The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-08-24
RESERVOIR AND DITCH.
Paper Read by n. B. TonaBIin at the I'm
CATION Meeting.

water is direct from natural water
courses or supplied by pumps, is de-
pendent on the reservoir. It is true.
that it is possible to irrigate without
the reservoir, equally true it is possible
for an individual to exist who instead
of providing for the proverbial srainy
day. spends his income as fast as
earned, and trusts to luck for the fu-
ture. The same measure of success
will follow both.
In Sherman county particularly. are
we dependent on the reservoir. Our
water supply must be derived from
water courses such as the Smoky and
Beaver. and from the underfioW, from
both of which it is possible only to Sc
cure a comparatively small volume of
water at time, which eight months of
the year must be stored for the remain
ing four. By the term stored, do not
mean, necessarily, that the water should
be held in large volumes above ground,
but should, through the fall and winter
months, be allowed to thoroughly sat
urate the soil intended for cultivation
the following year, thus using as a
storage reservoir during the spring
months when the natural rainfall uSu-
ally supplies the needed moisture
Then the reservoir proper is at its best
The capacity of a reservoir depends
on the source of supply and should be
able to store at least one months ffoW
providing the flow is of sufficient vol
ume that the evaporation and seepage
does not cause material loss. If only
storing the flow of an ordinary pump it
is well, probably, to have the capacity
of the reservoir smaller. That is, of
sufficient capacity to hold, say two
weeks pumping. Most pumps will
throw at least 60 barrels of water per
day. and a reservoir whose base line is
30x30 and four feet deep Will be suff1ci-
ent. This will hold nearly 1000 barrels
and will place one inch of water on
something more than an acre of ground
will be Of sufficient size to raise all the
fish a large family will consume and
from the same pool in the winter can
be cut enough ice which. if properly
stored, will supply their need during
the summer. Such a reservoir should
be on every farm in Sherman county.
If you are only going to irrigate from
an ordinary pump, in selecting the site
for your reservoir choose one as near
your house as possible. If you can irri-
gate only an acre, have that acre
around your house. Beautify your
home, and at the same time produce all
the fruits and vegetables your family
will need summer and winter.
In building your reservoir mark out
a space 36X36, thus allowing three foot |
margin all around on which the wall |
should be built. Remove about six |
inches of the soil, throwing it up on the |
sides, thoroughly pulverize the soil in
the bottom to a depth of two or three |
inches, turn on the water and thorough |
ly puddle. If you only have one team |
use a float, if you can secure several |
head of cattle simply drive them around |
until the soil is worked to a kind of |
gumbO. Remember always that this |
work cannot be sighted. After being |
thoroughly puddled level down with |
the float. Now set your stakes for the (
base lines of your wall 30x3O, leaving |
hethree foot margin all around. Here it |
is we'll to mention that should your re- |
servoir be larger than above described, |
your margin should be proportionateIy |
larger. Build up to the desired height, it |
will not be necessary to puddle them |
as the waves will do that for you After |
the first filing you will then have re-
servoir that will hold water as well as
any tank of the same capacity.
Your outlets should be of four pieces
of timber, two 2X6's and two KISS spiked |
together, making an outlet 6x6. This |
will give sufficient volume to nicely |
spread or push along the ditch
The ditch should be constructed on |
the ground, your walls built up so that |
the bottom of the ditch is higher than |
the surface of the ground This is vital |
to the economic use of the water Run |
your main ditch on the highest ground. |
plant everything in rows, down which |
the lateralS from the main ditch should |
run. Remember that your main ditch |
is constructed above ground, not only |
for the reason that is easier to get the |
MO i0fn hn LOTT oTc oh
ground where the sun can act on it's /
walls, it soon becomes like the reservoir |
imperviouS to water and the loss by |
seepage is trif1ing. Your lateralS YOU
construct in the loose soil for the rea-
son that you want the water to soak in |
to the ground. The laterals you will !
change every time you put water on the |
land for the reason that always as soon |
as possible after irrigating, the ground |
should be cultivated thus obliterating
the lateral and preventing the soil from |
baking.
In irrigation, experience is the best |
teacher, and from a little plant as
above described, a wonderful amount |
of knowledge can be gained. If you |
cannot irrigate 10 acres, construct the |
little plant and experiment That will |
give you garden truck and fruit trees. !
Learn the best way to apply the water, |
find out the best kind and varieties of
fruits and vegetables adapted to our
soil and climate. We have it in our
power to win out our own salvation.
Will you do it?
Small beginnings like this will lead to
larger. Capital will see the wonderful
productiveness of our soil and will en-
able US to increase our plants. Enter
prising genius will perfect a pump
which will raise the water at trifiing
cost. Instead of sun-baked plains that
now tire the vision, beautiful groves
and green fields will greet the eye.
Want and hunger will no longer rule
our land. Peace and plenty, sure re-
ward for labor, await every man, and as
old age comes upon US from under our
own vine and fig tree, we can look out
upon land redeemed.
One word describes perfection. !"
We refer to De Wits Witch Hazel
Salve, cures obstinate sores. burns
skin diseases and is well known cure
for piIes.-Ennis & Walker.