The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-30
NEED MORE PONDS
Topeka Attorney Says They
Would Help the Crops.
Explorations Would Be Big Aid
During Dry Seasons.
HEAVY RAINS ApE WASTED
HEAVY RAINS ARE WASTED
When Bermuda Highs" Come
Country Is Dry.
Every Farmer Could Have
Ponds at Small Cost.

The terrors the Bermuda High"
has for the farmer OF the state may
easily be removed according to a writ
ten opinion submitted to the public to-
day by Hiram C. Root, a local at
torney.
1t is Roots idea that farmers should
construct ponds on each quarter sec
ton of land. During the period of the
Bermuda highs"-the trade name for
very hot weather-the evaporation
from these ponds would be so great
that dews. and fogs and even light
showers would result. 1t is Roots
ton OF such ponds would reap for the
farmers of the state a very appre-
cable actual return in moisture and
result in better and bigger crops.
Roots statement of the case fol-
lows:
How 1t Would Work.
The wind from the southern ocean
sweeps across the southern states,
bringing with it the tropical heat. We
have no body of water, nor are we ad-
jacent to any that would give this ex-
cessive heat an opportunity to create
any moisture for evaporation, which it
would II we had the water surface,
and thereby produce dews, fogs and
showers
legislature take up the proposition,
and enact the necessary legislation.
to have each farmer build a pond or
small lake so that there would be
small pond or lake on every quarter
section in the state To have a few
ponds or lakes would have no appreci-
able effect upon the atmosphere. But
IL every farmer would build a pond,
which he could do in some draw or
low place where the cost would not be
very large-say from one-quarter of
an acre to three acres in size and from
ten to fifteen feet deep. then when our
rainy season came the pond would be
filled with water. Building a pond on
each quarter section, such as the ma
tural or suitable location could be
found, would make from twelve to
fifteen acres of water surface on each
section. which would make, in the
state. about two thousand sections of
water surface, which would be equal
to several good sized lakes. Then
when the Bermuda High" comes,
with hot dry winds, the evaporation
from these ponds would be very great
in the aggregate and would affect the
atmosphere by making heavy dews
and create fogs, and would necessarily
make some showers.
Would Help Crops
The moisture in the shape of dews,
fogs and showers would help the corn,
and in fact all vegetation. Corn will
absorb the moisture from dews or fogs
to carry the moisture to the roots of
the corn.
We are spending a large amount of
money to build good roads, which
are very useful; but to have the legis-
lature called and enact such legsla-
ton as is necessary TO have a pond
built on each quarter section in the
state, would help the people and the
state q great deal more than good
roads. It would double the corn pro-
duction, with would amount to mil
lions in value. The legislature should
make an appropriation sufficient to
aid the farmers in constructing these
| ponds. Engineers should be employed
so as to direct the farmers to build the
ponds in the most suitable and avail
able location. The farmers could do
/ a great deal of the work on these
ponds after the crops are gathered,
using plows and scrapers. During
the fall and winter. these ponds could
| all be built. ready for the spring
rains Another benefit, after the
ponds were well esta blished the farm
ers could stock them with fish, which
would help out in the meat products
of the state very materially.
! The ideal thing would be to have
the national government take hold of
| the matter and have ponds and lakes
| built on every quarter section of land
| IN Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
| The land in these states is rolling and
unlulating, and lies that on nearly
eN cry quarter. especially in the east
ern two-thirds of the states. natural
or available location can be found for
! ponds. In the western third of these
states, 1t would probably be better to
select the natural or available loca-
| lions and make the ponds larger. and
| not try to have a pond on each quar-
| ter as some portions of the western
part is quite level.
| Cost Would Be Small.
The cost would not be very great,
as the farmers would do a great deal
of the work with their teams and
scrapers, and each farmer would re-
ceive a special benefit from the pond
| or lake being built upon his place
| and this would also increase the price
Of his farm.