1903 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



439 



The greatest utilization of artesian 

 water within a given area is on the Isl- 

 and of Terra Ceia, where the individual 

 areas under cultivation are small, rang- 

 ing from 5 to 30 acres. The wells on 

 the island have a strong surface flow, 

 and show no diminution in volume 

 after several years' continuous use. A 

 3-inch artesian well, costing about $350, 

 frequently will irrigate 10 acres. At 

 Sanford the capacity of the average ar- 

 tesian well is 5 acres, and the cost varies 

 from $60 to $125 for 3 and 4 inch wells. 

 At Hastings, St. Johns county, a 4-inch 



artesian waters of the state contain sul- 

 phur in considerable quantities, the 

 cause of failure may lie elsewhere. 

 Experienced irrigators ascribe the lack 

 of success in east Florida to excessive 

 flooding and failure to cultivate the land 

 immediately after irrigating and not to 

 injurious mineral ingredients in the 

 water. It seems probable, therefore, 

 that, with further study and experi- 

 ment with reference to crops, soil, and 

 the quantity of water required, irriga- 

 tion may prove as successful in the east 

 coast region as elsewhere. 



FIELD OF IRRIGATED LETTUCE, SANFORD, FLORIDA. 



flowing well affords sufficient water for 

 the irrigation of 10 acres or more. One 

 well is reported to have irrigated 45 

 acres. 



Considering that successful irrigation 

 requires skill and experience, the fail- 

 ures reported in Florida are very few. 

 The greatest number of unsuccessful 

 attempts to irrigate from artesian wells 

 are reported from the east coast region, 

 where irrigation has not made the same 

 progress as in other sections of the state. 

 The reason commonly ascribed by irri- 

 gators for these failures is that the arte- 

 sian waters are strongly impregnated 

 with sulphur and have proven injurious 

 to plant growth. Inasmuch as all the 



METHODS OF IRRIGATION. 



Irrigation by Pumps. The most elab- 

 orate irrigation systems in the state are 

 employed in the vicinity of Quincy, 

 Gadsden county, in the growing of Sti- 

 matra tobacco. The Sumatra plant re- 

 quires special soil, cultivation, and irri- 

 gation to bring it to perfection, and the 

 present success of the planters has been 

 attained only after the most careful 

 study of the plant's needs, and long and 

 frequent experimenting with soil, fer- 

 tilizers, and irrigation. 



The best grade of Sumatra requires 

 protection from the direct rays of the 

 sun ; hence these large plantations are 



