1 HE IRRIGATION AGE. 57 



that the best and largest rice of the six hundred acres is at the very 

 door of the wells and got the water first and all the time. 



The wells settle the fact of salt on rice. There is no salt in this 

 water. There is no earthy or mineral substance to stick to the stalk 

 and injure it. It is the best water that can be had for all purposes on 

 the farm, and is as soft as rain water. Dead crawfish, however, are 

 found along the sides of the trenches, but none among the rice, living 

 or dead; the water seems to be too pure and clean for such filthy 

 animals. 



Within a radius of twelve miles from the Simms & Wathen plant 

 are twenty-two wells in successful operation, some of them deeper, 

 some not so deep. Those that are deeper give no trouble, those that 

 are of a less depth are not so satisfactory. It is safe to say that the 

 deep well is the coming and satisfactory source of success to the ag- 

 ricultural industry of this part of our state. Not rice alone will be 

 watered, but corn, cane, cotton, the kitchen garden, in fact, all the 

 agricultural products will grow and flourish by the waters beneath 

 the earth instead of from the clouds above. If it rains sufficiently the 

 pump may rest, if not, the waters from beneath will make the farmer 

 happy because he controls the situation. Gulf Coast Farmer. 



