The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-09-19
shredder has done its work, say that it

Al WlAtcf, pIoVlueu the crop Is InOr-
oughly cured in the field and cut up
when. free from unusual moisture. OF
course there is always some moisture in
the stalk. even when we'll cured, but
those who have tried it say that if it is
packed tightly in the barn and allowed
to remain in the barn, although it will
heat considerably. it will not be in
jured
The following answers were prepared
by Commissioner Nesbitt in reply to
some questions sent to The Southern
Cultivator In view of the awakening
interest in irrigation, and the meeting
OF the National Irrigation congress soon
to convene in Atlanta, he has consider
ed it advisable to insert them here.
Through the courtesy of The Cultiva.
tor, he is allowed to use them.
IRRIGATION.
1872 have plat of ground which
desire to irrigate. Can you not give a
first lesson in irrigation" for the ben
eft of the readers of The Cultivator?
Enclosed you will find plat of ground
which wish to irrigate If you can
get any sense out of the drawing please
mark on it with ink or colored pencil
the place for the ditch and it's dimeu-
sions; also with pencil, the rows. State
what fall the ditch and rows should
have, if any. can have four feet head.
How many inches per acre will be re-
qulred year? | live one and half
miles from the depot With the said
land properly irrigated, what crop and
fertilizers would be best to plant. tax.
ing into consideration the markets?
The line b is on level with bottom
OF pond; the lines d run on a level;
ditch y, 2x4 feet deep; the fall from a b
to X. top of ditch, 5 feet; the fall from
a to C d is feet; the line l is on a
level with b; to make a, b on level
with b would require ditch feet
deep at 9, the highest point on the line.
b; the distance from to is about
GOO feet; and from to about 275
feet; about four acres; the lengths of d
on east side of ditch will average about
so feet.
Soil, coarse, gray, sandy; there are
few quartz and iron ore stones; at 8, at
the southeast corner, granite crops out
with an area of 200 square feet. Thor.
oughly drained. Cane extends 80 feet
on each side of ditch y. Subsoil. vel
low and blue clay; south end. craw
fishy; second growth. pine and sweet
gum principally. One acre on the
! south end in cotton; capacity, about
1000 or 1000 pounds per acre.
A. G. M, Zebulon, Ga.
DISQUALIFICATION as to your plat
of ground, which you wish TO irrigate,
is. at this distance, too uncertain. We
would advise that you seek the assist
ance of some competent and experien-
ced person. who can visit the ground
and take in all the surroundings. There
are many conditions besides the merely
Typographical which should be consid-
cred in this very broad and important
subject of irrigation. Heretofore, ow-
ing to our annual rainfall of about 49
inches. very little attention has been
! given in the southern states, to the fact
that large part of what would be an
abundance of water, if properly hus-
banded, is allowed to waste; conse-
quently, at the critical period of plant
development, we often look in vain for
the one good rain, which would put the
crops beyond the danger line.
In the last few years, wide awake
agriculturists are beginning to realize
that by proper precautions. the conse.
quences of our annual drouth may be
avoided. The coming Irrigation con f..
gress, to meet in Atlanta this fall,
evinces the interest that is just now be.
ing awakened in this question. A few of
the most important poiAts to be consid.
cred in any plan Of irrigation are: First,
soil; second. climate: third, subsoil;
fourth, supply Of water and manner of
utilizing it, whether by dams, tanks or
cisterns. pumps worked by wind mills,
engines or horsepower; fifth, prepare.
ton of the surface. whether for sprink.
ling by pipes and hose. or by surface
pipes, etc; sixth, drainage.
1t will thus be seen that in the limits
of an article like this, even with the
points given in your diagram, the DROP.
er information cannot be satisfactorily
furnished.
l have some land near a small crack
which desire to irrigate. will have
to force water 800 to 1000 feet distance
to height of from so to rs feet. Which
is best to use, hydraulic ram, a wind.
mil. or a steam engine: How can l
place my tanks to sprinkle from eight
to ten acres? F. N, Demorest. Ga
ANSWER. This question. apparently
so simple. involves the consideration of
SO many conditions that we would not
undertake to answer it unless we had
had more experience than is lust now
usual at the south. This question Of
irrigation requires not only to be sind.
led carefully. but to be practically de.
veloped, before one can discuss it intel.
hgently. In the frst place, the amount
OF water required by our ordinary
crops. that is the amount which must
be taken up by their roots tba on,v