THE IERIGATION AGE. 



281 



rounded with a wealth of flora which blooms from end 

 to end of the year. 



At the outset the attention of Maywood's people 

 was turned principally to deciduous fruits. All classes 

 of this horticultural family will grow upon any acre 

 of Maywood without irrigation, and the result is shown 

 today in several thousand acres planted to this class of 

 fruits, much of which has already reached a point where 

 it is a source of revenue to its owners. Where less than 

 ten years ago there existed great holdings of land ex- 

 clusively devoted to wheat culture, there flourish today 

 630,000 deciduous fruit trees, divided into scores of 

 holdings, each one not only capable of self-sustaining, 

 but producing a rich interest on the amount invested. 

 One of the great secrets of deciduous successes at May- 

 wood is the water question, which is forever thoroughly 

 settled by the nature of the soil and its surroundings. 

 The formation of the land is such that water exists at 

 a depth never more than twelve feet, and its supply 

 is unceasing even in the dryest season. Thus irrigation 

 for deciduous fruits becomes absolutely unnecessary at 

 all times. 



While classed as a deciduous fruit, the olive is 

 always considered separately from its sisters the peach, 

 the apricot, and the almond. Maywood successfully 

 fosters the entire family and, in addition to those 

 deciduous productions already mentioned, there ars to- 

 day growing within the colony's limits 4,200 acres of 

 olives. The fig, too, has found a home here, most atten- 

 tion being given to the white fig of Smyrna, which grows 

 in profusion, matures quickly, and possesses a delicious 

 flavor. 



Maywood Colony is an example of the oft-repeated 

 fallacy that the climate of northern California is an- 

 tagonistic to the perfect development of citrus fruits. 

 Nowhere in the state is there produced more perfect 

 oranges, limes, and lemons than within the colony's 

 limits. With these fruits irrigation becomes a neces- 

 sity, but the water is here in immense quantities and 

 at little cost. Anywhere in the colony a well sunk 

 to the depth of twelve feet will develop an ample water- 

 supply, and those conditions have caused the planting 

 of 36,000 citrus fruit trees, now varying from one to 

 eight years in age, the older trees, in full bearing. The 

 quality of the fruit is the best, its date of ripening pre- 

 ceding that of southern California by about four weeks. 



The lowest range of thermometer ever recorded at 

 Maywood was 28 degrees above zero. There has never 

 been a known case of injury to either fruit or trees 

 from frost. Harrier's Weekly. 



ABOUT HYDRAULIC RAMS. 



The Secretary of the Interior has awarded the following 

 contracts for the construction of canals and structures of the 

 Fort Shaw unit of the Sun River irrigation project, Mon- 

 tana: 



Division 1 D. W. Lovell, Minneapolis, Minn., consisting 

 of about 6 miles of canal, at $'48,47(1. 



Division 2 6 miles of canal, to J. C. Farman, of Augus- 

 ta, Mont., at $24,700. 



Division 321 miles of lateral ditches, to Sequist, Clark 

 & Johnson of Simms, Minn., at $30,240. 



Division 4 -About 39 miles of laterals, including 12 miles 

 of sub-laterals and 17 miles of waste water ditches, to Charles 

 E. Crepeau of Ft. Benton, Mont., $25,310. 



Division 5 24 miles of lateral ditch, including 9 miles 

 of sub-lateral, to Bailey & Dupee of Great Falls, Mont., 

 $19,720. 



Some Interesting Pointers on a Subject of Vital Im- 

 portance to Agriculturists. 



Manufacturers of pumps occasionally receive inquiries 

 which would indicate that many people are not informed 

 on the principle of the hydraulic ram. Its operation 

 is a closed book to many an agriculturist who pumps 

 water by hand or by some costly and unsatisfactory 

 makeshift, sacrificing time, labor and money. 



Occasionally a manufacturer is asked "What is y 

 hydraulic ram ?" or, "How may it be used ?" followed 

 by some inquiry indicating a total ignorance of the first 



principles of the most convenient pumping appliance 

 ever offered the farmer and irrigationist. Stating briefly 

 the principle on which is based the operation of the 

 hydraulic ram, ft may be compared with the act of 

 driving a nail with a hammer, which by the hand and 

 arm of the operator is given a force to produce a result 

 greater than the mere impact of its own weight. 



It is located below the spring or other source from 

 which i' draws its supply, the water from which, flow- 



ing down the inclined pipe to the ram, enters it with 

 a velocity gathered in the descent. The opening of a 

 waste valve sets this column of water in motion, and 

 after a certain velocity is acquired, the waste valve is 

 suddenly and automatically closed. The moving col- 

 umn has by this means acquired certain energy, which 

 it expends in forcing a portion of its volume through a 



