Wichita eagle., 1890-01-05
ARTESIAN WELLS.
In Relation to Rainfall and Irrigation in
Southwestern Kansas.
BY JNO. G. STEFFEE.

very generally, if not universally con
ceeded to be the greatest hindrance t.
the development Of the agricultural re
sources Of Southwestern Kansas.
1t may be claimed by some, however
that the peculiar atmospheric pheno
mena occurring in this section of the
state, at certain seasons of the year anC
commonly known as hot winds are more
disastrous and far reaching in their eff
fects than the deficiency in precipitation
| From data compiled and investigations
made by Sergeant T. B. Jennings, man
ager Of the signal service bureau for the
department of Kansas, during the pas,
summer, the opinion is clearly warrant.
ed. that hot winds are dependent, large
~ if not exclusively upon local causes
the most apparent of which is the lack
of moisture or insufficiency of rainfall
hence; it follows as logical conclusion,
| that if the annual precipitation can be
| increased, the hot winds will be CORES
pondingly diminished and modified.
We will not undertake to discuss,
| from scientific standpoint, the causes
of the deficiency and great irregularity
of rainfall in southwestern Kansas, nor
to explain why hot winds prevail at GER
tain seasons of the year. To do
this would require an exhaustive
investigation, of the topography, alti-
tude and prevailing atmospheric cur
rents, not only of this immediate Sec
ton of country, but also of a much
larger area, extending probably to the
British possessions on the north, the
Rocky mountains on the west and the
Gulf of Mexico on the south, all of
WI Oh, 10
Is now impracticable, and we think not
essential.
1t will be admitted without question
that the rainfall in southwestern Kan
sas IS deficient ad irregular, and that hot
winds actually occur, and at those sea-
sons when the one is most needed and
the other most ruinous in their effects.
Prof. Robert Hay, in a very excellent
article, prepared for and published in
the report of the Kansas state board of
agriculture for August and September,
1889, says: cit has not been the habit of
the average Kansan to suppose that any
part of his state belongs to the arid re-
gion of the North American continent.
He knows that there has been some
years of drouth, but he mentally offsets
that fact by saying that there has also
been years of drouth in Ohio, Virginia
and Illinois, and that his years of abund-
ant rainfall come SO very often as to
wipe out the very memory Of the years
OF deficiency OF precipitation. The lean
kline never devour the fat. 1t is admit
ted that, in the more remote counties of
western Kansas the annual precipitation
is somewhat deficient and more irregu-
lar; but, Judging from thirty years
experience IN eastern Kansas, it
is commonly believed that the dlstribu-
ton of rainfall will be modified
by breaking prairie sod, planting trees
and subsoil blowing. 1t is not supposed
that the amount of rain falling can be
increased, but the amount conserved for
agricultural purposes can be greatly aug
Conservation of moisture" is
a phrase that means much to the the
western Kansas farmer, and he is aim
ing to give practical exemplification of
it. Yet for all this ''the Powell Merid-
ian" runs through western Kansas, and
accepting that boundary line, some ten
or twelve thousand square miles in some
ten or fifteen counties Of the state must
be included in the arid region"
Let us now consider briefly whether
the recommendations of the various
methods proposed for augmenting the
annual precipitation and the conserva-
ton OF moisture, SO often expressed and
furnished by the residents
Of the more favored sections of our state,
can under existing conditions, be put
into practical operation in southwestern
Kansas. By the term southwestern
Kansas, We mean all that part of the
state lying west of the Tooth meridian
and south of the Arkansas river.
First, there is the current opinion, |
founded on scientific principles, based on |
sound reasoning and not wholly lacking |
N support of actual experience, that if |
his vast expanse of level prairie land |
reaching out to the horizon in every di- !
,ection be broken by the pillow of the |
and this work supple /
neuted by stirring and puiverizing the |
leep, rich subsoil underlying the sur
ace, the amount of moisture thus con-
served for agricultural purposes would
greatly enhance the possibilities of boun-
Iful crops every year.
Apropos to this theory we quote from
he Associated Press dispatches of recent
late the following: washington, Dec.
QSS9).-Secretary Rusk has received a
Il station in southwestern Kansas, near
farden City, announcing that it has
,een demonstrated that the arid lands of
vest can be made productive without
he aid of irrigation. Experiments at
he station have proved that the desert
apds unirrigated will produce plentiful
upPlles of grasses and forage plants, in
ludIng sorghum: and it is believed that
orn, wheat and potatoes will grow
qually as well. Only two things were
Necessary to accomplish these results.
'irst, the ground was pulyerized deeply
o make a bed for holding the water that
allS IN rain. Second, the planted sur
ace was covered after sowing with mat
ed straw to keep the loan from blowing
way with the seed. Subsequent crops
will require no straw, for the reason that
he matted roots VIII keep the dry earth
rom being blown away by the high
Winds"
1t Is very apparent that whoever sol
ceS himself with this theory will have
mple time TO calculate the vast amount
+ labor and money which must be ex-
ended before his hopes are realized,
ven though he find it necessary to learn
ne rudiments of arithmetic before COM
lencing his calculations. j
Southwestern Kansas. as before de- .
ned, is more than one hundred miles in ,
,ngth and an average of over sixty {
liles wide and comprises nearly six ,
square miles or upwards of .
our million acres of land. 1t is larger ;
nan the new territory of Oklahoma,
nd larger than the combined area of the :
.ateS Of Connecticut and Rhode Island. I
Now, if we take one dollar and fiftv ;
ants per acre as the minimum cost of | |
reaklng prairie sod and an equal I
mount as the cost of subsoil blowing ]
nd If this work is to be supplemented I