34 



experienced. They are careful not to use too much water and so 

 drown out the crop; they let no water stand on the land, but keep it 

 running till it is all soaked in; they use manure freely; they culti- 

 vate soon after irrigating. Crops from this garden average about 

 1200 per acre, though Mr. Joy could make no detailed report on the 

 separate varieties. Potatoes yield about 200 bushels per acre; cab- 

 bage, 5,000 to 7,000 heads per acre; onions, 300 bushels per acre, and 

 strawberries, 200 bushels per acre. They raise no small grain under 

 irrigation, but grow corn on ground which has been irrigated the pre- 

 vious year, drawing upon the subsoil moisture, which is sufficient for 

 the crop, and in this way the yield is nearly double that of corn not 

 irrigated. They are troubled somewhat with seepage from their 

 reservoir for a few rods around it and are going to try the experi- 

 ment of sowing alfalfa on the land affected and thus perhaps reclaim 

 it. Two men give personal attention to the garden, giving it their 

 entire time, and employing additional help according to the season 

 and its attendant work. 



The Risdon well, famous as being one of the largest and strongest 

 in the basin, is located on section o2, township 111 north, range Gl 

 west, about 2 miles northeast of Huron. Though not used, having 

 been in litigation for years, it is worthy of mention because of its 

 great possibilities. It is an 8-inch well finished with 6-inch casing 

 below, is 935 feet deep, and originally flowed 2,250 gallons per minute. 

 The well was used for power purposes at one time, generating elec- 

 tricity for the city of Huron. At that time it was shut off during the 

 day and opened at night. This resulted in its clogging and losing 

 part of its flow, and it was abandoned for that purpose. It stands 

 now partly closed, flowing off into pastures, where it forms pools where 

 the cattle may drink. This well is admirably located for irrigation 

 purposes. The greater part of a half section on the uplands is capa- 

 ble of being brought under ditch directly from the well, while the 

 lowlands of the James River Valley lie about 100 rods to the east, 

 where all the water could be utilized. A fine natural reservoir site is 

 forDied by a large ravine about 60 rods from the well, where an 

 embankment, with a length of perhaps 20 rods, could be made to 

 retain water to a depth of 20 feet. This ravine is accessible for a res- 

 ervoir back for nearly half a mile, where an embankment is already 

 formed across it by the roadbed of the Great Northern Railway. This 

 reservoir site overlooks the James River Valley land, and the water 

 could be carried down along the bluffs for any distance to the land 

 below, so that the entire winter's flow could be stored and utilized. 

 There is opportunity for a great irrigation enterprise here, one of the 

 best in the whole James River Basin. 



Mr. C. M. Bell has a farm half a mile north of Huron equipped for 

 irrigation, having a 3-inch well 760 feet deep, flowing 120 gallons per 

 minute. He has a storage canal 36 rods long and 20 feet wide, which 



