Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1885-11-14
ARTESIAN WELLS.

ing lands situated along the line OF the
road in Nevada. These lands are d.
vided in.o twenty.eisht ranges, each
capable of sustaining large herds of
cattle. They would afford refuge for
the cattlemen who are now being ex-
PEELED from the Indian Territory. The
mountain ranges are covered with
luxuriant crop Of nutritious bunch grass,
which affords excellent summer pasture,
and in the winter the sagebrush vallies
furnish feed, on which cattle can live
during the most inclement seasons
The selection Of these ranges by the
great cattlemen now seeking new pas
lures would do much to rehabilitate
Nevada, which at present suffers from
the depression of silver mining. The
occupation of the ranges would stimu.
late agricultural enterprise, and much
OF the valley land along the railroad
would be reclaimed from the desert by
irrigation. 1t is we'll known that soil
which will produce sagebrush in state
of nature will prove equally favorable
for cereals and general agricultural
products when irrigated. The Hum
boldt river furnishes good water sup
ply, which could be largely utilized
for farm purposes, and there are other
streams now running to waste which
would be available.
Some recent experiments at Battle
Mountain show that flowing water can
be obtained from artesian wells at small
expense. Some Of the wells there
flow so, gallons day, enough to IT.
rigate many acres of alfalfa. By lit.
tie increase in expenditure it is proba.
BILE that the capacity Of these wells
could be greatly increased. There
should be an abundant water supply
underlying the vallies Of Nevada, TO
which pumping power could be applied
in default of a sufficient natural flow.
Some figures recently given by DR..
Latham in letter to w. S. Green Of
the Colusa San have an interest in this
connection. He mentions an artesian
we'll put down by C. W. Reed on the
plains three miles from Sacramento.
The well is ten inches bore, ITO feet
deep and the water rises within pump.
ing distance Of the surface. An
s. horse power engine, which with pump
and well piping cost $1,000. pumps
7zo 900 gallons day. and irrlgates
a25 acres of orchard with 1856 standard
trees to the acre, besides 600, 900 nurS
cry sets between the rows OF trees.
Coal is used for fuel al 81 so ton by
the carload, and the daily cost of fuel
is from 50 to So cents. At Woodland,
K. b. Blowers has 2S.horse power en-.
CINE pump which from r5.inch we'll
pumps 5000 gallons daily. In the
same vicinity Benjamin Peart has SO.
horse power engine pump, which cost,
with engine house, $1,000, and raises
6, $50, 900 gallons day.
1t is 10 be assumed that more irriga
ton would be required in Nevada than
in the Sacramento Valley, owing 10 the
less rainfall. Assuming that almost en-.
tire dependence must be placed upon
irrigation, and that twenty inches Of
water will be required per annuIn, and
it Is easy TO see what can be done by
irrigation. Twenty inches Of water
per annum is equal to 544,5 500 gallons
to the acre during the year. Mr.. Reed S
pump has capacity OF 72o 900 gallons
day, and running 400 days IN the year
would put twenty inches Of water on
about 26s acres Of land. We take it
for granted that the water would be
kept running about half a year in eli
mate like that OF Nevada. Assuming
that Mr.. Reeds figures on expenses are
TOO low for Nevada, and making III -
cost Of fuel 81 per day, and OF labor s.
per day, and a total cost for irrigation
Of about s. per acre annually will re
suit. Taking the larger engines and
pumps described above, and it is easy
to calculate the average that could b.
irrigated by them.
There is nothing in this calculation Of
a~nanrs. ,ha1 u, Enrniinhla L. MN, h.