452 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



around for many hours, thoroughly puddling- and pulverizing the 

 ground. Some invert a scraper and with two teains of horses drive 

 around upon the inside of the inclosure riding on the scraper. If 

 this work is done thoroughlj^, you will have a reservoir which is 

 practicallj'^ water tight. In sandy soil it is well to haul in old straw 

 and hay, scatter it around and trairjp it into the mud as much as 

 possible. If the bottom should continue to seep still, it will be neces- 

 sary to haul in a few loads of earth or clay. Every Western farmer 

 knows of the dry buffalo lakes that are found everywhere upon the 

 great plains. Material taken from these lakes is most excellent for 

 the construction of the bottom of a reservoir. Additional hay or 

 straw can be put in, and it will in tiine tnake the bottom of the res- 

 ervoir practically tight. 



There exists no necessity except in some extreme cases for the use 

 of cement, pitch or tar, as the reservoirs, bj' hauling in a sufficient 

 quantity of mud, clay or even the magnesia deposits that are found 

 all over the West, can be made practicallj' impervious to water. The 

 dirt walls upon the inside are much better if sodded: otherwise the}"" 

 are likely to cause trouble by the washing of waves. An excellent 

 plan is to riprap the embankment on the inside, if stone can be had. 

 B}^ riprapping, we mean to place stone closely together without order 

 on the inside of the embankment. It is often the case that planks 

 are thrown into the reservoir, which will of course be blown to the 

 opposite side from which the wind is blowing, which will prevent 

 in a measure the waves from washing against the bank. An excel 

 lent plan is to plant water willows all around the embankment, 

 which will in a short time grow up and serve as a ver}^ effectual 

 windbreak. 



In the construction of reservoirs where the depth of wells is such 

 that much power and expense is required to lift the water, great 

 care should be exercised in their construction. It is well in such 

 cases to make a deep reservoir. These should be constructed inore 

 slowly than where the mills are pumping from shallow depths. 

 Build up the sides of the reservoir about two feet in height, then 

 turn in the horses and cattle and allow the puddling operation to 

 go on for a couple of weeks ; then raise the banks another foot, and 

 ■continue the process as before. In this way reservoirs can be made 

 upon the upland where the depth of water within the reservoir can 

 be maintained at a depth of seven or eight feet. This will insure 

 Jess evaporation and, therefore, greater econoni}'. 



MAIN DITCH. 



If the ground to be irrigated is in the immediate vicinity of the 

 reservoir, the main ditch should lead away from the end of the flume, 

 conducting the water directl}' to those parts of the field that are to be 

 irrigated. If necessary to convey the water auj^ great distance from 

 the reservoir, a small lateral or raised ditch should be constructed. 

 The discharge pipe of the reservoir should be of sufficient size to 

 allow a large amount of water to be discharged through it. This 

 will give sufficient head or force to carry the water on rapidly 

 through the lateral to a point at a distance where it should be ap- 



