Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-28

pursued In various other portions of the
world.
And there is undoubtedly fine OPEN
ing here for the successful investment OF
capital in that kind of thing. company
would form and buy up body of good
agricultural lands lying favorable for ir-
rigation. To be thus suitable does mol
call for lands of dead level or land.
even approaching thereto, as watel
trenches can be SO located as to carry
water over almost any character of sur
face not actually steep. The maiu thing
is to have point on the lands sufficiently
elevated to run water over the entire
area, and having upon 1t valley or de-
preston that might be damned to form
a reservoir or large "tank.'' On this
elevation an srtesian vel! or two would
be bored down 10 a water-bearlng
stratum like the one now just tapped by
the Fort Worth city well. From th is well
or wells the water would be turned
into the elevated "tank'' suggested
to be run thence through mains
ana side trenches over the tiilable lands
lying below. As the wells would flow
constantly they would soon furnish a
large body of water in the reservoir
enough to irrigate an extensive acreage,
for the water would be turned out upon
the lands only as needed. Weeks would
sometimes pass in which, on account OF
rains, there would be no necessity of let
ting the water out into. the trenches.
For the very best results in agriculture
1t takes for each week volume of water
sufficient TO cover the entire cultivated
acreage to the depth of one inch. 1t is
usually turned on all at one time; that
is, the water is applied once week. In
week when there was no rain the full
quantity would be needed, but IL there
was some rain, but not enough, as shown
by the rain gauge. then It would be
necessary to make up the deficiency from
the reservoir.
The company owning the system would
irrigation trenches arranged, and would
sell them with a guaranteed water supply
at certain annual rates, or it could rent
them out under the same guarantee.
Both plans are in vogue in some countries.
With a good system of irrigation there
would be no more parched heritage as
now exists. 1t is not the hot weather
that dries up vegetation, as many sup
pose, but the want of moisture. The
hotter the better for quite number Of
crops. There would be no time in the
summer season when a crop of some kind
could not be growing and doing its very
best, and very many crops not now
thought of here could be grown and
made most magnificent success.
Trucking and fruits would largely
claim the attention of our farmers
operating under an irrigation system. OF
course, you will see that these crops
would bring into existence hosts of new
industries, as the products would have
to be taken care of. Canning and
evaporating plants would be set working
at every hand, and the region round
about the system would speedily settle up
a pushing and prosperous town, as it
were.
There could be nothing to risk in such
an investment. In our talks with per-
sons on this subject we have met with an
expression of but one fear: A few were
afraid that the mlneralized character of
our artesian water would be against it in
agriculture. As stated by US on former
occasion the Florida artesian water car
ries In solution much higher per cent.
of mineral elements than does ours, and
yet it answers every purpose in irriga-
ton. To this we may add the published
statement of Professor W. F. Cummins
of the state geological survey, as appear
ing in the First Annual Report. Pro-
fessor Cummins speaks of a spring in
Lampasss county that might be employed
In irrigation. He says: "Although this
water is largely mineralized when first is
suing from the springs, it is not found
to be detrimental to the growth of crops,
gone a mile or SO in an irrigatIng ditch. ="
The waters of the Fort Worth Waco ar
tesian area are not at oil what could be
termed "'largely mineralized they are
but slightly mineralized.