WELL DRILLING MACHINERY. 



WITHIN the past two years thousands- 

 of wells have been sunk on the 

 western plains, iu what is distinctively 

 known as the sub-humid regions, for pur- 

 poses of irrigation. The universal success 

 of such wells will insure the rapid adop 

 tion of this method of reclaiming arid or 

 semi-arid lands. In many places it is the 

 only resource; in many others, where water 

 supply is accessible from canal systems, it 

 is found to be much less costly in the long 

 run, and much more satisfactory, because 

 of the independent control it affords. 

 There are few localities where water is not 

 found coursing in underground channels, 

 close enough to the surface and in suffici- 

 ent quantities to provide for the necessities 

 of a few acres of land, and even though 

 not more than five or ten acres on a quar- 

 ter section can be irrigated, that is quite 

 enough to insure the farmer a good living, 

 and if well handled, a considerable surplus 

 every year, regardless of the natural rain- 

 fall. Indeed, a single acre of garden has 

 served this purpose in many instances. 

 The balance of the farm will always yield 

 something, if it is only in pasturage, and 

 the wells will incidentally provide ample 

 stock water. When the seasons are favor- 

 able the products of the remaining acres 

 will be a clear profit. 



Nor are such wells only practicable in 

 the localities named. The time is not far 

 distant when irrigation will be adopted in 

 every part of the country where intensive 

 farming is practiced, even though it be 

 only as a "tide-over" for dry periods. 

 Vegetable and fruit growers are learning 

 that the cost of installation and of main- 

 tenance of a pumping plant that will in 

 sure them full crops every year is one of 

 the best investments that can be made in 



connection with their business. The hay 

 crop, which is the chief money crop in 

 many sections, is so greatly increased and 

 improved by a bountiful supply of water 

 at all periods of its growth as needed, that 

 it will justify far more than the average 

 expenditure needed to provide for irrigat- 

 ing water. There are few localities where 

 such an increase in crops as is assured will 

 not justify an annual expenditure, includ- 

 ing the interest on investment, of five or six 

 dollars an acre, and under ordinarily favor- 

 able conditions it will not cost half that. 



Motive power utilizing wind, gasoline, 

 oil, coal or wood for fuel is being so cheap- 

 ened and perfected that either of them 

 are found to be practicable, each having 

 special advantage in some localities. 

 Pumps with large capacity and specially 

 adapted to the wants of the irrigator are 

 now on the market, and the competition 

 has cheapened them until they are within 

 the reach of all. Well- drilling machinery 

 has been improved, and at the same time 

 its price has been so reduced as to make 

 that part of the problem an easy one. In 

 fact, all the elements are now in combina- 

 tion to promote the rapid extension of the 

 individual irrigation system. 



Unfortunately there are not many man- 

 ufacturers of this line of machinery, as it 

 is one requiring many years of experience 

 to produce machines which do not prove 

 more or less troublesome and expensive. 

 Among the most reliable are the F. C. 

 Austin Manufacturing Company and the 

 Chicago Tubular Well Works, both of 

 Chicago. The tremendous strain to which 

 well-drilling machinery is subjected should 

 cause the purchaser to be very careful when 

 buying, so that he may get machinery that 

 has been fully tested and approved. 



