The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1891-01-09
FLOODING THE LAND.
This is Being Done on Dawson
County Farms.
The Water Flows From Ar.
tesian Wells.

veals practical demonstration of
what can he done in the artesian flood.
land districts of South Dakota. We
prefer not to call it irrigation, for
that conveys an ea of an experience
and expenditure very different from
what is required in the artesisn dis
tricts of the Jim and Missouri valleys
Irrigation in the Rocky Mountain reg
ions implies a redistribution of sur
face water existing in rivers OF lakes,
y project which occasions an expense
of from $40 to $50 per acre to the land
Irrigated. The artesian system in our
own state brings to the surface an ad-
ditional supply of water which con-
Stantly flows and which can readily be
distributed over the land by inexpen-
sive means To demonstrate the util-
'ty of an artesian we'll on South Da-
kota farm let a practical example
be taken:
Henry Schlund owns a quarter Sec
ion of land about fourteen miles
northwest of Mitchell. His land is
generally level, but slopes slightly TO
the east and southeast. Last summer
ha had an artesian we'll sunk near his
barn and strong flow If water was
struck at depth of about $40 feet,
the we'll costing him about 1904. Un
approaching the farm on the Sd inst.
1t was observed that almost the entire
quarter section has the appearance of
low, fiat piece of land in Iowa after
it has rained dailv for about three
weeks. 1t wasn't all under water but
water lay in small pools and furrows
all over the place and every foot of
the land apparently was soaked and
saturated with the subteranean over
flow. On going up to the well it was
| noticed that crane neck was attach
ed to the top of the six-inch pipe that
protruded from the ground and to
this wooden tube was fastened in
such a way that the stream of water
can be turned to flow in any direction.
From the we'll shallow trenches have
been made ina dozen different airec.
tions. Other trenches and furrows
branch out from these. His well be-
ing near the northwest corner of his
farm and the land sloplng to the east
and southeast it can readily be seen
that when the water Is turned into
these bitches it flows to nearly all
portions of the farm. These trenches
are shallow and rs they overflow the
water naturally seeks all the little low
places and soaks into the ground. By
capillary attraction the water pene.
trates from one trench to another
Mr.. Schlund has bad this water flow
ing over his land for the last six
weeks aud as he thinks his ground
we'll supplied for the present lie il
getting ready tn run the flow of the
wellini an ar,ltclal lake or reservoir
covering about All acre OF ground
which il- has mate by -xrav.ling anC
!. building ear,h4n hanks. When this
, sllal, tlhve h-tn filled l1 will culitaiL
water atn ut tiv.. t..t deep. HIS plal
y Ia plant wlllu" Trees around thu
elrl"sur- 10 lnak. The banks p.rma
n.tif, then Ent III n supply Of ti+h
Nav Mr. S:hlurd, 80 lar a- his Owl
tAtm is c,Icrri..r,. d, -niEely u.,cun
c+sl.-.l atUul rAl.l-f,.ll. anh With tn,
! rich SOL end hrrgi'ts,.n w.;t,av.- lie i:
,bs,.lu civ ~nr.."i "A crop mn "s> te
Judging ii"m esp. risi,cts ~ ihns,
who have tried THIS plan iMt,ple h".wlI
be sure at 70 1913 b,lsilels ut Wll. .at 4.
the r. 80 bush. is ot corn. and OATS
barley aud garden v-gtt ahl-s accnr
/, dinghy THIS beng the ruspect MI
, Schlunl would not Trade his farm to
day tor All Illinois farm. His la,t
: with This we'll thereon makes il wuril
/. $40 OF so par A,:r aii.l llt would tax
that 10 l,u! IT.
3 a side shout from the main pip
connects with "a 2 inch pipe which ru.
tl- wal. into hls hog yards and upol
hi, garden and atilpilg hls irr.s. Iii
cattle nnd horses t.ask about the Il w
Z ing water which is just the right ten
J. peia'.r+ far them q" drink, and til
d chickens s,vrr want tor plenty t
D drunk.
e On the farm anj.lning THIS one o
$ The wts', "h'ch l'-l"ngs l" Ge,
y : hlnnh, in-r- is Also aiiartesian we
S w,,cl, Il ,ws from a depth of about IS
g feet, bn, which has not the volume til
1t other ON has. AT thus time he hs
>. a much Smaller ara of land d"odt
e THAN has hls hr"'h-r, hut by spring /
o will have flooded the greater porto
of it.