The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-08-25
IRRIGATING SYSTEM.
Some of the Many Ways Used for
Watering Dry Land.

Apropos of the efficient artesian-
well system in use in these Islands is
the following description of "warping
given in the Kansas Farmer: System
attic control of the overflow Of the Nile
and the utilization of the load OF sedi-
ment which it was caused TO deposit
upon the soil made Egypt the granary
of Europe for centuries. 1t enabled her
to maintain a great population and de-
velope a wonderful civilization. For
without the Nile the culture Of Egypt
would have been impossible. The Nile
gave the idea of irrigation and fertili-
cation. from it's overflow, to the world.
IF was utilized by the first prehistoric
settlers in the valley OF Egypt, and
from thence the idea spread to Asia
and Europe, and today the great rivers
of the greatest continent are made 10
enrich vast regions which yield mar
yelous harvests in response even TO
the crudest efforts of man.
The waters of the Nile and the
Gauges are so rich in suspended mat
ter that it occasionally amounts to one
One-lunQTeQLn VI lHtil FOiulilC, anu
sometimes one in 200. The Hoang Ho
THE Sorrow of Han"-so named
from the destructive overfows with
which it floods vast districts and de-
stroys untold numbers of human be-
ings, carries down great quantities OF
soil which is utilized to some extent
for fertilization in a crude way. The
capabilities Of the great river of China
limited. for the yellow soil or loess
which is carried down is marvelously
rich soil Some attempt at it's utiliza
ton has been made, and with won
derful success, considering the crude
and unscientific methods applied.
The system of overlooking irrigation
and fertilization from the deposit of
sediment is what is called "warping"
The suspended solid matter is of i'm
portance not only for manure, but for
a natural addition to the soil to be ir-
rigated. One of the best examples of
scientific warping is practiced in Eng
land, on the River Trent, between
Humber and Gainsborough. Embark
ments along the river were construct
ed centuries ago to protect the land
from the Entertainments of the tide
level so that it overlooked the low
lands bordering it.
A century ago a plan was begun Of
admitting the tidal water of the river
with it's load OF mud to overflow the |
barren soil and periodically deposit a |
fresh layer of silt upon it. This system |
has now been made very elaborate, so |
that by means of sluices, gates, con-
Quits, Wrapping banks, etc, the mud |
laden water is flowed over land or
fields desired to be fertilized. and is
held until it deposits its load of sedi-
ment, went it is allowed to return to
the river with the falling tide. So
great is the quantity of solid matter in
the water that from one to three feet |
has been deposited where 1t was de-
sired to make new soil, from 10 to |
IL tides being used during one spring
season.
The art is now so we'll understood
that the expert warp farmer may tenn
per his land as he pleases He can adj
NIT the water so as to deposit only a
sufficient quantity of mud to act as a
or he can get so much as to
make a new soil. In the latter case
the overflow will need to be repeated
during the year, perhaps,
as each tide deposits about one-eighth
Of an inch of silt. This silt is exceed
ingly rich, and will bear abundtnaly
any kind of crop.
Warping is reduced to a science by
the farmers who thus fertilize their
lands, and the peculiar procedure is
also we'll understood. Such a system
could be adopted regarding the Missis-
sippi overflow, with the proper modi-
fications that the management of its
peculiar conditions would require
These could only be learned by ex-
perience, of course, following the lines
Of well-known principles which have
been learned by experience with over
flow fertilization in other countries.