'214 KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



required to fill these and to saturate the adjacent soil is enormous. 

 Some idea of the flow can be gained from the fact that in many 

 places the water running down forms small whirlpools which wash 

 out holes several inches in diameter and sometimes a foot deep. I 

 have seen them so numerous in side ditches that there would be six 

 or eight to every rod on each side of the road. 



During exceptional rains, when there is a flow of water, the wash 

 from the plowed ground settles in the low places, fills up the old beds 

 of streams, and thus still further carries on the work. To show how 

 great a change has taken place in few years a number of instances 

 may be cited. Some miles northeast of McPherson there is a bridge. 

 The opening beneath it was six feet wide and six feet deep. It barely 

 sufficed to carry off the flood- water when built. To-day the opening 

 under the bridge is entirely filled up ; the little flood- water which 

 comes down the slope where the creek formerly ran flows across the 

 road ; there is never enough to make trouble. There are several 

 places where there were swimming-holes "over your head" which 

 now bear good crops of wheat every year. Good fishing-holes have 

 entirely disappeared. The Santa Fe railroad, just west of McPher- 

 son, goes nearly a mile out of its course to avoid the basin. If the 

 constructors had known what they know now they would have built 

 it directly through. How long this process will go on it is impossi- 

 ble to say ; at present it works very slowly, and has apparently nearly 

 spent its force ; in fact, there is very little left for it to do. 



But what becomes of the water which formerly ran off ? Much is 

 absorbed at once by the soil, from which the roots of the growing 

 crops take it very rapidly, so that, unless the rain is very heavy or 

 long continued, there is none to flow off. And when there is a flow, 

 that which reaches the side ditches of the roads sinks down and be- 

 "Comes a part of the ground-water which, in long dry spells, gradually 

 jises to the surface and helps to save the farmers' crops. 



The drying- up of pools and streams is a natural consequence of 

 the processes of civilization. It is not an evil, but a positive benefit. 

 The water no longer runs off to the great rivers, but is retained in the 

 soil, and sooner or later accomplishes its mission of increasing the 

 general yield of the soil. 



