THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



205 



cent solid matter. The vital machinery consists only 

 of an air compressor and a force pump with sufficient 

 power to operate them, so that the cost of equipping 

 a pneumatic dredge is from 60 to 80 per cent less than 

 any other type of dredge of similar capacity adapted to 

 work under similar conditions. 



The fields for dredging in which it is said the 

 pneumatic pipe dredge has no peer are, for deepening 

 or clearing the channels of rivers and harbors, for re- 

 claiming low lands in river valleys or elsewhere, for the 

 building of levees or restraining banks along rivers that 

 overflow their banks annually, for the recovering of sand 

 or gravel for building and construction purposes, and 

 for placer mining where the bed rock lies under deep 

 beds of sand or gravel. Another important considera- 

 tion is that everything used in constructing the dredge, 

 excepting the patented "pipe head," is of standard make 

 and can be obtained almost anvwhere at a moment's 



WILL ALFALFA STAND WET FEET? 



Hydro-Pneumatic Ram of Pneumatic Pipe Dredge. 



notice, so that one of these dredges can be installed and 

 be operating anywhere within a few weeks after an order 

 is placed, while the building of the ordinary dredges re- 

 quires from nine months to one year after ordering. 



James D. Schuyler, of Los Angeles, the prominent 

 hydraulic engineer, has achieved the distinction of 

 being the first member of the profession to twice re- 

 ceive one of the principal honors bestowed by the 

 American Society of Civil Engineers. This is the 

 Thomas Fitch Eowland "Prize" given annually to the 

 member or any engineer who contributes the most 

 worthy paper describing in detail accomplished work 

 on construction. Mr. Schuyler, who is the author 

 of a standard work on dams, has been advised that 

 he has received the 1907 award for his paper entitled 

 "Recent Practice in Hydraulic-Fill Dam Construction," 

 a contribution to science which has created a stir among 

 engineers throughout the world. He had previously 

 won the prize for his paper, "The Construction of the 

 Sweetwater Dam." 



It is a common saying among alfalfa growers that 

 this plant will not thrive with its roots within less 

 than four feet of standing water. Last August we 

 took an ordinary flower pot holding some three pints 

 of common Iowa soil, planted some alfalfa seed in it, 



"Head" of Pneumatic Pipe Dredge About to Enter Water on Its Way 

 to Bed Rock. 



and set it in another pot containing ordinary hydrant 

 water, the water reaching above the bottom of the flower 

 pot. The water is replenished about every other day, 

 hence is fresh. 



The alfalfa germinated, and in a few days the 

 roots began to make their way down through the hole 

 ,in the bottom of the flower pot and reached down into 

 the water. They have been growing in the water ever 



Pneumatic Pipe Dredge, Operating by Electricity, with Four Ten-Inch 

 Discharge Pipes. Capacity Over 15,000 Cubic Yards Per Day. 



since, until now (April 15), they are by actual meas- 

 urement more than four feet long coiled up in the bot- 

 tom of the lower pot. The plants have been cut back 

 twice, and were thrifty until attacked by the little red 

 spider. After these were killed by drowning the plants 

 resumed their former thrifty appearance, and of late 

 have grown very rapidly. 



