The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-10
Making the Sahara Blossom

When Sir JONI MURRAY visited the
northern Sahara five years ago. he wrote
that one could hardly travel in that re-
gion without becoming enthusiastic over
its commercial aspects. There seemed
TO be no limit to the amount of water
that might be obtained by the sinking
of artesian wells Even the digging of
ordinary wells had increased the culti-
walton Of the date palm to an enormous
extent
The fact has been recognized for more
than twenty years that there are
wide areas Of waters underlying the
desert surface All the GASES lie in
depressions of the surface, so that the
water. in some places, comes TO the top:
and in other places it may be reached
without great difficulty by digging. The
GASES exist only where the underground
waters are easily obtained
Several years ago the French became
convinced that they might add new
GASES to the fertile areas by sinking
artesian wells in places whore il is diff
cut or impossible TO reach the water
by digging. They began the experiment
on a small scale in the Algerian Sahara.
and have since extended their operations
into the desert far south of the frontier
of Algeria. The result has been so
gratifying that they are now preparing
10 extend the work on a large scale
The last report of the Governor General
of Algeria SAYS il IL probable that the
districts which may be reclaimed viii
support a population Of 100000.
The report Of the military department
Of the Sahara on the drilling of artesian
wells during the fiscal year 10000 has
Just been published. In the twelve
months twenty-five wells were sunk.
few old wells made by digging we're
deepened and also the bore holes of
several existing artesian wells.
4 well that yields 1000 quarts a minute
assures the irrigation Of about 5000 date
palms Nearly one-half of the new
wells are Welding from 1000 10 $500
quarts n minute, and the remainder less
than 1900 quarts Much of the drilling
apparatus did not permit boring TO a
sufficient depth With the improved
machinery to be introduced at once. a
much larger flow will be obtained from
many Of the wells Most Of them are
7Houtlng wells, and in the others pump
ing IS necessary, as the water does not
rise quite TO the surface Fourteen old /.
wells in the Tuggurt district, that have .
been deepened since 1902, are now yield /
ing from 1000 to 5000 gallons a minute.
In the past year only one of the drilling /
operations failed to bring water.
These underground waters undoubt- /
eddy come from the Atlas Mountains of |
the north and from the Ahaggar and |
other ranges Of the central Sahara. /
Much rain falls upon the Atlas Noun
tains, but it was not known until within
a few years that the mountainous re-
gions of the central and southern desert
are favored with regular summer rains.
The water sinks to impermeable strata
Of rock and makes It's way for long dis
tances under the desert surface. 1t has
been shown that the rock beds south of
the Atlas are favorably tilted for the
drainage of the waters out under the
desert, and the recent researches of
Nlr. FLAMAND and others seem to prove
that the artesian supplies of Insalah
md some other Gases far out in the
Sahara are derived from the Ahaggar,
Air and other mountains Of the south
II is interesting 10 hear that the pros
poets are now brighter than ever that
q considerable portion Of the Sahara,
which embraces about n third of the
lesert area of the world, can be re-
'llmed TO fertility and turned to very
profitable account.
Al a dinner Of the Civic Federation in
iew York last month were served buns