36 



BULLETIX 652, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Ditches. 



Lateral ditches were cut with an apron-traction ditcher at a uniform spac- 

 ing of 330 feet and 1,320 feet long. These machines worked in from 1 to 3 

 feet of water. Owing to the solid nature of the subsoil the apron wheels did 

 not sink into the ground to any great extent. Because no openings were left 

 by the dredges in the spoil bank along both sides of the canals, cutting by hand 

 was necessary to connect each ditch, and as the spoil banks frequently were 

 10 feet high, the expense was considerable. However, the frequent and regular 

 lateral canals made it an easy matter to install an efficient system. The ditches 

 were cut a little more than 4 feet deep, with a top width of 4 feet and a bottom 

 width of li feet. The ditches have maintained their size and shape very well in 

 the firm subsoil of this district and have filled badly only in the deep, soft 

 muck in the old bayous. 



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Fig. 10. — Elevation of pumping plant on Gueydon Draining District, Subdistrict No. 1. 



Pumping Plant. 



This fireproof plant was located in the corner of the district, so that it would 

 be near an outlet canal to be dug to White Lake, about 6 miles to the south. 

 By placing the plant in the middle of the south side of the district the length 

 of canal to the farthest portion of the district could have been reduced from 

 6 to 4i miles. 



There are two duplicate units, each consisting of a 54-inch, cast-iron, double- 

 suction, horizontal, centrifugal pump, direct connected by a solid shaft to a 16 

 by 36 inch Corliss engine. As shown in figure 10. the suction and discharge 

 pipes are so designed that the friction and velocity-head losses are small, less 

 than 0.5 foot on test. Steam is furnished by two return tubular boilers burning 

 fuel oil. The feed water is heated before entering the boiler. The machinery is 



