EQUIPMENT OP THE AVERAGE FARM. 41 



every inch over depth; for IS-inch tile, 95 cents per rod for a 

 3-foot ditch, with 6 cents additional per inch for over deptli. 

 Practically no tile as small as 2^ inches in diameter is being used on 

 farms at the present time, and many factories do not make sizes less 

 than 4 inches in diameter. Filling the ditches is usually done by a 

 team and plow at very slight cost. 



The tile varies in price with locality. The average prices of a 

 number of firms in the Central West in 1910 were about as follows: 

 3-inch tile, $12.50 per thousand tiles, each tile being 1 foot long; 

 4-inch tile, $17; 5-inch tile, $23.50; 6-inch tile, $32; 7-inch tile, 

 $42; 8-inch tile, $53; 10-inch tile, $81; and 12-inch tile, $104 per 

 thousand. 



WATER SUPPLY. 



Owing to the wide variation in the character of water systems, it 

 will hardly be possible to make even an approximate list of the essen- 

 tials for the average farm. The average present value of the water 

 system, appraising wells at the cost of installation, and pumps, tanks, 

 etc., at their present value, is seen to be $171.76 (Table VII, p. 26) 

 for the group of 21 farms. Allowing for depreciation on the latter 

 items, it is probable that the average cost would reach $225 for the 

 entire S3"stem. Between different farms, however, there is a wide 

 range, as shown by Table III (p. 18). The larger number of these 

 farms depend on dug wells 25 to 40 feet in depth and 3 to 4 feet in 

 diameter. Such a well, for digging and walling, costs $1 to $1.25 

 per foot in depth. A hand pump, costing from $5 to $10, is usually 

 installed in such well. Some of the farms have drilled wells 90 to 

 150 feet deep. These cost about $1 per foot for drilling and casing 

 and require a more expensive pump, costing $15 to $25 for the pump, 

 piping, and cylinder. One or more cisterns are usually found, rang- 

 ing in size from 20 to 150 barrels and costing $10 to $35. A cistern 

 pump complete usually costs $4 to $6. Where water is conveyed 

 to tanks or troughs at some distance from the well, 1-inch or 1|- 

 inch piping is ordinarily used, at a cost of 8 to 12 cents per foot. 

 Small wooden troughs, holding 1 to 3 barrels and costing $3 to $5, 

 are often used in connection with wells or cisterns near the barn, but 

 tanks holding 10 to 50 barrels are commonly used in feed lots. These 

 cost from $10 up in wood, and a trifle more in concrete. Many per- 

 manent concrete tanks are being installed by farm labor at a cost of 

 $15 to $40 for sizes ranging from 20 to 80 barrels. Windmills cost- 

 ing $50 to $150 are often found economical. The usual height of the 

 tower is 25 to 30 feet, with a wheel 6 to 8 feet in diameter. A tower 

 costs about $60 to $70. Gasoline engines used only for pumping 

 are occasionally found. These are usually of 2 or 3 horsepower and 



212 



