The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-12-28
Let as Have Practical Irrigation.

Let as Have Practical Irrigation.
The following is from a correspondent
OF the Pioneer Press writing from Athol,
s. D., and shows the great benefit ar
tesian water will be to the state when
properly applied in sufficient quantities:
One OF the most important questions
before the coming legislature will be re-
garding the question OF sinking wells for
irrigation and other purposes. That
there will be a general inclination to re-
duce the expense OF the state government
to a minimum, there is no question, yet
there is also determination on the
part OF the taxpayers to secure such leg
| islation as will insure u practical trial OF
the artesan well system both by irriga-
ton and surface, lake and stream sup
plies 80 that the theory OF attraction in
this manner may be demonstrated
throughout the rtesian belt.
kThe third biennial report Of the state
engineer OF irrigation il nowin the hands
OF the printer, and from the proof sheets
| many questions OF interest are deducted
Among the many reports Of experiments
Of irrigation are the following: Lorenna
Buswel OF Condse, Sphinx county, has
| tract, with the following results: Gar
den truck to the amount OF over ST 500
has been sold, while the expense OF dis
| tributing the water was but $40.
w. o. Bisserund Cavour, Readle coun-
| ty, irrigated nineteen acres, for which he
| paid the township 81 per acre for the
| water. Result: Wheat, 32 bushels per
acre oats, so bushels; onions, $50
bushels, and potatoes, uncultivated, S5
bushels.
Alonzo Melville Huron: Wheat, 3S
, bushels; oats, % bushels; potatoes, $50
bushels; millet, tons per acre, Mr.. Mel
| vile will irrigate sixty acres next year,
and claims that the extra crops each
year would pay for the sinking OF well
each year.
The above are only three of more than
n score Of testimonials published by Mr..
Fassett. Mr.. Fassett states that the eex-
pense of q three-inch well, which would
naturally flow say 900 gallons per
| minute, should cost not to exceed ST.
! 700, and four and one-half inch well at
| cost OF about $4,000, should irrigate
from 64O to 200 acres.
One experiment shows that the flow
| taken direct from the well, q days flow,
| 171-2 days labor, flooded 100 acres
| from to IL inches. This year there
| have been fifteen wells sunk under the
| law OF 1889, and eighteen under the law
OF 1898, while there have been scores OF
| per sonal or individual wells sunk.
There is no question as to the future OF
| South Dakota, provided water supply
| can be obtained, and there is also no
| question but an abundance OF water can
| be had over part OF the territory pro-
vided means can be obtained to bring it
| to the surface.
There are many theories as to the best
manner to secure such means, but the
general impression is that it must be
| done in some manner by the state, and
under state supervision. Take, Tor in
| stance the proposition to sink four wells
| in each township. These wells can be
secured at a cost OF 81 200 for the four
and a half-inch well in size. Six per cent
| bonds could be floated at par, and the
! interest thereon would be less than $3 so
| per quarter section. This water could, in
most sections, be used for irrigating pur-
poses, and it could all be run through ra-
/, vines, creeks and streams into
| dams. small lakes and the like, and the
amount OF water on the surface would
attract rainfall, evaporate in dews and
| kill all the hot winds. It would not
| only incle ease largely the yield OF grain
and grass, but it would also supply an
abundance of water, which would make
| South Dakota the greatest stock grow
ing state in the Union.
! This question the farmers have deter
mined to make the one and all absorb
| ing one before the coming body OF law
making.
The irrigation convention which has
/ lust :been in session at kearney, Neb.,
I have gathered much valuable informar
ton upon various irrigation processes
| from which we select as follows, as be-
ing particular interesting to farmers IN
the Dakotas: William Stafford, OF jules
| burg, gave his experience with irrlga-
| ton by means OF windmills and reser.
voirs. A good reservoir, he said, can
be built by banking up the sod, turning
in the water and allowing stock to
tramp down the wet ground. 1t will
soon hold water as well as # cemented.
He did not think water could be pump
ed with profit ii raised more than SO
feet, and believed tat pumping water
was too expensive.