The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-02-14
SOIL SURVEYS AN
 AID ID FARMERS
Agricultural Expert Explains
 Benefits to Be Gained
STATE WELL WATERED
Legislators Hear pr. Hct;ce Tell of the Cost and Profits to Be Derived From Soil Surveys and
 Artesian Wells

Jackson. Miss. February 13.-(Special.)
 Dr. W. J. McGee. expert of the depart ment of agriculture sent here to advise
 with the legislature as to the benefits
 to be derived from soil surveys, addressed
 a joint meeting of the two houses during
 the week, explaining in detail the work
 that is required 10 be done before the
 farmer can tell with any degree of ae-
 curacy what crops and animals are best
 adapted to his soil.
 So far very little has been done along
 this line in Mississippi, about Se0 acres having been covered and mapped by the government The cost to the state has been very little. half the expense being borne by the department of agriculture, and it stands ready 10 meet the state half way in any future work that may be undertaken.
 Dr. McGee estimated that it would cost in the neighborhood of sloo.000 to com piete the survey of the state, and that it could be accomplished in three or four years. The government will put up half the money. so that the cost to the state is not so much when appropriated by the year.
 The legislators were reioiced at what the speaker had to say about the state being the best wafered in the United States, and that in course of time 1t would support and feed more people than any other. and be the garden spot of the world Though strictly and peeu- liarly an agricultural state, and as s yet dependent for living on few staple crops like cotton and corn Mississippi, because of her senli-tropical climate and abundant water supply, is destined to rival California in fruits of all kinds at no very distant day He declared that everything, save, perhaps. oranges and lemons, could be produced here that is raised in California where the lands are worth from s2oo to s5eo per acre--too much in fact, as no farmer could afford to raise staple crops on lands of such high price.
 Incident to what he said in regard to the abundant water supply in this sec ton. MT. McGee indulged in 2 few figures to show that the average person con sumes about 40 pounds of solid food during year. ana that it took ton of water for that same person. At the same time it requires about ROCCO pounds of water to produce the 40 pounds of sol ids the man requires. For these req sons, he argued that Mississippi is blessed in her abundant water supply
 Tn view of the fact that great many artesian wells are being secured around over the state, and that thousands of them are even now In use, State Geolo- gist Lowe suggests that it would be well to regulate the business of deep well borings and to harness the waters there from Tn order that there be no more waste than necessary. just as is done in case of the great oil mills of the world.
 Dr. Lowe states that it would be good idea to require those boring and establishing these wells to keep a log" of what they are doing. of the different stratas of earth through which they pass, the depth at which water is found and how near the surface it rises. if it does not flow out at the top. Once the well is sunk it should be capped and so ar ranged that only such water as is needed is permitted to flow.
 It is possible that the supply is not and it is also possible that the supply may grow smaller as the country is denuded of it's forests, caus- ing more water to run off than sinks In the ground at the source of supply, which fo- this part of the state is perhaps about 100 miles to the north of Jackson.
 While this locality is but about 900 feet oboye the sea level, the water from deep wells Is found at a depth of about TOO feet. which is 70 feet below the sea level. Dr. Lowe states that the supply here is from rain water and has no corr nectton with the ocean. It sinks into the earth in the northern part of the state, gets under and into the strata Of earth and rock that dips down gradually till 1t reaches a depth of 701 feet at Jackson, and when tapped by the well borers rushes to the surface, or to the height of supply above sea level This water percoiates through miles of sand and gravel and by the time 1t gets to Jack son is as pure as 1t Is possible for water to be.
 There are now a dozen or more wells Tn and around Jackson, all of the same depth. practically and all of the same character of water. One more well was in yesterday on the farm Of W. Davis. two miles north of the city. Tn a short while the city of Jackson ho,es to secure a sufficient number of theae deep wells to furnish the city with at least four million gallons ot pure water per day, contract to that effect having already been entered into. but nredtcated on the sale of the $2s5.eo0 worth of bonds now being advertised for sale.