The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-09-13
SHALLOW WELLS FOR RICE
JOHN LINDERHoLM SAYS THEY ARE
BEST FOR iRRleATiNG PURPOSES.
HE Success In Rice cuture--The Plans
for the Farmer Of Moderate
Means to Adopt.


Mr. John LinderhoIm Of chesterville.
Texas, was In the city yesterday and, being
one OF the pioneers and most prominent
promoters Of the rice Industry west OF
Houston, he was sought by Post repre-
sentative and submitted to an Interview.
AIR Iinderholm Is here on business con
nected with his rice farm and other in
terests at Chesterville. He is well posted
and gave the Information In manner
which showed his deep earnest interest
and full confidence in the stable success
OF the rice culture In this section. He has
large land interests ut Chesteryllle, but
none Of the land Is on the market for the
reason that he feels certain of the rapid
increase In the value Of the lands by the
development of the rice and sugar indus
tries and will hold his lands for the in
crease He Is. however, deeply Interested
in the settling up Of the country and de-
veiopment of the lands, knowing that with
this accomplished his holdings Will be
greatly Increased IN value.
Mr. Linderholm began the culture OF rice
last year, putting in 100 acres. This land
he irrigated with a three-incb pump run
by twelve-horse power gasoline engine
from a well sunk By him on the land.
This pump irrigated the entire 100 acres,
which was acknowledged by all to be the
finest rice they had ever seem Mr.. Under.
holm SAYS the yield ON the best portion Of
fhis Land would have easily been 100 bush
els to the acre. which is an immense yield
but the great September storm OF nvp
came and tore IL to pieces But notwith-
standing the devastation of the storm; his
rice yielded an average Of htty bushels to
the acre. which Is considerably above an
average yield. This year he has 500 acres
IL H. 10 al upLuhVtpUrpH the fiuC.f In
that entire section He has already hgr-
vested about twenty-five acres OF the light
est portion of the tract. ana 1t mas ay-
eraged about forty-fve bushels TO the acre.
good portion Of the land he is satisfied
will average from sixty TO seventy bushels
.sThe beauty Of this land" says Mr.. Lin
derholm. sis the ability to get water for
Irrigation from shallow wells, none OF my
wells being over forty-ive feet deep, ind
I have water in the greatest abundance.
Even during tho dreadfully dry season this
year. and Il was terrible with rs, VIC not
having any rain at all from the middle Of
March until along In the first NJ July, and
then only a light shower, and no heavy
rain until August
He was the first man to put 10 well
west Of Houston. 1t was an idea entirely
original with him. he thinking it the best
way and that he could get water for his
rice cheaper than he could by the canal
system. He tried the plan and 1t has
worked very successfully. lie dug a well
ten feet IN diameter aud nineteen feet
deep until he reached the sand lie then
sunk sixteen-inch casing through twenty
clay. On this clay he placed a screen
pipe about eight feet high and run the
Withdrew the casing. The scepage from
the sand furnishes an lnexhaustible sup
ply of water. Last year he had only one
pump and that threeinch, and yet h,
that It takes 1900 gallons Of water ever!
tweRty-four hours for each acre Of rice !
can be seen the Immense amount needed
during the season for 100 acres. This yea
he has 500 acres In and has put in tire
new wells. These wells are furnished eacl
with a slx-lnch pump. Pump No. 1, the on
ecrbed, and this year irrigated sevent
acres. No. 2, started June |, Is SIX
inch pump worked by twenty-eigh
40 srres. No. g. worked by a thirty fou
horse power engine, started the middle G
July, irrigated 10 acres, No 4, with III
same horse power engine, irrigates II
acres.
This" says Arr Llnderholm, us
method which puts IN the power Of III
small farmer OF moderate means to ow
his own land and raise his own rice
fve-inch pump with twenty-five hors
power engine win easily irrigate loo acres
This outfit with the digging and curbin
Of the well can he secured for s1iOO. |
Will cost from Si2 to StJ per acre to rails
a crop, SO that II can be seen that Wit
an average crop Of forty bushels to tn
acre the small farmer viii derive hand
some revenue the first year and be abl
to pay for his land with his FIRST crop
He thinks 1t FAR better and cheaper an
easier for tho poor man 10 irrgate by th
well plan instead of by the heavy eX
peuslve plan OF the cnnai system, whic'
costs so much money that man OF mod
crate means or a small farmer can not e
into it.
Mr.. Linderholm Is now contemplating IN
sinking of several wells for artcslan waite
and Will begin at once to lay his plans an
have them put into execution for CROWN
rice next year on much larger and NOR
extensive scale.