The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1908-08-15

Nv lUlN 'll'f' Nv IIdnk ~ bIONi
VI Roswell, which gives ,aluahl,
data M pumping the undcrilow ",
windmills Tor purposes OF irriga.
ton.
Ncrv truly yours,
Vernon l.. Sullivan,
Territorial Engineer.
IRRIGATION FROM wiNuMiLLs.
Complying with your request oil
luly 18th, to write an article on
irrigation, the water supplied by
pumping with windmills, | take
pleasure in submitting the follow.
lne on windmill irrigation; which
covers a period from the spring OF
1000 to the present time.
Thr place is situated on the
Heights" near Roswell, contain.
ING q acres and is 10 feet above
the artcsian flow. The soil is good
ANDY loan and has been improv.
I'd hy careful saving the distribu.
ton ct barn and chicken manurcs,
also with annual crops OF peas and
winter rye, the former plowed un.
der IN tho tall before frost and the
latter IN the early spring. There
are approximately 5000 fruit trees
that are three, tour and FIVE years
old. also several hundred shade
trees and a VINEYARD, all OF which
na, been cared tor by two sixteen
loot windmills, operating twelve
inch cylinders on a II inch stroke.
The water supply comes from a
5-,S inch cased we'll gas teet deep,
that taps the %artesian basin and
rises within 10 feet from the sur.
iace. \ dug well tour by SIX ieel
reaches from the surface down two
icct below the top OF the 5 rs inch
casing, over this well is located
one OF the mills. The other is To-.
Gated about so feet away over a
tour by tour dug we'll, which con,
meets with the main well 10y a tour
hy tour loot tunnel. Botn dup
wells should be c%oncrcted or board,
I'd up bottom and sides above tn,
water line to prevent sand anc
gravel leing sucked into the cylin.
ders, which causes rapid wear q.
the leather washers and valves.
By careful attention TO such de
tails, repair bulls are avoided; tn,
repairs Tor three years on thcs,
TWO sixteen loot mills, cylinders
etc, has been s. IS. The water Is
lifted 2s tcct and d schatge
through a s IS inch pipe into al
catth,rn tank or reservoir zoo h,
200 icct inside measurements an,
holds approximately tour acre Zee
OF water.
Never irrlgatc direct from tbs
mills, Impound your water IN /;
reservoir aud hold until YOU hav,
q good head to drive the waite
along with some speed. When ir
rigating direct from the mills tn,
water flows along very nicely unit
there Is a lull IN the wind, and b'
tho time the mill is in motion
again, the bitches are empty. b,
n repetition OF this OFT and on flow
the water is wasted and the tree
OF vegetation iatthcst from tn,
mil Is never reached. But tn
same amount OF water %lmpoundct
and turned on n II time wuul,
give surprising results.
Our preparation Tor irrigation
the orchard IS; use a II inch mole
board pillow, throwing a turrow iron
and On each side OF the tree row
about two irct "a from the term
Inars OF the limbs, that no root,
NAV be- ont. We thus form temp
1Tary %lrrigatIng bitches with higl
borders. The water is now turn
I'd INTO the tree rows aud natural,
follows the plowed burrows. Twu
irrigation zlnCs are used to dam al
tho burrows ahead OF IN" water
By this means the water is mad
20 quickly food the land. This !
repeated until the entire row /
flooded. By this method We carr.
the water across ten acre blocks
Irrlgatng thoroughly three or iou
acres a day.
As soon rs the ground is dr.
enough 10 crumblc, We use tn
same team and pillow, THROWN
back the iurrow never leave thcr
open tor subsequent irrIgation) ioI
lowed Immediately with a cut ava
disk, which in turn is tollowc
with a duck-bill harrow. Thl
leaves n fine mulch. In ten day
or two weeks the orchard is gon
over again with q set OF FIVE sweeps
this stirs the soil and keeps it Ire
from weeds; the sweeps are ri
last in the direction we wish I
next irrigatc, leaving the groun
perfectly level.
The above plan OF irrigation
followed 10y immediate cultivation