The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-07-24
IRRIGATION OF SUGAR CANT,
A PAPER READ BY Mr.. VIM. GoLDING BE-
FORE THE LOUISIANA SUGAR PLANTERS
AssOc'N, JULY II, '69.

PAPER READ By MR.. VIM. GOLDING BE-
Assoc'N, JULY II, '69.
By the term irrigation is meant the ar
t,icial supply of water to lands not suf8-
GENTLY supplied by nature. Two systems
of irrigation have been practiced from
time immemorial-one being to cause the
water to flow through carefully prepared
channels. Systematically distributed
throughout the land under cultivation
tho other to entirely though temporarily
submerge the land.
So far as known it has never been the
practice to sprinkle the land or the grow
ing crop except on very small scale; for
example, in garden culture. In those
countries where irrigation is the sole de-
pendence for the production of crop the
land IS especially selected and prepared
with regard to the system to be employed.
In Louisiana and adjacent sugar land,
the rainfall being ample, though unrelia-
BILE, the fields could not be prepared SOLE
ly to suit any Of the systems of irrigation
now in use, but must be prepared in q
manner that will carry off The rainfall,
which is sure to come either in OF ont Of
season. Therefore, any system that may
be devised for Louisiana must be such as
will not interfere with the present system
Of cultivation and drainage. In garden
cultivation the water is very satisfactorily
supplied by means of the garden hose,
with sprinkling attachment, system
which seems to be susceptible to indef-
mite extension; for if it will pay to sprin-
kle one acre of land it will certainly pay
to sprinkle any number of acres, espe
cially When proper facilities are supplied.
There are searons when timely sprink-
ling of the entire crop would be worth
thousands of dollars of dollars, and per.
haps be the means Of saving half of the
crops in the State. Conceding, then,
that it is practicable, and that during the
continued absence of rain it is desirable
to sprinkle an entire crop, there remains
nothing to consider but the expense. To
sprinkle one acre of ground equal to one
inch of rain will require $1,000 gallons of
water, the cost of pumping and distoibu-
ting which, including coal and labor,
need not exceed 81 per acre. The pump
to deliver this water should have capac-
| ity of 1000 gallons per minute, which
which suffice to sprinkle two acres per
hour. The pump should be located on
the river bank, at a convenient point
from which the water would be delivered
to the field through wrought iron pipes
four inches in diameter, being in sections
Of eighteen feet, and provided with suita-
BILE connections. This pipe will be laid
upon the ground, having hose connec-
tions ut intervals Of three hundred feet.
The total length of this pipe would equal
the total length or distance from the
pump to the extreme point to which the
water will be required.
From the connections mentioned suita-
BILE flexible hose, with nozzle attachment,
and of sufficient length to enable the
pipemen to sprinkle an area Of 800 feet
square ON each side of the pipe line
When strip 600 feet wide by the desired
depth has been sprinkled, the pipe line
will be taken up and again replaced at a
parallel 600 feet distadt, and thus the
work will continue until the desired area
is sprinkled.
| The sprinkling should commence at the
extreme distance, in order that the pipe
may be taken up and replaced by sepa-
rate gang of men while the work Of
sprinkling is going on, as in this way
there need be no delay whatever. The es-
timated cost of sprinkling plant of 20
! acres per day capacity:
Boiler and pump, 1000 gallons per
! minute capacity. ................ $500
5000 feet iron pipe, at 80 cents per
| 1eet ...... .................... 20UU
800 feet hose at SO cents per foot. AGO
Brick building for storing plant
when not in use. ................. 600
5000
Estimated cost of operating:
Four men handling hose at $1.50
per day each Observation-Disclosures. S. 90
Foar men removing pipe at $3.50
per day each. ................... 90
One man in charge Of boiler and
pump .................... w
Ono ton Of coal. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 90
|
$40 90
Having shown herein that tho cost of
sprinkling is 81 per acre, and that the
cost Of plant for twenty acres capacity
per day will be $1,000, it will readily be
seen that while the cost for sprinkling
per acre will remain as estimated, the
cost Of plant will vary in the proportion
Of its capacity and range. The plant
herein described will, if stored in pro-
per building, last almost indefinitely, es-
peeially if properly stored. The interest
on the investment at per cent will be
but $500 per annum, which will he the