The state herald., 1895-03-29
RESERVOIRS AND HOW TO BUILD
AND MAINTAIN THEM.

Irrigation by wind mills aud pumps iu-
wolves the selection of good mill and a
suitable pump or pumps which supplies
the necessary machinery, but the irriga,or
must, in addition to this, build suitable
reservoir to store the water for the reason
THAI the direc. low of water from tho
pump can no, be used in successiul irri
CATION for two reasons, the first OF winch
is the absence Of pressure required ,o
push the water forward over the land;
aud ,econd. the water drawn from the
well is unsuitel to plant life.
To make reservoir. First, select n
suitable location, one that will occupy
the land as high. nr higher, in elevation
than any Of the land you wish to irrigatei
then lay of tho lines making its dimeu
sious. II the lsad oa which tho reservoir
is to lie built be OF f,esh sod, it will lie
necessary TO piow up or remove all Of the
sod from the ground on which the en-.
bsnkmenis are to I've constructed, other.
wise there would always remain seam
through which the water wonld escape
from the reservoir, Us sod Is not 1T ma
terinl to use in the construction OF EN-.
hank nents, it should not he used when
building them up TO their required
heights. When tho outlines Of the EN-.
baukinenis are established Dnd tho SO
removed, MS before stated, then pillow
within the lines Of the proposed embank-
tnents aud With scrdper draw the earth
from the inside OF the reservoir 10 build
up the walls with. The walls should not
be less than feet in height, measuring
on the outside, and very wido or thick at
the ground level. The wall should he so
carried up that the slope from heinside
will be very gradual. not abrupt, for the
reason that II the walls ure nearly per
pendicular, waves OF the water will de.
htroy them, hence the advantage Of max
ing the walls very sloping from the in.
side; the onter walls may DO made more
perpendicular, because there 10 no water
from the outside TO iniure them. Hav-
ing built the walls by using the earth
from the inside OF the reservoir, and
everything ready for pudding the earth
To hold wate., tho first thing In order Is
to pillow up all OF the land over the whole
bottom surface OF the reservoir or G
inches doep, then with harrow or drag,
o. other suitable implement, redr-e the
earth 10 very fine pulveriza'ior. and
after this shall hnve been done, ind thor.
oughly done, the ncsi thing in order is
I make ready to puddle.
Having your team and that OF your
neiglbor, u You can procure his services,
with hrs team, with drags, or burrows, or
inverted scraper,, or other suitable tools
that will be- best adapted for working
line earth into mortar. Now, nil ready 10
puddle. tam the water into the reservoir
AMI begin to puddle nj one edge, puddl-
IN. carefully aiong tbis edge until the
earth shall have been reduced 10 perfect
mortar and continue 10 work toward the
other side until you have completed tho
entire bottom OF tho reservoir ns far mp
on the embankment AS you can work with
yonr team to good advantage.
II you hive done the work thoroughly
and without stopping after you hive once
commenced. until IL IL nil finished, your
reservoir will then cement into good
solid bottom that will hold very wcll. AZ,
ter you bavo your reservoir thus made
and pnjiIedi tho nSxt thing In to prov,d,
some mcrnr 10 prevent the cinbaukmcnts
from being wasbcl down by the con
tinnous wavrs Of water which nro cnufco
by tho wind, Many different nchemci
have boon employed for this pnrpcse and
mono Of them with that degree OF Succcsi
that It 10 hoped will be obtained by fur
thor experimenting IN the near future
Some uf tho irrign'ora uso sod Tor pro
t,c,ing the walls on tho inside by lnyip.
tho sodded blocks 10 tho rnme mnnno
nos employed by Landscape gardeners h
ldins lawns and hoaacyardr.
II stone can 30 had. the better wa!
will be- 10 RIP rap thu embankmeu, op ih
insiie, M 4, would b. III. more permnn
en-, aud ~ rule give better satisfaction
Some irrisa'ors have used piankn throw
onto the wpttr, which viii iloh. mud N
driven by tho wind 10 thu opposite sii,
Of tho reservoir from which the win,
blows. hc pianhs acting as u break waite
10 prevent the wslla from being destroy