical devel-
Opmcnt of irrigation in Kansas. The
canal Of this company commences at
the west line of Sequoyah County
Twelve miles west Of Garden City. Its
ength is about twenty miles. 1t is al
ready opened for fifteen miles that is,
il is so far made that water has been
run through it for that distance. 1t is
10 he twenty-five feet wide and will
'un four feet of water in depth. The
,ost of making it is to be 800 per mile.
Not cut or n fill is required for the
'ntire distance of twenty miles. The
Itching is dome by machinery that is,
" blowing and grading machines con-
trnctcd for railroad grading and can-
lal excavation. This canal was care
ully located by civil engineer. 1t has
! fall of three feet to the mile. II runs
lear out on the upland. 1t is by no
IL 1
urvcs in order 10 keep the proper level
r rather declivity; but this winding
nd twisting will perhaps prove no
drawback rs to its utility when in use
n comYsencing it advantage was taken
4 time when the ground had been
oftcned by rain for some inches and a
rading plow was run the whole dis
n both sides Of the contemplated ditch
making two shallow bitches. some six
Get wide. leaving a strip within yet I'M
ouched. Water has been let into these
hallow bitches, testing the correctness
# the engineering. and removing all
Of difficult excavation in the
of the canal, by reason Of ;
Try and hard ground. The earth yet TO I
&c cxcavatcd can Row, at any time, be
oftcncd up by sending a flow of water
rom the river through the shallow pre-
minary bitches. As remarked by Mr..
ones, The Company has got the heels
# this ditch" As may well be supposed
he ground i'm that region is little dry 4,
md hard nj times, especially on the up
ands.
The area estimated to be in reach of I
his canals $1,000 acres. Applied the i
french rule before mentioned, its act
al capacity for irrigation is about 2l,-
no acres. II can be easily enlarged at
ny time :