File:Marvels of the new West - a vivid portrayal of the stupendous marvels in the vast wonderland west of the Missouri River - comprising marvels of nature, marvels of race, marvels of enterprise, marvels (14578466759).jpg

Identifier: marvelsofnewwest1889thay (find matches)
Title: Marvels of the new West : a vivid portrayal of the stupendous marvels in the vast wonderland west of the Missouri River : comprising marvels of nature, marvels of race, marvels of enterprise, marvels of mining, marvels of stock-raising, and marvels of agriculture, graphically and truthfully described
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: Thayer, William Makepeace, 1820-1898
Subjects:
Publisher: Norwich, Conn. : Henry Bill Pub. Co.
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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the soilunder a very dry atmosphere and a cloudless sky, evaporation is verygreat; so great, indeed, that when water is scarce it becomes anobject to prevent this evaporation, and thus secure all the benefitof all the water for the use of the growing crop. To meet this want an underground system of irrigation by per-forated pipes has been invented and put in use, and is proving ofimm.ense benefit. The pipe is now generally made of concrete. Theditches are dug (say) fifteen to twenty feet apart over the field, or inthe middle of the space between the rows of trees in an orchard, andby a machine having a feeding hopper, the concrete, ready mixed, isfed into the hopper, and the machine converts it into the requiredsize pipe, and at the same time moves along in the ditch, leaving thepipe behind it. The same machinery perforates the pipe, so thatthe water is let out of it in quantities required, the pipe being fromone and a half to three feet below the surface. 7o8 MARVELS OF THE NEW WEST.
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MARVELS OF AGRICULTURE. 709 The cost of irrigation and amount of water necessary to be appliedto an acre depends upon the method by which water is appHed (fourmethods are used in the New West), the nature of the soil, and thekind of crop. The cost of water per acre in Colorado, by flooding,is from a dollar and a half to three dollars per acre. The check system prevails in California and New Mexico inapplying water, and a cubic foot of water is made to irrigate seventyacres, while by flooding, a cubic foot of water will irrigate but sixtyacres. By the check system the land is divided into squares byridges, into one of which the water is admitted and allowed to rununtil it is completely covered. Then the water is conducted into theadjoining square by cutting a small channel through the ridge. Thissystem requires some labor, but decided economy in the use of wateris gained. Artesian wells have served a good purpose in irrigating the land,not only in California, but in other parts of the

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