Evening star., 1914-08-08
TAKING A FAMILY
BACK TO THE SOIL
Being the Experiences Of q Gov
ernment Clerk Who Sets Out
to Lower the High Cost Of
Living. .......

The past two weeks of dry weather
have made of me a thorough convert to
the notion of irrigation in the east. 7
preached the subject the other evening
at an Informal gathering of neighbors.
instead of being hailed as a Moses to
lead the way out of the wilderness OF
drought. l WAS laughed at
Just the same. the logic of the situa-
ton is OH my side. OF course it would
not be practical to irrigate wheat and
corn fields and large arceages of pota
toes and other crops. but with small
fruits and vegeta bles there's bound to
he money in it.
The trouble is that farmers around
here are not progressive. This state
ment coming from me veritable green
horn in the country, may sound as If |
were suffering from an exaggerated ego.
but ! am not basiug the statement on
either wisdom or experience of my own.
] may not know much about farming,
nut | Go know how to read. and | learn
by reading that in many of the eastern
states irrigation is being practiced with
gratifying financial results. In the truck
ing sections of New Jersey and Della
ware many acres are under irrigation.
the overhead system being used in some
instances and surface systems in others.
| would have to employ the overhead
system. This is simply line of galvan-
iZed iron pipes ten to twelve feet in the
air, supported at intervals upon uprights
and with the lines about forty feet apart.
On the top of each pipe are small holes,
and the pipes are so arranged that they
may be turned and the water thrown on
either side or straight up in the air. An
adequate supply of water and a saso-
-ue engine TO pump It, and hight
tEnfr -.NT1N n
order The dam the boys built in the
creek would compound plenty of water to
irrigate several acres. Experts say the
piping will not cost more than 500 an
acre. That seems pretty high for an
Improvement on land that isn't worth
more than S6o acre as II stands but
once installed the plant would last prac-
ticalIy for lifetime. and it certainly
would add S5n 4 year to the income from
any acre used for growing market Hese-'
ia bles or small fruits.
To Try 1t on an Acre.
II We finally determine that we will
exercise our option to buy Sunny Knoll.
I am about determined to try irrigating
an acre OF it. The way garden stuff
worked hard over has fzZled out the
past two weeks is enough to make
man want TO buy the Potomac river
Even III the driest weather not less than
J.tuD cubic feet of water runs over our
dam and goes TO waste every day. That
is equal 10 half inch OF rainfall over
about three acres of land every twenty
four hours Just think what such sup
ply OF water would mean during a period
Of prolonged drought.
OF course, it wouldn't pay to do this
Unless | intended growing fruits and veg
etables for market. and l am almost per
suaded that half dozen cows and chick
ems to the capacity of our acreage would
be more practicable. But by another year
I am going to have some way of getting
water from the creek if only for our kit
chen garden.
OF all the merits that are claimed for
cows, I never heard it asserted that they
have a sense of hunlor. but I am thor
oughly convinced that they have. An
acquaintance of James from the city.
Mrs. Hamilton, visited us one day this
week I don't think she had ever been
in the country in her life. except to ride
through Ii on railroad train. She was
a good deal bored. and was at no pains
TO conceal the fact. and her patronizing
air was just a little hard to endure.
Worthy enough people. our neighbors. no
doubt. she admitted. but common.
very common AS We are just like our
ueishbors, except that we are less pros
porous than most of them, there was no
escaping the verdict that We also had
become common" by moving from our
stuffy fiat into the country. She was
quite amazed when Jane Went out "
feed the hens and doctor sick chicken,
and quite amused at our saving up bath
water and carrying it to the garden
Treed by the Cow.
Our turn for amusement came later
She thought il would be quite interest
ing TO pick some apples from tree with
her own fair hands and exhibit them to
her friends in town. But she made the
mistake of adventur:ng forth alone to do
it, The COW was grazing in the orchard
and when Mrs. Hamilton approached she
raised her head ard advanced TO extend
friendly greeting.
But Mrs. Hamilton had never made