The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1895-02-15
K1NsLEY EDWARDS COUNTY, KANSAS, FEBRUARY Is, 1895
UPLAND 1RR1aArloN By PUMP.
Paper read before the Fiuney County Farm
ers' Institute by P. T.. Morgan.]

Paper read before the Finney County Farm
ers Institute by P. q. Morgan.]
IN CONSEQUENCE of the failure
of the ditch to supply me water
two years ago, and Observant of
the success attained by Mr.. Dlesem
and others i'll irrigating land in the
bottom from wells, led me to thinking
what might be accomplished in that
direction on the upland, The season
was very dry, we planted our garden
twice and lost our seed and plants both
times and still neither lain or ditch
water came. After figuring some time
ON the power of windmill, and the
weight of a column of water fifty feet
high, l came to the conclusion that It
was not only possible but practical to
irrigate a few acres on the upland by
means of a pump and windmill, with
a well as the source O. supply, not
withstanding the opinion of some great
(?) lights to the cootrary.
On the first Gay of June negotiated
for an S-fOot AermotOr windmill, some
Pinch piping and 4xl4 brass cylinder,
the commenced diegingca we'll four
feet in diameter.
On The Sth of June 1 completed a
small reservoir, 25x3O feet, and began
to irrigate. The ground was so dry
that had to lrrigate before could
plow. Then L was accustomed to
having larger supply of water, ard
did not properly arrange my land for
so small a stream. 1 also found that
the methods employed in the bottom
were not adapted to the different soil
and conditions of the upland, but
after all my mistakes, and the lateness
of the season included, succeeded in
lrrigating and growing about two
acres of vegetables, lifting The water
fifty-one feet.
Last season we began to irrigate on
the 1st of January and irrigated con.
tinuously till the Sth of October. The
result was we irrigated successfully
and i'll that dry year raised over nine
acres of egetables-besldes Ioosing IA
potato crop by being too previous, and
an onion crop by irrigating too much
after planting the seed instead of
applying the moisture first.
will not tell you the amount pro.
duced for we didn't keep very accur-
ate account, and If 1 should, fear
you would be disinclIned to believe it,
but will say this, that the crop was
good and no time during the summer
did 1t suffer for want of moisture.
lay my land off, after it is plowed,
in narrow strips from Il rod to two
rods wide and from four to twenty
rods long, and then flood from the
ends. After planting cultivate with
wheel hoes and endeayOr 10 keep the
ground as level us possible.
There is as much in proper conser-
vatiOn of moisture after it is stored in
the soil as there is i'll the amount
obtained from the we'll. After ilriga
ting, the ground settles and pores form
in the soil through which the moisture
escapes, us may be often seen ascend.
ing, also weed growth if allowed take:
up much moisture. To obviate these
difficulties, as soon us the ground l:
dry enough to permit we start tin
| wheel cultivatOrs or rakes, and thi
forms mulch of lose earth (mucl
better than Il mulch of straw to pre-
vent the escape of the moisture ant
destroy the weeds which are yet no
to the surface. This should be re
pc sted frequently whether you irrigat
or not, weeds OF no weeds, (some pee
pie would never cultivate their GRO
were it not for tie weeds), for if til
ground, though both clean and appal
emily loose, he allowed to stand to
long, the peers will reopen and los
ensue.
l plow my ground as deep as ca
when i prepare for planting, (subsoI
ing would suit me still better), bu
after the crop is growing l cultivat
AS shallow as possible, not to excee
two inches, to prevent the destructio
of the root fbres which have permes
ted the soil in all directions. hay
5 10 set days for irrigating certain crop
L but irrigate when the soil aud IL
$ character of the crop demands 1t,
: it lapse of ten days or two month
: Ii the ground be properly irrigate
J.. during the winter some crops of
f various nature will require little
t no irrigation i'll an ordinary SUNNI,
y and the water can then be used +,
y other crops. Also, l would advise Il
t making of reservoirs of smaller are
! but with higher banks, those holdir
t as much water and not exposing
great an area to percolation and giviI