The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-11
Chr Nera10 anl NrwF
FARMING BY FL ECI RICIIY.
Modern Method to be Applied to Texas
Rice Fields.

Rice Fields.
Twenty five thousand acres OF rice
land irrigated by wells operated by
electricity from a central power-house;
free power and free seed for tenants,
tenants paying one half the crop to
the land owners, and sending the
tenants share of the crop to the CEN
trail mill to be milled at current rates;
light to be furnished at nominal cost
by the central power house; no farm
of less than 200 acres, and no 'sn-
ants who have not proved thems les
capable farmers; tenants to have the
privilege of placing their half of
their crops in the hands of the mills
marketing agent.
The project is that of G. W. Hahl,
of Houston, Texas, and is outlined as
follows in the New Orleans Times
Democrat:
"Canal irrigation is dependent
upon surface water supply, which is
subject to drouth. In such times, it
the water in the canal be low, or the
supply from the canal is fed or linn
tied, the farmers further from the
pumping plant do not fare as we'll
as those nearer the plant.
Throughout the $4,000 acre tract
owned BY the corporation, test wells
at frequent intervals of distance have
proved the existence of a water sup
ply which gives indications of being
certain and inexhaustible. The sup
ply is relatively Aear the surface, and
rises in the wells to within about ten
feet of the surface under normal con
dltions, and it is presumed that even
in severe drouth the subsurfsce pres.
sure will maintain the water in the
wells at q depth but a few feet greater
than normal.
"The tenants must supply their
own farming implements, stock, etc.
The corporation will furnish the
power for the pumps, the connections
may be made to operate the pump
or pumps on each farm by either the
tenant or by the powerhouse on ap
plication of the tenant.
SIT is probable that the power
house will also supply electric lights
for all tenants who want such lights,
the tenants paying a nominal price.
Light can be furnished at small ad
ditional cost to the power house, aud
the corporation will rely for its prof
its on it's so per cent, of each tenants
production and the profit at current
rates of milling all the tenants share
Of the aggregate crop.
"The project is co operative, but
not benefcent, and no land will be
let to any tenant who is not fnan
cially and otherwise capable of op
Grating q 200 acre farm. The pres
emit plan is to let farms of from 200
to 800 acres.
"'Thepower house will supply pow
or for the mill as we'll as the farms.
professor Knapp recently pointed
out that the obstacle in the way of
extension of the rice growing indus
try was the difficulty of guarantee
ing an adequate irrigation supply
from the surface streams said Mr..
Hail. 'We have solved this prob
lem. Subsurface water rising to
within 8 few feet of the surface,
electric power to lift it; Institutes
were held and were attended by over
half q million farmers. The insti-
tutes were held in forty three States
and Territories. During the last
three years the progress has been if
anything greater than at any pre-
vlous time, though the exact figures
are not yet collsted. It is safe to
say that now in this country over
100000 is being sent annually for
farmers institutes.
PLAIN TALK BY A PUBLIC OFFICER.