The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-03-01
ITO BE CONTINUED.J
UPLAND IRRIeATlON BY PUMPS.
The Pump Better Than bitches and Cost
Much Less.

The Pump Better Than bitches and Cost
Much Less.
By c. Morgan in Kansas Farmer. &.
In consequence of the failure of the
ditch to supply me water two years ago
and observant of the success attained
by Mr.. Diesem and others in irrigating
land in the bottom from wells, led me
to thinking what might be accOmpli-
shed 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 rain
or ditch water came. After figuring
some time on the power of a windmill
and the weight of a column of water 80
feet high, / came to the conclusion
that it was not only possible but prac-
teal to irrigate a few acres on the up.
land by means of pump and windmill,
with we'll as the source of supply,
Notwithstanding the opinion of some
great (?) lights to the contrary.
On the LIST day of June I negotiated
for an 8-foot AermOtOr windmill, some
pinch piping, and a AKA brass cyl
inder, then commenced digging a we'll
four feet in diameter.
On the 8th of June l completed a
small reservoir, 25x30 feet, and began
to irrigate. The ground was so dry
that I had to irrigate before I could
pillow; then l was accustomed to having
a larger supply Of water and did not
properly arrange my land for so small
a stream; also, l found that the meth
DDS employed in the bottom were not
adapted to the different soil and con
ditiOns of the uplands, but after all of
my mistakes and the lateness of the
season included, l succeeded in irTigat-
ing and growing about two acres of
vegetables, lifting the water 81 feet,
Last season we began to irrigate the
LIST of January and irrigated UOntinu-
ously till the 9Th of October The re-
suit was we irrigated successfully and
in that dry year raised over nine acres
of garden vegetables, besides losing a
potato crop by being "a little too pre-
viOus," and onion crop by irrigating
too much after planting the seed in
stead of applying the moisture first.
1 will not tell you the amount pro
duced, for we didn't keep very accurate
account, and if | should I fear you
would be inclined to disbelieve it. But
will say this, that the crop was good
nor at any time during the summer
did it suffer for want of moisture.
lay my land off after it Is plOwed in
narrow strips. from a rod to two rods
wide and from four to 20 rods long and
then food from the ends. After plant
ing cultivate with wheel hoes and en-
deaVOT to keep the ground as level as
possible.
There is as much in a proper COHser
walton of moisture after it is stored il
the soil as there is in the amount OBJ
tanned from the we'll. After irrigatine
the ground settles and pores form il
| the soil through which the moisture
escapes as may be often seen ascend
/ ing; also weed growth. if allowed, takes
up much moisture. To obViate these
! difficulties, as soon as the ground is
dry enough to permit, we start tho
wheel cultivatOTs or rakes, and thi;
forms a mulch of loose earth lmucE
better than a mulch Of straw to pre-
vent the escape of the moisture anC
destroy the weeds which are not yet tC
the surface. This should be repeated
frequently whether you irrigate or not
weeds or no weeds some people would
never cultivate their crop were it no
for the weeds for if the ground, though
both clean and apparently loose, bl
allowed to stand too long the pores vii
reopen and loss ensUe.
/ pillow my ground as deep as I car
when ] prepare for planting Sub
sOiling would suit me still better1 bu
after the crop is growing | cultivate a.
shallow as possible. not to exceed tive
inches, to prevent the destruction o
/ the root fibres, which have permeateC
the soil IN all directions. I have no Sc
days for irrigating certain crops, bu
irTigate when the soil and the charac
ter of the crop demands it, be it
| lapse of 10 days or two months.
/ If the ground be properly irrigate,
/ during the winter, some crops of
vinous nature will require little or II,
/ irrigation during an ordinary summe
| and the water can then be used 70
| other crops Also, I would advise th
making Of reservoirs Of smaller are
/ but with higher banks, thus holding a
much water and not exposing so muc
surface TO evaporation or so great a.
area to percolation and giving a create
pressure to the discharge. I use
valve made of board faced with leathe
and placed at inner end of the reserv0i
box to hold the water. The valve
raised by lever and connected with
by strong wire; the greater the pre-.
sure, the tighter It is closed.
am often asked about the strain o
the 8-foOt wheel 1t seems to run q
light as any mill and after two year
service is as good as new. The expenC
iture for the two years is 50 cents.
Some farmers on the upland loo
with longing eyes at the large quaint
+ ties of water Sc easily obtained in til
: bottom, without stopping To censide
that their sandy soil abs0rbs MOI
water and .regnires. more fFeqnef
watering than the uplands. i ind ths
a 2.iHeh pipe and a i inch cylinder
sufficient to carry water enough for ]