IRRIGATION FARMING. 



And following streams upon the planted grain ; 

 And when the burnt-out field with dying growths 

 Is hot, behold, he brings the saving wave headlong, 

 Down through its slanting path; its falling calls 

 From rounding rocks a murmur hoarse, and cools 

 With scattering rills the parched and thirsty fields." 



The Grecians were an inventive people and to them 



FIG. 3 — GRECIAN TYMPANUM WHEEL. 



are ascribed great improvements in the way of mechan- 

 ical contrivances for raising water. Principal among 

 these is the tympanum wheel, afterward adopted by 

 the Egyptians, as shown in Fig. 3. 



In the reign of Emperor Nero, Rome was supplied 

 by no fewer than nine large conduits, having an aggre- 

 gate length of 255 miles, which delivered over 173,- 

 000,000 gallons of water daily. Afterward the supply 



