Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1904-01-13
According to Plans Of AgriCul-
tural Experiment Station.
IRRIGATION FOR THE
SMALL FARMER
Results Achieved at albuquerque
Very Gratifying. Description
ofthe Well and Its Cost
Completed.

Completed.
Press bulletin No. S5, issued under
date Of Jan. 5. by the New Mexico Col
lege of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts
and the Agricultural Experiment sta
ton contains much interesting infor.
nation and is herewith published in its
entirety:
During the first week Of December,
1903, well was sunk for irrigation
purposes on the farm of Chas. +.
Gleckler, near albuquerque. The well
was put down after the plan gwen in
Bulletin No. Is.
An open we'll was dug to a little be-
low water level and curbed with two
inch pine. A siX-inch standard pipe,
which forms the well, was sunk in the
bottom of the open pit. About 10 feet
of strainer was exposed below the pipe.
The total depth Of the well from the
surface of the ground TO the bottom of
the strainer is about iil feet.
sTRAlNER.
The strainer was made from lG-gauge
galvanized iron and closed at the bot
tom. The walls of the strainer we're
perforated by slots Il inch long by
about inch wide. These slots were
placed very close together
PLA'INC THE sTRAINER.
In placing the strainer the pipe was
first sunk to the full depth of the well.
The straincr was lowered inside of the
pipe to the bottom. The pipe was then
jacked up until about 10 feet of the
atrainer was exposed below the pipe.
Theoretically the action of this sort
Of strainer is as follows, and the results
seem to prove the theory true: The
slots in the strainer are large enough to
allow the sand mixed with the gravel to
enter the well and be pumped out with
th6water, and at the same time small
enough to keep the gravel from enter
ing the well. The gravel then accu-
mulateS around the strainer, thus form
ing porous water-bearng stratum
through which water can pass rapidly
into the well in order to take the place
Of that being removed by the pump.
GRAVEL STRATA.
A water-bearng gravel stratum is
necessary for the success of this type
of well, and therefore, Mr.. Checkers
undertaking was an experiment.
Gravel, mixed with sand, was struck
at II feet from the surface Of the
ground, and gravel, more or less plen-
tifu continued to the bottom of the
well 4ll feet. From careful exam
ination of the strata passed through in
sinking this well; from information
gathered from persons who have sunk
wells in the vicinity, and from the fact
that upon flushing the well the water
became clear after the sand was re-
moved the writer has been led to be-
lieve that there is a sufficient amount
of gravel to be found in the vicinity of
albuquerque to practically insure the
success of this type of well.
COST.
The cost of well of this type is
comparatively small. Wherever dem
onstra;ed to be successful it will bring
the cost of a pumping plant entirely
within the means of most farmers.
The following statement of the cost
of the pumping plant was kindly fur
nishcd by Mr.. Gleckler:
Well, including materials and la
Dor Sl39 %
Pump and engine lin place. $50 81
Total, $3.50 %
A Cushman 6-horse power engine anc
a Van Vie centrifugal pump were in
stalled. The water pumped with the
power by this small engine was sufIi
cient to fill fve-inch discharge pipe
1t is understood that Mr.. Gleckler vii
put in larger engine and then still
better results are expected.