THE IRRIGJ TION A GE. 429 



prown, ihat are needed for the use of all the people that live there, 

 and also for the railway eating house of the D. & R. G. Ry. In 

 quality they easily excel those shown at the county fairs in the 

 eastern states. Fve cuttings of alfalfa result during one season. 

 Over 2,500,000 acres are now reclaimed by irrigation in Nebraska, at 

 a cost less than 2.20 per acre, resulting in an increased value to the 

 land of over 10.00 per acre. 



This is done by systems which utilize the water of some of the 

 rivers, the state laws governing which, being exceptionally liberal to 

 the farmer. 



Besides all this there are some 2,000 private wells with pumps 

 and windmills of various kinds in the western part of the state. 

 This latter means is one within the reach of every individual farmer, 

 and may be utilized by him at small expense, where the waters of 

 some stream are not available. 



Windmills and pumps are now in active use in many places, made 

 by each farmer at a low cost. 



One near Kearney, six feet high, nine feet long, and three feet 

 wide with eight fans, cost only 1.50 



Another at Lincoln, 9 ft. wide, 13 ft. long and 13 ft. high, cost 

 and irrigates five acres of garden. 



The largest "Jumbo'* is owned by John Tannabill, a market 

 gardener, near Columbus, Xeb., which not only irrigates ten acres of 

 garden, but has made an extensive grove of heavy timber all around 

 his place. A field for the inventor of windmills is awaiting someone. 

 A body of water underlies the whole arid region easily reached by 

 wells. 



That it is inexhaustable, is proved at Hutchison, Kan., where 

 from a space of 150x150 ft., 5, 000,000 gallons of water are pumped 

 daily from a depth of 4.0 feet or less, with no seeming effect upon the 

 supply. 



One windmill will irrigate six acres, which with intense farming, 

 will easily support a family of five persons. 



Added wells and windmills on a farm, will add correspondingly to 

 the profits of the farmer, requiring less labor on his part, than would 

 be necessary, were he depending upon the regular rainfall. This is 

 true everywhere, and wells would enable the farmer to augment the 

 natural rainfall, and in seasons of unusual drought his crops vrould be 

 insured. 



Where one animal can now be fitted for market, at least five could 

 be sold by means of irrigation, with little if any added labor or expense. 



Rotation of crops and added fertilizers, maintain the strength of 

 the soil, and by the aid of irrigation, will result in a yield of crop, 

 double if not four fold what the average farmer is now receiving. 



