42 



superabundance of water instead. In nine years' experience with 

 proper liandling of the water they have found no difficulty nor any 

 indication that there will be any in the future. A complete analysis 

 of the artesian waters from wells in different parts of the artesian 

 basin was made by Prof. J. H. Shepard, of the South Dakota Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station, to determine the quantity and nature 

 of the salts and their effects on the soil and vegetation. « His con- 

 clusions are as follows : 



It is undoubtedly true that the artesian waters of the Dakota Basin do carry- 

 large quantities of soluble constituents. The residues from these waters are 

 larger than tiiose of most waters used for irrigation; but when the various cli- 

 matic conditions of the basin are taken into consideration, and when the drainage 

 and soil conditions of the most favorable kind are considered, it is not unwar- 

 rantable to suppose that favorable results may be obtained by an economical and 

 judicious application of the artesian waters. Especially is this true when one 

 remembers that during many years no irrigation at all is desirable. And then 

 again, all parts of the basin are subject to such heavy falls of rain that any accu- 

 mulating salts must of necessity be washed away. Then again, even in the driest 

 years, the period when crops would be benefited by irrigation is short, so that 

 only a limited application of water would be needed. All these facts would lead 

 one to believe that such irrigation as needed here may be accomplished by arte- 

 sian waters. 



A tabulated statement of Professor Shepard's analyses is given 

 below : 



Analyses of the waters from ten typical wells in the artesian basin. 

 BASES AND ACIDS (parts per 1,000). 



Location of well. 



Soda, 

 NaoO. 



Yankton - 0.1384 



Armour 



Woonsocket. 



Huron. _ 



Iroquois 



Hitchcock . . . 



Redfield 



Northville .. 

 Aberdeen . . . 

 Westport 



.2046 

 .40V0 

 .3743 

 .9860 

 .a520 

 .8546 

 .4102 

 .8.552 

 1.3004 



Chlo- 

 rin, CI. 



0. 0996 

 .1745 

 .0684 

 .1240 

 .1575 

 .0967 

 .1592 

 .3877 

 .1443 

 .9110 



PRINCIPAL SALTS (parts per 1,000). 



"South Dakota Sta. Bui. 81. 



