38 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



Through Dr. Wiley the Department of 

 Denatured Agriculture has undertaken to educate 

 Alcohol. the farmer relative to the manufacture of 



denatured alcohol. Two bulletins have 

 been issued devoted to the discussion of sources from 

 which alcohol can be obtained, the method of manu- 

 facture, and some uses to which it may be put. Judg- 

 ing from what Dr. Wiley has to say on the subject, the 

 manufacture of alcohol on a small scale is not likely to 

 prove very profitable. 



The total cost of the Gunnison tunnel, 

 The Gunnison which is now considerably more than half 

 TunneL completed, will be in excess of $2,500,000. 



It is difficult for any one who has not 

 been on the ground to appreciate the stupendous na- 

 ture of this undertaking. To check a large river flow- 

 ing in a deep, granite canon, carry the great river 

 through five miles of solid rock, and then distribute the 

 water over 150,000 acres of land is an engineering feat 

 of no small proportions. 



According to trustworthy reports, Tulare 

 Tulare Lake in California is filling up, and in 



Lake. time will become completely effaced. 



This lake at one time was the largest 

 body of fresh water west of the Mississippi River. It 

 is in the southern part of San Joaquin County, its 

 altitude being about 200 feet above tidewater. Half 

 a century ago its area exceeded 1,200 square miles, 

 but now the area is less than 200 square miles. Occa- 

 sional floods have raised the level of the lake, but the 

 general tendency has been toward obliteration. 



About five years ago the people of Texas, 

 Rice Lands particularly those on the gulf coast, be- 

 in the gan the raising of rice, an entirely new 

 United States, industry in that section. As a result of 



their efforts the production lias gone far 

 beyond their expectation, and it is now estimated that 

 Texas has a rice area of 6,000,000 acres, and half a 

 million acres producing from forty to sixty bushels 

 per acre and finding a ready market at an average 

 price of $1.25 per bushel. The greater part of Texas 

 rice lands are located tributary to the Colorado, Brazos 

 and Trinity Rivers. There are three essentials in the 

 growing of rice, namely ; first the land adaptable to the 

 growing of rice; second the water, facilities for plac- 

 ing it on the land; third, facilities for drainage of 

 land before harvesting. Rice can not be grown without 

 irrigation, which is conducted under two different sys- 

 tems. First, the water is forced through canals from 

 streams as above described; second, by the use of irri- 

 gating wells. 



A number of large irrigating plants have been built 

 recently, and as an illustration we will mention the 



Bay Prairie Irrigation Company, located in Wharton 

 County, which controls 15,000 acres of rice land, with 

 a pumping plant flooding the land at a rate of 50,000 

 gallons per minute, the land being flooded three times 

 during the season. The canals are built similiar to 

 two parallel railroad embankments on the highest ridge 

 of the prairie, the surface of the ridge being the bot- 

 tom of the canal, so that all water once in the canal 

 will flow out and down upon the surrounding land. 

 Many smaller laterals are constructed to convey water 

 at the same level to more distant fields, the canal com- 

 pany charging one-fifth of the crop as toll. Canals can- 

 not reach all of the land, consequently irrigation wells 

 are used. These wells vary as to depth according to 

 locality, the average being from 150 to 165 feet. The 

 wells are equipped by centrifugal or propeller pumps 

 and driven by 12 to 16-horse power engines, irrigating 

 the smaller tracts successfully and producing the de- 

 sired results. Gasoline engines are the most economical 

 for driving the pumps. Lands irrigated by pumping 

 through canals are selling at $40.00 per acre. Lands 

 suitable for irrigating by wells range in price from 

 $15.00 to $20.00 per acre. The entire cost of produc- 

 ing rice ready for the market will average from $17.00 

 to $20.00 per acre. 



Since the beginning of rice growing in Texas mil- 

 lions of dollars have been made from its production, 

 and large numbers of people from all parts of the 

 United States have become interested in this industry. 

 A number of Japs have recently invested, which is a 

 good indication, as the growing of rice is one of Ja- 

 pan's principal industries. On a recent excursion date 

 six carloads of rice-land buyers passed through the 

 St. Louis gateway en route to Houston, which is the 

 mecca for rice-land buyers. Much more could be said 

 of this wonderful and far-reaching industry if space 

 would permit, but to appreciate the proposition one 

 should make a personal visit to the rice fields, when 

 the crop is being harvested. The rice is cut, bound 

 and threshed in much the same way as wheat. Large 

 mills have been built adjacent to the rice fields in 

 order that the product may be satisfactorily prepared 

 for the market. 



THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 



"The New Agriculture" is the title of a book writ- 

 ten by T. Byard Collins. The work has just come 

 from the press. It deals with the subject of agricul- 

 ture from a new viewpoint and in an authoritative 

 manner. Irrigation, new fertilization, new transporta- 

 tion, new methods, new machines all come in for 

 a share of attention. The illustrations are unique 

 and of special value. All who are interested in any 

 way in agriculture should secure a copy of this most 

 timely addition to the literature of agriculture. A 

 full table of contents, together with sample illustra- 

 tions, will be sent on request to the publishers, Munn 

 & Co., New York, N. Y. 



