The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-08-10
SUCCESS In RICE FARMING.
Matters to Be Considered in Irrigation by
Wells or Canals.

Prof. s. A. Knapp In Rice Journal and
Gulf Coast Farmer:
There is not a man engaged In the rice
Industry who does not desire success
and who does not know better than he
executes. 1t is understood that tho first
essential to success is to SO handle the
land that good crop is possible; but
there are some other essentials which
should be KEPT prominently In view:
First-No man should commence in tho
rice Industry without an ample supply
OF fresh water at hand. In travelling
over the rice zones of Louisiana and
Texas my attention has been frequently
called to farms planted In rice without
any preparation for water to irrigate,
depending upon q well to be sunk for
the water supply. In majority OF such
cases there was a partial or total fall
ure OF the crop-not due to the lack of
water In the earth. but to inadequate
means for obtaining It a common mis-
take is that OF making tho wells too shall
low. few shallow wells may give fair
ly good satisfaction, but when thousands
are sunks into the same sand stratum
and vast lakes OF water pumped upon
the fields they give signs OF being over
taxed. When the first deep wells for
Irrigation were sunk in Louisiana, 1t
was thought l0 TO l6o feet was suf-
ncient depth. Soon II was found better
20 go nearer to tho bottom OF the gravel
stratum, or about 250 feet, depending on
the thickness OF the stratum. Later ad-
vices appear 10 indicate that It Is safer
TO go still deeper and strike a lower
stratum. IN which the water IL more
abundant and the pressure stronger, Civ
Ing flowing wells In all cases.
Another mistake lies in supposing tho
Last year many farmers planted 200 to
go acres of rice, expecting to food It
from one ten-inch well. and there were
instances where 1t was practically ac-
complished
THIS year, am informed Mr. Gibson.
near Iowa Station, La, flooded 30 acres
from ono ten-nch Wen in twenty-one
days, commencing rather late, after the
drouth had become settled. such In
stances are misleading. Ii Is safer 10
allow 100 acres for an eight or ten inch
well. Then II It is good We'll tho rice
can be Hooded in proper time aud a
good crop insured so far as irrigation
VIII determine st.
ALLOWANCE FOR EVAPORATION,
ETC.
One ct the reasons there has been gen
orally al oVerestimate on the number
Of acres one wen will irrigate. is that
sufficient allowance has not been made
for evaporation, absorption by the soil
and seepage. due TO imperfect levees
There have been periods this season when
tho evaporation on 100 acres Of flooded
rice land amounted to over $50 gallons
per minute for week. Adding nbsorp-
ton and waste, ana the total would re-
quire over 1000 gallons per minuta. which
is fair average supply for a wall. l
am not trying TO mako any points against
wells for ] believe in them, as one Of
the main water supplies OF this coast
country; but IT Is better always to look
things squarely In the face and count
the cost II there Is any country that
can auord TO have the whole truth and
nothing but the truth told about IL. thIs
gnlf coast country is that one
MAKE no dependence on rain Tho SUD
Ply OF water should be ample without
~ AZ comes u IS easy 10 pump less;
nut " reliance Is placed on It and II
should not come, pumping more without
iselIues Is where the worry comes In.
SOME POINTS ABOUT CANA1s
We have had our say about wells. now
let us talk about canals. Considering
tho short time surface canals for irri-
cation have been In operation II Is a mar
vel what excellent work they arc doing.
Generally 1t may he stated that the
pumping machinery 10 the best that can
be obtained; II Is well Installed ana I'm.
diligently handled. The general man
agement OF the canals Is broad. business
Hike. Intelligent and kindly. II may bo
assumed as business axiom that large
enterprises or tho United States. ham,
DIED upon narrow lines viii soon no 10
me wall aud on the contrary that large
ana succesSful business enterprises nave
mad broad and liberal manaveneut
NeNettheleAs the best man makes mia
taxes. The only man, who does not, is
tho man who never does ANYTHING
The first radical mistake in orr s,,r.
race lrrigaung canals is that I'm a mum.
per OF instances tho capaclty of the
pumping plants exceeds the reservoir
capacity of the streams on which thev
are located. L emphasizes reservoir 40
pacity (which Includes lakes in llne
or inhuonD, because ut the crucial nunnn.
he period there may be no rain. *
there Is little or no water flowing fror,
the sources OF the stream at snch tl,ne1
" is evident what Will he tho rcsuit If
the area OF rice attempted 20 be waterrd
30 diNe go 20 len Tines ne area OF tho river
ana contributing lakes from which M
WAFER is drawn. In monarchiCal conn.
tries TINS could not occur hecausn ,,r
one could use the water from a naVlpabic
stream without d permit
In republic II would seem +hot a..
law should create an lrrlrntion nTN
drainage district, which should re.-,lo ~
water rights and have tho power 10 con.
slruct protecting levces and dams stor.
age basins, drainage canals. ctr ~
asses the property benefited to pay costs
OF same There Is Il vast amount Of yyorl
I'D 10 DO done all along tho Louisiana anc
teNds coasts 10 conserve tho water IA
rivers for tho benefit OF ndlarcnt lana
,uhere are but two practical WAYS IN d.
u. one is to make concessions TO largS
c.orporauonl and allow them To contro
.ne situation, or to create by law irri,
cation and drainage districts ana in
Drove upon comprehensive svsten
which shan conserve and Distribute nj
tne water or the rivers 90 the best adj
Vantage OF all tho lands having any nat.
ural right 10 that water, which Include,
every acre in the drainage area Of w
rivers AS 1t is now, the longer ia,
When the time shall arrivo tbo. A..
people are fully awake to the great yains
OF water for irrigation what prsvepts
the farmers on the upper Brazos from