IRRIGATION rOR ORCHARD AND GARDEN. 227 



from the scorching rays of the sun, the growth and productiveness of 

 the trees are accelerated and increased. We recommend that trees be 

 planted from ten to eighteen feet apart; plums and peaches even nearer 

 than these distances. But where trees are thus platited thickly, irri- 

 gation is imperatively required and necessary. In Lincoln county 

 we have successfully grown peaches by this method. 



There are two good examples of windmill irrigation that should be 

 mentioned. J. C. Keen, who resides about seven miles north of 

 North Platte, among what are known as the "sand hills," has an 

 orchard of about three-fourths of an acre. He has been successfully 

 irrigating this tract for about seven years. By the means of a twelve- 

 foot windmill })umping the water from a well 120 feet deep, he has 

 grown apples, pears, peaches, and other fruit that would compare fa- 

 vorably with the Grand Junction fruit of Colorado, His orchard is 

 also in the garden and the water applied is made to do double duty. 

 D, B. McNeal, who resides about twelve miles northwest of North 

 Platte, whose orchard is also on a sand hill or ridge, has about an acre 

 planted to fruit trees. He makes his water or mill do trij)le duty. 

 The well is about twenty feet deep. The water is first pumped into 

 the creamery tank, from this it flows into the cattle troughs or tanks 

 in the corral ; from thence, when any remains, it is conveyed into the 

 orchard and garden. His trees are planted very thick, and they are 

 protected on the south by the cattle sheds, on the west by a grove of 

 Cottonwood. The windmills used are the old-fashioned wooden pump- 

 inar mills. Both these small orchards are situated on what we called 

 "sand hill land." The garden is also situated with the orchard. 



Another successful fruit-grower is William Staflbrd, of Big Springs, 

 Neb. Mr. Stafford has now erected and at work six windmills, all 

 pumping into a reservoir of about an acre in extent. His orchard 

 occupies about five acres of land, and being young has only borne a 

 small quantity of fruit, but he has no difficulty in maintaining a rapid 

 and steady growth to his trees, and has demonstrated that all western 

 Nebraska requires is water to make it the leading fruit section of the 

 plains. 



In regard to the cost of irrigation, this is difficult to state, as on all 

 the orchards described the water is doing double duty by aiding in 

 the growing of crops as well as trees. Our water rights cost us from 

 $5 to |10 per acre. The annual charges vary from 25 cents to $1 



