The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-11
Q}>p Nryala and Meww
FARMING by ELECTRICITY.
Modern Methods to be Applied to IT, xas
Rice Fields.

Modern Methods to be Applied to Texas
Rics Fields
Twenty five thousand acres Of rice
land irrigated by wells operated by
electricity from 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
tral mill to be milled at current rates;
light to be furnished at nominal cost
by the centra4 power. house; no farm
Of less than 200 acres, and no ten
ants who have not proved themselves
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 @. w. Hail,
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, if
the water in tho canal be low, or the
supply from the canal is fed or linn
tied, the farmers further from the
pumping plant do not fare rs we'll
rs those nearer the plant.
"Tnroughout the $4,000 acre tract
owned by the corporation, test wells
at frequent intervals Of distance have
proved the existence of water sup
ply which gives indications of being
certain and inexhnustihie. The sup
ply is relatively near the Sun face, and
rises in the wells to withiu about ten
feet OF the surfrcu urder normal con
dltions, and ii is presumed that even
in severe drun,h the subsuriace pres
sure will maintain the water in the
wells at depth but few feet greater
than normal.
"Ih" tenants must supply their
own farming implrments, stock, etc
The corporation Will Furnish the
power for ID" pumps, the connections
may he made 10 uperale the pump
or pumps on each farm by either the
leLent or l.! 'he powerhouse on up
phcntlon Of rbe tenunt
SIT is probable that the power
house will also supply electric lights
Tor al tenants WHO wait such lights,
the tenhniN paying h nominal prlce.
Light cHu he furnished at small hd
dltIonHl cost 10 the power house, aud
the corporation viii rely for it's prof
Itt Ou ITS 90 per cent of each tennIli'e
production Hnd the prof, at current
THtet Of milling al. the tDnuuts' share
OF ih" aggregate crop.
"The pr jec, is 70 operative, hu,
not heneticHnt, hud no uud will be
Jet !" auy tenHl, who IL not Guau
Gully and Otherwise cHpshle Of up
efai!Dg l. 200 hrre tHrlu. The pres
eut ylgn s h. Ie, farms T from POO
10 300 acres
"IhePower house will supply pow
er Tor he mil! as well as the farms.
"Professor Knapp recently pointed
on, that the obstacle in the way of
exclusion of the rice growing indus
try Was The difficulty of guarantee
ing AL adequat" irrigation supply
from the surface streams said Mr..
Hahl We have solved this prob
lem. Subsurface water rising to
within Il fcw feet Of the surface
electric power TO lift it; Institutes
were held and were attended by over
h"!f q million farmers. The insti.
tntes were held in forty three States
ahd Territories. During the last
three years the progress has been il
anything greater than at any pre-
vious time, though the exact figures
are not yet collnted. 1t is safe to
s"y that now in this country over
100000 is being sent annually for
farmers Institutes
PLAIN T,LK by A PUBLIC OFFICER.