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Show SUCCESS ON DRY LAND FARM Mos Important Factor la Supplementary Supplemen-tary Irrigation Practice Llm-Ited Llm-Ited to Water Supply. (Vr W. Ft. I, ATTIC, Irrigation Invr.tlKH-tln. Invr.tlKH-tln. ('iilud Mtutra IVpartinmt of Agriculture.) Agri-culture.) There are many things that make for success on a dry land farm and home. The most important of these Is supplementary irrigation. This dos not conflict In any way with the dry land work, but rather assists by utilizing one of the resources which nature has provided. However, the extent to which the practice may be applied is limited to the water supply avullable. One of the first and most Important things for the dry land farmer to ascertain as-certain Is whether a water supply can be developed from the underground water, or stored during the torrential rain storms. Where a water supply cannot be developed, de-veloped, tho homesteader soon becomes be-comes discouraged and be abandons his claim. The proper location for the well can often be decided upon by studying the wells In the Immediate neighborhood. Where the distance Is too great for this method, test holes may be put down with a two or three-Inch auger and light derrick, made of 2x4 Inch timbers. The points desirable to know are: fl) Depth to water level; (2) material encountered In sinking test well; (3) amount the water lowers In the w.M during pumping; and (4) kind of well most desirable, whether drilled, bored or dug. With this Information, some tdea of the amount of water which can be expected ex-pected In the locality can be formed, thus deciding to what extent Irrigation Irriga-tion can be practiced. After water has been located, the method for making the well must be decided. Where comtent well drillers drill-ers can be obtained, the drilled well Is j the most satisfactory. especially If It Is necessary to go to any great depth. The most Important thing to ascertain ascer-tain In a drilled well, as In other methods. meth-ods. Is the size of perforations In the strainer the water bearing gravel will permit. This ran be determined In the test hole or the neighboring wells. The openings of the strainer should be efjual to 10 or 12 times the cross sectional area of the casing or sufficient. suffi-cient. If possible, to allow the water to pass through into the well as readily as through the waterbearing gravel or stratum. I.ong slots, punched In the casing from the Inside, with the burr on the outside, are the best In coarse materials, but quicksands or very fine materials often necessitate special wire strainers. In some localities It is also necessary neces-sary to ascertain which water bearing stratum to use on account of the minerals min-erals they may contain, and the objectionable objec-tionable water can be caned off. The style and size of pump will be determined by the depth to water and Quantity that can be developed. |
