The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-08-24

sacramento Valley ditch. Mr.. AleserVe
has spent his entire life farming by irri-
cation. He came here doubling and
doubtful man, determined to return to
California as soon as his contract was
completed. Heis man of rare intelli-
gence and is thoroughly practical. He
soon found there were prospects and pos
sibilitles here Of which he never dreamed
In his California home. He found it cost
from four fifths to nine-tenths less to
irrigate here than there. Ii. for example
it cost $40 per acre there it would cost
from 81 to 81 an acre here. He had
never seen or heard Of irrigation SO COM
plete and SO cheap and had never wit
messed better results. He has become so
impressed with the possibilities that he
has determined to stay another year, and
may sell there and invest here.
Mr.. Meserve went to work on the right
plan with the following results for the
first year: Oats, one field, 20, one 80 ard
one hundred bushels to the acre; pota-
toes 200 bushels to the acre, estimate,
(but this writer believes the later
will go over 25W. Everything
else in proportion. The crop on
this farm will bring over $1,000. There
are PIP acres OF potatoes. These are
contracted to the Salzer Seed company
for 2S cents per bushe. Tho oats will
weigh 40 pounds to the measured bushel
and are contracted to the same company
for 35 cents bushei.
Let us suppose that section of land
was equipped for irrigation. at cost of
$2,273. Put in the crop which pays the
least-wheat. Say it would go Is BUSH
els to the acre without irrigation and
only % with irrigation. The extra 10
bushels would be nearly all clear gain,
wouldn't it? GAO acres at 15-9,6OO
bushels, at 45 cents bushcl-S4,32O, at
% bushels to the acre--1G,0C0, at 45c-
S7,200. Difference In favor of irrigation
$3.50; improvements paid for and $6O7
balance in one year. If improvements
cost $1,000 one year would nearly pay
the bill: il they cost $1,000, two years
would nearly do ii with low priced
wheat.
But suppose it went 30 bushels to the
acre, and it ought TO do that and better
One irrigated field near Frankfort this
year has gone As bushels to the acre.
MIR. Meserye says it will take three years
to get things just right. and to learn
how to handle the fields and get the best
yield, but the yields given for the Hunter
farm are what to expect the first year
While on this feature of the subject let
your mind try and grasp The possibilities
of irrigation-50 bushels OF wheat, 125
bushels of oats. $50 busi:"ls OF potatoes
Grasses, fruit and forest trees grow like
weeds. Farming don't pas.
Irrigation does not mean fiddlins
away with little streams putting it on
often. Put on IL inches in the fall and
another (more or less as experience
teaches the neeD on the ground after il
the grain is high enough to shade the
ground. That is all. The idea is TO fill
the soil with water down to the blue
clay. 1t then comes back tosupply plant
life and the deW5 are like rain. Toe
much water is as bad as none. You must
know what you are doing: Tut it is east
ly learned and experience does not cost
much since Mr.. Hunter has blazed the
way.
Mr.. Meserve irrigated IL 20 acre field OF
corn in 10 hours, finishing the evening
before the writer arrived. He says he
could do the work in 6 hours again, be.
cause he knows the field and how the
water runs best.
Any shaped land from dead level tc
a slant, from slant to a hill side can
be irrigated easily. You want volume OF
water, this is supplied by the reservoir
Your bitches are tull you open the q
1ncn gate leading into the ditch. You
cut portion 4 feet long in the side Of
ditch; your ditch is two feet deep vol
ume of water 4 feet wide by ? feet high
rolls out. 1t rolls over your grouni
just as barrel would. The ditch be
hind pushes the water out OF the open
ing and this pushes the first along unit
it reaches the end of the field. Meantlm,
you note the width of ground the frs
opening covers and at the proper dis
tance cut another feet hole in th'
ditch, the water from which will e.
down and meet the side of your frs
flow. Stop up the first ditch and open ;
third and so on until the work is done
II there is hollow where your ditcl
runs. grade up the sides with rlow ant
scraper, the same as railroad grade
and the water Will run along the toy
Looks easy. doesn't it?
The Hunter well will fill the reservoir
in s daya; it can be used out in IS hours
The we'll will irrigate l.2OO acres of Ian
and, once the ground gets thorough
soaked, il will isrigate considerabI
more, because it tancs less water w,el
the ground is right.
1t is safe to estimate thata flow OF ;
gallon minute Will irrigate an acrt
Thus OF your we'll flows 800 gallons
minute it will irrigate 300 acres.
The president Of the Milwaukee syf
tenn, Roswell Miller, and one of the d
+ rectors, Phil. d. Armour. have yisite
, this farm, and the result is that the raj
way company are preparing an exhib
, tion car which will be filed with tt
+ products OF the farm and exhibited i
all the towns of Wisconsin, Illinois, lr
diana, and Iowa during the fall an
winter months So thoroughly impresst
are these gentlemen with what the
+ saw that excursion rates are given
!, the farm. The Milwaukee road is avail
TO the importance of irrigation and pr
n poses to do some valuable advertiser
for the state.
From 10 to 90 persons reach Mellet
:, every day to see this wonder, and as