Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-10-11
ARTBSlAN IRRIGATION.
P.sB. GrOat of the N. p. Talks Inter-
estingly of the Possibilities
of this System.
A Comparative Study Of the Charac-
teristic and Resources of the
Two DakOtas.
What Has Been Done in South Da-
kota and What Can be Done
in This State.
The Coming Plan,

ANANS
who has been travelling through the state
and making a comprehensive study of
the subject of artesian irrigation, it's
probabilities, possibilities, and general
advantages. Prior to his trip through
North Dakota, Mr.. GroaG made a trip
about South Dakota, where artesian irrl-
cation has made rapid strides, and is
working a rapid and decided change in
the agricultural aspect of that state.
With the view of bringing about a care
full consideration of the question in this
state, MIR. Groat has visited the several
places in North Dakota where artesian
wells have been sunk, and fortified him
self with information as to the general
characteristics of the surrounding coun-
try, extent and pressure of the flow of
water, with other data from which to
prepare material for the dissemination
Of knowledge relative to this important
possibility in the development of the
states resources.
Mr.. Groat, after a careful investiga.
ton of the subject, is an enthusiastic be-
lever in irrigation. He believes that the
same results which have been accom-
plished in South Dakota are within the
reach of farmers in North Dakota. He
believes, after a comparison of charac-
teristics Of the two states, that the arte-
sian basin underlies North Dakota to as
great an extent as her southern sister,
and to prove this, cites the fact that in
each extremity of the state-north, east,
south and west-llberal volumes of water
have been secured through the medium
of artesian wells. OF course, failures
but the same is true of the other state.
All in al, he believes the artesian basin
just as possible of access in North as in
South Dakota. In q recent letter upon
this subject, to which Mr.. Groat re-
ferred in the course of the conversation,
tn re appeared a clear and complete oat-
line of the matter. There have as yet
been but few artesian wells constructed
specially for irrigation, and these are
located in South Dakota; but the sue
cess in securing large streams of steady
flowing water, and the favorable results
in certainty Of crops, with increased
yields, have been so satisfactory that ar
engagements are being perfected to put
down q large number of wells for irriga-
ton. Profting by past experience in the
construction of artesisn wells, there has
been a gradual reduction in their cost, SO
that already an abundant supply of water
to irrigate land can be obtained by wells
at moderate expense by farmers in the
broad belt of country stretching through
the two states where irrigation is now
known to be possible. A six-inch we'll,
with a ive-acre reservoir, will irrigate
from nj to two sections of land, or from
four to eight farms of 100 acres each,
with plenty of water to spare to form
small lakes, and supply water for stock.
With the assurance which investors will
have, based upon the fact that the land,
"AuA q NO
upon to produce sure crops every year,
with large average yields, insuring them
that the amount loaned will be paid with
good interest, they will be glad to loan
money to farmers for the construction of
wells to irrigate their land. Farmers
should club together to arrange for
money with which to bore an arteslan
we'll TO irrigate the farms. 1t will re-
move the uncertainties in farming that
now prevail by reason of a lack of mois-
ture in an otherwise highly productive
region. The cost to each farmer will be
comparatively light.
Figures quoted by Mr.. Groat show
that one of the best wells in South Da-
kota, that OH the Hunter farm, which
contains 800 acres of land, cost $500,
and the reservoir $500, or $4,000 in all.
This will irrigate two sections, or 1880
acres of lard. The average first cost of
the irrigation, therefore, would be $3.50
an acre. But the cost would be cleared
on the difference in crop yield in a sea-
son. One of the crops on the Hunter
farm in South Dakota this year was
10000 bushels Of potatoes, which were
sold on contract long before harvest time
at Csc to 28c a bushel. Other crops were
proportionately heavy, and to show the
certainty Of irrigation as insuring a crop
Mr.. Groat referred to two farms side by
side, one irrigated, the other unirrigated.
At the opening of the season, the stand
Of crop was equally promising on n
farm as on another. The owner of the
unirrigated farm remarked to the owner
Of the irrigated farm that nature would
do for him and his crop what artifce
would do for the other. The two crops
Aour1shed and grew equally we'll up to
July 1-5, when there was q period OF hot
winds. The crop on the unirrlgated land
withered and fell off so per cent. That