The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-05-10
ICOECLUDED.1

' 80 AO"n'ooAAo SaPtP 1ueaB anC
Suggestions.
[CoNCLUDED.1
In our own State little has been done
in tho way ofirrigation. except on tile
rice lands principally Of tho tide belt
These are flowed by the riso and fall
of the tide, regulated by trunks, and
the writer has often been surprised
that these lands were not winter crop
ped with oats, sown as soon rs tic
rice crop was removed. BY the free
use Of fertilizers and water these win.
ter crops wonld be as profitable as the
rice crop.
Fine natural advantages exist to
irrigate much of the country from the
tide belt to the foot Of the falls; and
MANY STREAMS IN THIS BELT
afford nevcr-failing supply Of water.
The cost of constructing water mains
would be comparatively little in this
region.
From the foot of the falls to the foot
of tho mountains there are thousands
Of acres thar can be overtlowed. The
construction Of mains is here more
costly, and requires more engineering
skill. From the turbid streams Of the
high lands we would not only get wa
ter to increase production but this
water would hold in solution, mineral
and vegetable matter, serving to en-
rich the lands. The water Of this belt
would thus be moro valuable than that
of the middle, but perhaps not more
valuable than that Of the tide region.
10 take up q stream and divert it
from it's channel on an extensive scale
Is the work of the engineer. But there
Is one method that does not require q
V; 8: amount Of engineering skill. We
know from practical experience that
the mains should not have a fall of
over one to four inches per mile. At
the head Of such main should be q
carefully constructed lock or gate TO
regulate the amount Of water flowing
into 1t. Such mains should be wide
rather than deep. Have over.bank
wastes Of rock or wood to throw off
accumulating surplus rain water at
proper distances.
From the mains, branch mains and
service bitches must be constructed,
and the latter arranged to throw out
the water as desired.
The water can be supplied in two
ways, either by broadcast flooding
which if done should be expcditiously
executed and over at once-or by
sluicing or running through furrows.
The latter plan would perhaps be the
cheapest and best for most purposes.
The mains and service bitches, once
constructed. the levels Of the lands to
be flowed can be determined, stakeCl
and marked, and once done properly
it is arranged forever, and without
further cost. Sucn would be the
process Of a general system Of irriga-
tion which reached beyond the lands
OF single which is not
likely soon, if ever, to be practised
here.
Every farm, though, Of few hum
drcd acres has on it limited amount
OF land, perhaps from to 10 per cent,
that can be irrigated, and such can be
done by the proprietor at no great
outlay Of money or labor. By tho use
OF small stream Of water and good
manuring, DR.. Parker made in the
suburbs Of Columbia 212 bushels of
corn on one acre. Many Of our readers
have seen this land.
Now, every onc-horse farm in our
country ought to produce at least $50
bushels Of corn. Suppose bv the use
OF little brains, a little manure
AND A LITTLE BRANCH,
this can be done on two acres of land.
Suppose it can be done, would 1t not
be we'll to try it2 Suppose the same
small amount Of brains, manure and
branch would produce two bales of
cotton Oh one acre. 1t can be done
why not try it2 Or if the same small
quantity Of tho same things would
produce 100 bushels Of oats on ono
acre, wi hicl they will, why not try it Z
In other words u full water supp,y
will double and treble your best crgps.
The cash paid for commercial fe:tiliz-
ers III any one county III q year or two.
would develop and utilize all the wa
ter supply the county contains. The
cash paid for brcadstufls f'om abroad
would each year irrigatc .and enough
to produce your breadstuns forever.
80 would the money You send to the
Northwest for bacon do the same
thing. Good cultivation, fertilization,
ana where nature has given It, a
water supply, would make an ucro
not worth $40, but $500 to $500.
This country Of ours, as regards
climate, health and natural fertility. ls
one OF the most favored on tho face of
the earth. 1t has been dreadtully
abused and much worn. Even now il
is easier to 60 to work and improve It
and enrich it than it is to cmigratc in
quest OF the rich virgin and sicEly soils
OF the Southwest with their prccarious
crops. 1t is true our farming has been
haphazard, but we are over, wo hope,
with the chaotic period Of experiment,
reconstruction and rcadjnstmont. Tho
mass of our people must subsist by
agriculture. And more, all improve
ments must be made by the white race ;
and tho white man, who cultivates his
own lands with his own hands aided
by his children, had best contract his
operations, improve his lands, use his
brains and convert his small farm into
productive paradise; leaving tho
negro, with his little bull or old mule,
TO browse on tho broom sedgo ridges.
tho skinner and the curse as he is to
any country.
SUPERVISION By THE STATE IMMI0RA-
TION COMMISSIONER.