The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1900-03-24

raising water from that river by oil sorts OF
mechanical means, after the overflow waters
Of the river have subsidized. And there are
here hundreds of places in this county shat
the droughts can be overcome by timely
application Of water easily obtained.
Many instances can be given where small
streams flow through farms and can be
readily used for irrigation OF crops, as the
banks OF these streams are only few feet
high. With pump water can be elevated
enough to flow over the ground in the ad-
jacent lah6s where is growing the crops, in
many cases the stream itself would do the
pumping. The cost will enter into con-
sideration but would he quite small in
comparison TO the value to be obtained.
Generally, when we speak OF irrigation
Of drops we are apt to place it for away in
Utah. California, New Mexico or there
abouts or 70 bach; to Egypt, but it is right
here in Cecil county, that it can be profit
ably done and will lie done not many years
hence. We mrat talk ard think about
such things aud convince ourselves that
they should be DONE then the younger
generation will become educated to the
point Of successful application and wonder
why in the past the thing vas not accom-
plished long ago.
One instance, not SO very near, ! wish to
cite TO show what has been done elsewhere.
The other places TO which l referred as
using irrigation we're places where little
rain falls 80 keep the crop growing, but in
southwestern Louisiana the rain falls IS it
does here The land is prairie, aud they
raise nearly two-thirde OF the rice shat is
raised in the Uniten States. About fifteen
years ago the people Of that region fonnd
that there was a water layer under their
prairie land some 200 feet below into which
the drive.weli could be put and the water
arose near the surface 70 that they could
pump il over the rrairie land As the land
was level, feds Of go to so acres we're laia
out, ground pIowed, flooded with water
from these arecsiau wells, planted with
rice, then drained fl 1T maturity of crops
and harvested with the self binder. 1t
only required about II to 10 hours to drive
such well, ard many Of them ere only 20
feet apart. with no 6imunition Of the sup
ply. [ make mention of this TO show what
can be done for q crop that requires go
much water in an almost upland situation.
We have for several years past suffered
greatly with droughts that caused us 10
have difficulty in growing our summer
crops, which, if little water had been
supplied, the moisture would have matured
them. With irrigation works once estab-
lished we would be almost independent Of
rains. The coat of such Improvement
amounts vaIously. 1t cost these Louisiana
people about $500. While the profits are
great the improvement is permanent. So
it is soon paid for. So, too, we can DO
these things at less cost.
One thing should be borne in mind that
we are down near the tidewater level and
many of these water courses are supplied
by springs whose sources are not known
but must be far away among the Alleganies
perhaps for the amount of water that flows
from them is greater than that which the
surrounding surfaces receive in rainfall.
The amount of water furnished by these
springs is so great that in many places per-
manent ponds or reservoirs might be made
and used il irrigation OF crops near, by
simply overlooking them.
How many sources for artesan wells
there might be we cannot say, but we hcve
them of various places in the county.
Many Of our springs are os that class. On
my place there is a water layer about thirty
feet below the surface and has about forty
five feet pressure. There are no doubt
many others.
Our tiicwater lands along the Elk river
amount to some 10000 acres, OF which
most could be brought in cultivation and
their irrigation would be part o! their re-
claimati0n.
These lands axe OF tho most fertile char
acter il cGce redeemed from the surplus
water. TO do this will be such that the
undertaking must involve considerable OK.
penge, but SO most OF these lands are con-
tiguous the enterprise would he partner
ship lnatter-dikes to be thrown up along
the tidal streams sufficiently high to keep
out the river waters che bitches to be sntli-
oiently wide and deep 70 allow the same to
be used not only for drainage hut TO use
Al =. -.