Omaha daily bee., 1895-09-29

In that section artesian water r. found at
a depth OF 360 to 400 feet, and there the
contractors are putting down twc-lnch wells
for S5 cents per foot the farmer furnishing
his own casing.
Well drllers have Just struck strong
now in a well being sunk on the farm OF
Lee Eicher, In Hutchinson county, at
depth OF $50 feet. This is probably the
cheapest arteslan we'll in the state, having
cost the owner only SIS.
Guy w. Crawford is going to harvest from
his irrigated hve-acre patch in Sanborn
county more stun than many farmers will
get from 160 acres. He will have over 200
bushels OF potatoes to the acre; 300 or 400
bushels of onions to the acre, and more
corn on twenty short rows than many farm
ers without irrigation will have on 100
acres.
In the southern part Of the state in a
number Of instances the water for irri-
eating is supplied by drive wells, from
which wind mills pump the water into small
tanks. But even In some of these cases
large reservoirs will be constructed on the
highest points Of land, to take the places of
| the tanks
The reservoir system will in the future be
more generally used, as 1t appears to be
gaining In favor among those VINO own arte-
sian wells and propose to do systematic irri-
eating. On tract of more than 800 acres
ten-acre reservoir is much better than a
hve-acre reservoir, as the greater the
volume the better, where a large tract is to
be irrigated
In various portions of the state townships
have sunk artesian wells. but these are not
| designed to be used for irrigating They
| however, serve their purpose of supplying
the farmers with an abundant supply of
water for stock purposes. An instance is
known where 2,100 head of cattle are sup
| piled with water from one of the bitches that
lead from one of these township wells BY
| reason of this stock interests are increasing
| In the vicinity Of the wells.
One farmer and ranchman in Charles Mix
| county has an eight-inch artesian well and
| proposes next year to irrigate 200 acres Of
land He is but one of scores who will de-
| pend on irrigation next season.
LESSENING THE EXPENSE.
There are various easy methods for farmers
with limited means to secure artesian wells
| The plan that will probably meet with the
| most general approval is for four farmers
| owning land which corners, to sink well
| at the point where their quarter-sections
JOIN, place the reservoir an equal point on
| each mans land. then bitches could be run
| from the reservoir through each of their
| farms, so that each would receive an equal
amount of water. Where the farmers are
| on good terms there would be no oppor-
| lunity Tor petty pickering over the water
| Ihis plan is certainly feasible and would
| lessen the burden upon each of the farmers
and they would still secure ample water for
| irrigatlng and other purposes Each of them
could be fully protected In their rights by
legally drawn and binding contracts or
| agreements.
In several neighborhoods a number of
farmers have clubbed together and pur-
| chased artesian we'll drilling machines. which
| are being used first by one of the farmers
and then by another, the intention being to
| Keep on with the work until every farmer
| owning an interest in the drilling machine
has we'll This plan is found to be con-
| slderably cheaper than to hire the work
| done, and places good artesian well within
| reach OF all interested in the machine, at
| moderate cost.
There are, of course, as in all things, dis
advantages to be considered by those con-
| templating engaging in irrigation. Ecpe-
claily IN the northern part of the state there
are some few artesian wells which have be-
come choked up by sand settling around the
bottom or the pipe, causing the water to
| cease flowing. These wells can be cleared
ana the water again caused to flow, but to
40 this requires an expenditure of several
hundred dollars. All these things must be
| taken into consideration by those Intending
to sink wells, but to parties having the means
or where they club together and pay an equal
| proportion of the cost, a better investment
could not be made. With the facts gained
| by the experience of the past few years
| tnere is at present smaller chance
! OF the wells becoming clogged as the proper
sinking or the well casing will materially
| lessen the chance Of such a contingency 1t
| is found that well should be permitted to
| nv" ohiy so MUCH as IL VIII HOW clearly.
| When well carries sand or sediment 1t is
| working itself out at the bottom and then
| IL is only question of time until the we'll
| is ruined. In view of this the flow of
well can usually be controlled sufficiently to
prevent the possibility of clogging up at the
| bottom.
| COST OF THE WELLS
In the southern part of the state there are
numerous two and three-inch wells which
can be procured there at nominal cost. The
usual cost of three-inch we'll Is SLIPS per
foot, four-inch, s1.50 per foot; fve-inch
S2.25; six-inch, $2.S5; eight-inch, from "a to
| $3.50 per foot. These are the maximum
prices and can be lowered considerably where
farmer is prepared to pay cash for his
| well or do some of the work himself.
Land that is thoroughly soaked in the fall
| needs very little water during the growing
season. When the soil is once saturated
down to the blue clay 1t will come to the
| surface fast enough to furnish plant life with
| all necessary moisture. Too much water Is
| fully as disastrous as none, and extreme care
| must be taken not to injure the land by
wetting it too much.
| By the reservoir system one man can after
| he has become familiar with the topography
| Of his fields, irrigate say twenty acres in five
| or six hours. Any sort of land can be irri-
| gated, whether ii is level, slanting or a hill
| side. If the bitches have to cross hollows
the low places can be graded up similar to
| railroad grades, and the water can be carried
along the top.
| The planting of willows along the banks
| will be found to- be a cheap method of
| strengthening the sides of a reservoir by
| means Of the roots, besides acting to a GER
! tain degree as a wind break very simple
] device for damming ditch beyond the point
| where water is to be taken out on field Is
a semi-circular shaped piece of iron or steel
| plate, with a wooden bar bolted across the
| widest part and projecting sufficiently on
each end to serve as handles. If ditch Is
six and one-half feet wide and two feet deep
the plate should be somewhat larger, and
when it is driven into the soft earth across
ditch 1t makes an effectual dam. Such an
instrument can be as easily removed and
placed without delay at the next point rwhere
Il Is desired to dam the ditch. This saves
considerable time compared with the old
fashioned method of damming a ditch by
throwing earth into it, which must after
ward be removed at the expense of much time
and labor.
Subject to Attacks of Cholera MOrbus.
While staying in the Dalta Mississippi
Bottoms) last summer, E. T. Moss, repre-.
senting Ludlow, Saylor Wire Co. OF st. Louis,
suffered frcm malaria AMI became subject to
attacks of cholera morbus, In every instance
when attacked he was re ievsd as Il by magic,
by using Chamberans Colo. Cholera and
Darrhoea Remedy. He says: II regard 1t as
the me plus ultra OF medicines"