The Chanute times., 1911-12-22
What Of Western Kan
SaS and Its Future

ern Kansas for irrigation has beer
discussed at the annual meetings ol
the state board of agriculture, anC
learned scientists have contributed
much on the subject that was peril
nent and of interest. While it was
agreed that the west third or hall
of the state possessed a so-called In
exhaustible underground water sup
ply. it seemed the consensus of opin-
ion that it could not profitably be
made use of for irrigation of any
considerable areas on the high LANDS,
because of the lift being too great.
Irrigation of the valleys, where wa
ter is near the surface, by pumping,
long since passed the experimental
stage, but it's possibilities are not
yet fully realized, as each season
sees some new development. Whlle
this is important to the valleys, the
great significance of the later 1nves-
LEGATIONS is the demonstrating here
and there that the uplands can De
profitably irrigated by pumping from
deeply drilled wells, as these lands
comprise by far the greatest acre
age. Their soils are rich and OF
they will need less (some say only
about one-half as much) water TO
produce crops as the sander lands
of the valleys. Again. there Will be
seasons when the rainfall will be
such as to require only partial, II
any. use of the pumping plant, and
it begins to look as if many thous-
ands of acres of western Kansas
may be made reliably productive
through artificial watering. In the
valley from Garden City to SYRIA
cuse many pumping plants are al
ready operating or being Installed
There are a number of wells be-
ing drilled and put into use on the
higher lands at the present time,
here and there from Meade county,
in the southwest, north and west to
Sherman county. At Fowler, IN
Meade county, the Waiver well is
finished and equipped ready for use.
In Sherman county two big wells
have been drilled into the gravel
that carries apparently unlimited
water, and pumps are now being m1
stalled. This suggests in very
general way something of the terri
tory where water supply may. be
profitably available for irrigation by
pumping. Only one Of these big up
land wells was in commission our
ing the last crop season. Ihls was
the J. w. Lough well, about ~
miles southwest of Scott, in Scout
county. From it were irrigated lSo
acres. all that could be made ready
in time for planting, but well VIII
take cale Of 800 acres. On the lSO
acres were raised potatoes, beans,
cucumbers, watermelons, turnlps,
and other vegetables in profusion'
The WELD of milo was estimated as
high as 70 bushels per acre, ana
oats and barley at so and 6O Dush
els. Sorghum grew to helght OF
10 feet. This was planted the hrst
of June, irrigated three times, ana
cultivated. Another field was Droau-
casted to sorghum the first OF Aug
ust irrigated twice and attained
growth of about 6 feet, making the
fnest quality of fodder. From 81
acre field of alfalfa, sown in lSlo'
four cuttings were secured III ene
mast season, averaging ABOUT ool
to the acre for each cutting lhls
is notable not alone because there
was no considerable ralntall there
in 1911, but because the summer
was unusually hot, one of the most
irving and unfavorable in years
The weather itself subjected the
demonstration to the seYerest test'
and the results, in spite of the IN
bosnitable conditions, were mos'
gratifying.
This weil is 19O feet deep, with
24-inch casing. The total cost m
oluding pumping equipment was not
far from $4,000. AS Mr.. Lough was
nioneer in this, adjustments anu
changes after installation added
ouite a bit to the cost. Ihe Nj
auette well. of practically the same
danth and equipment, at McCue'
tbe first station south of Scott, COST
ca 900 complete. Each OF these
wells. it is estimated, will irrigate
hoIs section If this proves correct
n means an outlay of but SIO per
acre for a permanent water rig1!'
oSrnad and controlled by the lnol-
vidual.
The LOuRn wen S<N'NA I
20 feet of the water-bearing sIaVei
without a layer of any other mater mater
ial This makes it 60 feet to "ateI'
The water stands higher in the Wen,
of course. when the pump is noe
working. and when the engine Is
started the water is gradually low
cred TO about IS feet from the ais-
charge. which is the extreme uls
tance the water is lifted. Thus iar
no amount of pumping lowers tine Ine
water beyond that point Ihe
eouinment is a centrifugal pump
eSd 6O-horse power fuel engine
and water is steadily lifted, accord
sn~ az to MIR. Lough's report, at the
rafa ,s of 1000 gallons a minute.
Th;s 1 is carried in bitches by gravity
direct re, from the well to the ianu,
sone e1,o of It being miles from the
numn TTrr and no reservoir is used OF
prsearded pS,d as necessary. This year
sv5erienee indicates that the cost OF
uniting the water on the land Is