El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-27

VI annual pFeclpl IaJlOn- In judging the
agIlculturaI possibilities Of any semi
arid underflOw district these factors
are the first to be considered.
Many Important FACTORS.
But there are many factors bearing
upon the economic accessibility Of the
ground water Of given district. The
depth at which The water bea rim q
to which the water rises in the wei de-
lermlne, first, the initial cost OF the
Wei, and second, the fixed charge for
pumping the water = The character Of
lne formation is also a factor in de-
termining the initial cost If for ex-
ample the water bearing strata are
encountered at a depth of 500 TO 600
4seI and the character of the forma-
ton Is such that drilling is slow and
difficult Il means that the initial ooet
o. the irrigation viii be great II
- wafer encountered at this depth
Uses 70 within ten or twenty feet OF
tne surface II means that the pumping
cost VIII below. Vice verSa. If sIfff
clent water for irrigation can he Oh
tanned at depth Of $50 feet. hut fha
water rises only to the 100-foot level II
means low cost for the we'll and a
comparatively high cost for Dun7Dfne
machinery as well as expensive r1ir1-
lng The ideal condition is OF coUrsa
Wafer al shallow depth and sufficient
arteslan pressure TO bring the Va4aS
near the surface.
Soil and Climate.
But soil and climatic condftfons 81
1iuence TO great exent the profitsbi.
ness OF pumping for irrigation. IN
ton is, say, 20 inches. occTr~irss- q
t-e growing months, Ii means +1,s+
there VIII be less water TO n1-9r 80
SgysequenJly less cost for frriFa+fo15
II Ine suDsou Of a district is 6oro1,e.
allowing the water to leak av-s,- b-e -
L-e crops nave thoroughly utilized g.
greater amount Of water viii -
s 20 De pumped. and the profits propor-
-
a-e QlstIlcts In the United States v-bsro
l--alLa requires per season IS feet ~
water phere are other sections where
- inches is all the water that o.,
De probably applied. Again. the TO-
luIe OF the SOL is an important ele-
menJ some soils do not retain nofs-
tuie - Long as other soils and must
ne irrigated Oftener In districts
Ehere the soil and climatic conditions
permit the GROWN Of high priced pro
ducts, water can be pumped profftablv
at much greater lifts than in districts
where only loW-priced crops can be
grown. in certain portions of CsIffor-
MA, Tor instance, water is pumped onto
Dill sides $50 feet above the water
level at profit, In certain portions
tremendous profit IS to 100 feet for
growing alfalfa and beans. Either of
these Lifts is prOhibitive for growing
Inolan corn, cotton, or other low-priced
z
a factor in determining the limit of
profitable lift Pumping water for the
irrigation Of alfalfa which sells at SIS I
per ton is a different matter from /
which sells at s14 per ton. Tt is DrOfft /
soIe TO pump water geo feet for garden /
= oGh where there is a nearby and
--I5 ~ priced market for such produce.
tt,-SIeas truck grower would 90 into
$50 uplcy pumping water 100 feet for
which commands a low price
M Character of Water.
ne character Of the water is an
ssI5-- IN or Importance. Alkaline or
1850 waters leave their harmful de-
ttI l-1--s Saf by year. and eventually
mere must be expensive 1eacbi6r 81
80 80 winch, Of course. cuts down
II sI-e 7l ProLl1 OF or pumping such water r.
I 'isalls makes the following observa-
ton In his circular issued nv ~ Pa
loSsS oI oolLs. During the summer OF
Eeptesentative of the Bureau
u 90lIs VISITED the GASES Of the Oued /