The Chanute times., 1911-12-22

about SO cents per acre at each irri-
cation. The engine burns about 100
gallons of oil every Is hours, cost
ing 21a cents per gallon laid down
in Scott. The well is located on
one of the highest points in the
township, and the water is drawn
through "A Inch pipe,
From this it seems that these
large wells, with centrifugal pumps
and powerful cheap-fuel engines are
helping to solve the problem of util-
izing the underground waters to ir-
rigate the uplands. To what ex-
tent this may be carried no one can
tell at this time, but that it should
be developed to it's fullest capacity,
is patent. One of the most striking
examples of the transformation pos
sible by irrigation in western Kan
sas is afforded by the experience OF
P. Finello, on 2 acres in the out
skirts of Garden City. This, OF
course, is in the Arkansas River
valley, where the distance to water
is only about 8 feet. When he
moved on the land it was devoid of
trees or vegetation, and now it is a
wonderful garden. In the spring of
1908 he installed a pumping plant
consisting of a 7-horse power gaso-
line engine, and one centrifugal
pump, with accessories, at a cost OF
$293. His we'll is 46 feet deep, and
16 inches in diameter. The pump
draws 265 gallons per minute, with
no perceptible decrease in the water
supply, at a cost of about cents
per hour, and in 6 hours the entire
tract can be watered. Mr.. Finello's
actual work with trees on this tract
began in 1908, and he has on the
place about so each of cherry, peach
and plum, and 1900 grape vines all
now coming into bearing. Between
the trees he raises vegetables in
profusicn, such as tomatoes, beans,
peppers, cantaloupes and waterwel-
ems. 1t is a most impressive dem
onstration of what a combination of
soil, sunshine, intelligence. and wa
ter will do in that region, and is
suggestive of future developments.
Much interest has been manifest
ed lately, too, in the development
of artesian water, the firm of Will
son G. Dean at Richfield, in Morton
county, having brought in the best
we'll of this character in Kansas,
having a natural flow of 500 gllons
per minute. While only a limited
area could be made ready for crops
in 1911, it was sufficient to show
strikingly the wonders that water
will bring about. Alfalfa sowed on
sod June 20, this year, yielded l 1a
tons for the season and is perfect
stand. Trees in a park that has
been laid out made an excellent
growth, and a great vriety of gar
den truch returned good yields.
This same firm has obtained artesian
flow in a second we'll, and an outfit
is now drilling for artesian water
Morton county on the east. Also
at Hugoton, in Stevens, adjoining
Meade. the third county east from
Morton, has numerous small artes-
ian wells, used however, only in a
very limited way for irrigation.
Often the distribution of rainfall
in the western end of the state is
adequate for various crops, but
wherever these underground waters
are found in sufficient quantities 1t
IS undoubtedly good business to use
them as supplemental to rains that
may be tardy in their coming. I'm
der irrigation the farming will be
more intensive and develop along
lines quite different from those FOL
lowed at first, supporting a greatly
increased population. Wherever ir-
rigation by pumping may be done
II will bring about wonderful