The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-06-15

rangementS. She erected an electric
pumping station on the bank Of the
river The pump. which has a capa-
city of $500 gallons of water 4 minute,
is in a concrete we'll which rises above
the ground thirtyseven feet. This
we'll IS thirteen feet in diameter The
electric motor which operates the
pump is 135 horsepower. Upon the
top of the well is a small house in
which are the switches. The pump
ing station is we'll above the highest
water mark of the river. The lift Of
the water is los feet. which is of itself
something of a novelty in irrigation
works The water is pumped into a
fourteen-inch wOone pipe which car
ries it a distance of $500 feet and
empties it into a reservoir From
this reservoir three open bitches and
one sheet iron flume led over the farm
in different directions. The tlume is
2,750 feet long.
Mrs Dodd has set a good example
for progressiveness and enterprise to
many of the men who are engaged
IN growing Bermuda onions. She has
adopted new ideas which have proved
highly successful in the conduct of the
industry. II 1903 she lost the biggest
part of her onion crop on account Of
heavy rains that came just at the time
when the product was ready for har-
yesting. The yield was large, but
she had not provided the farm with
storage sheds and the onions had to
remain in the field while the rains
lasted. This sOftened the onions and
they were untitled for the market.
Notwithstanding her large acreage she
came through the trying experience
with a loss of only $1,000 on her en-
tire crop. Some Of her neighbors
who had small acreages Of onions lost
many thousands Of dollars. In order
to prevent a repetition of the expert
ence Of last year, Mrs. Dodd erected
large sheds in which the onions may
be stored while they dry. should rains
come during the harvesting period.
She also stores the crop if market
conditions are not satisfactory.
Tn the Busy Season.
Mrs Dodd is a busy woman during
the onion growing season. The planting
Of the seed in open beds takes place
in October The transplanting is done
about six weeks later. and from then
on until the opening of the harvest
ing season in the latter part Of March,
intense cultivation must be carried on
and the water placed upon the farm
at certain intervals.
At certain periods Of the season Mrs.
Dodd had two or three hundred Mexi-
can laborers in her employ. Il have
never had any difficulty with my Ia
bOrers,' Mrs Dodd said. I treat them
fairly and they appreciate what 90
for them I have built homes for them
upon one corner Of my farm and they
live there with their families in peace
and contentment I find that by pro-
yiding them with their own homes L
am able to have them on hand when
ever I want them. The men. women
and children work in the field. This
class of farm work is not hard and
it is really enjoyed by most of the
Mexicans.'
Mrs Dodd spends most of each day
upon her farm She keeps ar accurate
account of all expenditures and re-
ceipts and knows at all times he con-
dition of her business. She has the
confidence and respect Of the bankers
and business men of this part Of
Texas The fact that she makes an
annual profit off her farm much larger
than the salary of most bank presI-
dents has not caused Mrs. DOdd to
adopt any extravaganza Of living. She
has a pretty home in town II Is COM
forta bly, but not luxuriously furnished.
She finds time outside Of her farm
work to get much endowment out OF
social intermingling with her friends
She has been social favorite IN
Laredo. San Antonio and other Texas
cities for many years. The onion
growing season is during the winter
ard cooler periods Of the fall and
spring She has the hot months of
summer to spend in rest and recupera-
ton.