1906 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



201 



pine could be taken out and yet leave 

 a large percentage for future crops. 

 Special studies were made of the in- 

 jury to which the forest is liable from 

 insect attack and fungus, from wind- 

 fall and fire. Local market conditions 

 and the methods and cost of lumber- 

 ing were investigated to see whether 

 improvements and economies might 

 not be instituted, as well as to fix upon 

 a fair stumpage price. 



The completed plan provides for bet- 

 ter protection of the forest from fire, 

 including effective measures for com- 

 pact piling of debris and brush in 

 openings ready for burning ; stipulates 



that all timber to be removed shall be 

 marked in advance by the forest offi- 

 cers, who will be furnished with a full 

 set of instructions to govern all steps 

 in the logging operations ; and requires 

 that all merchantable parts of the trees 

 be used. 



Similar working plans will be pre- 

 pared for available bodies of timber on 

 other reserves, making possible the 

 utilization of these vast forests under 

 a svstem of scientific management 

 which will perpetuate and improve the 

 stand, and, above all, safeguard the 

 forest cover on watersheds. 



PUMPING WATER 



""THE greater portion of water used 

 * in irrigation is diverted by grav- 

 ity from flowing streams. While this 

 is true as regards bulk of the water, 

 yet as regards value it may be said that 

 some of the most important sources 

 of supply are utilized through pump- 

 ing. In ancient times, especially in 

 Egypt and India, where labor had little 

 value and the conditions for diverting 

 water by gravity were not favorable, 

 pumping by hand or by animal power 

 was largely in vogue. 



In modern times the devices for 

 hand pumping have been improved 

 upon, although some of them are still 

 utilized in crude form by pioneers in 

 the arid region ; but with ordinary 

 farm wells irrigation is impracticable, 

 other than the watering of a few trees 

 or plats of vegetables ; but the begin- 

 nings of irrigation on many a farm in 

 the sub-humid region may be traced to 

 successful experiments with water 

 raised in this laborious manner. 



L he next step above human labor in 

 pumping water has frequently been 

 the utilization of horse-power. The 



accompanying figure shows a simple 

 device by which a horse walking in a 

 circle causes a series of buckets to be 

 lifted from the well, drawing up water 

 sufficient for several acres. The possi- 

 bility of irrigation in this way is lim- 

 ited largely by the depth of the water 

 in the well and the number of animals 

 available. 



The next step is the use of the ordi- 

 nary threshing engine, replacing the 

 horse and driving a pump as shown 

 in the accompanying sketch. Tracts 

 of considerable size have been watered 

 in this way, and the value of the crops 

 greatly increased. For example, on- 

 ions, which would have been almost 

 worthless, owing to a drouth, have as 

 the result of water properly applied 

 sold at $150 per acre, and celery at 

 $200 per acre, repaying in a season 

 the whole outlay for well, pump and 

 engine. Special forms of pumps driv- 

 en by steam, gasolene, and other forms 

 of engine, have been devised suited to 

 the needs of the irrigator. 



The most important source of power 



*It is our intention to publish a series of articles on pumping, giving illustrations of the 

 various kinds of engines, pumps and windmills employed in the different parts of the 

 country, both east and west. Editor. 



