48 
BULLETIN 1067, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Plant capacity was rated on a velocity of 10 feet per second at the 
discharge flange of pump. The capacities of the various plants as 
shown by the test are also included. The capacity of plant in acres 
drained was next computed on the basis of 1.25 inch removed in 24 
hours. 
In selecting engines a limit is set by the size of engines of certain 
types. Slide-valve steam engines may be had in almost any size 
or capacity, while Corliss engines are not made in small sizes. It 
would therefore be impracticable to decide to use a Corliss engine 
on a proposition so small as to demand special design. 
Distillate and oil engines of medium grade are not made by some 
firms in sizes above 100 to 125 horsepower. To use an internal- 
combustion engine in a pumping plant of large capacity with cor- 
respondingly large units would mean the selection of a Diesel or a 
semi-Diesel engine, both high-grade engines, costing considerable 
more per horsepower than the medium-grade engines using distillate. 
The original costs of pumping plants and the years they were 
purchased are shown in Table 39. In using the data contained in 
this table, however, it must be borne in mind that prices of all ma- 
terials and equipment of pumping plants have advanced materially. 
The average plant would probably now (1920) cost as much as 75 
to 100 per cent more than before the war. 
Table 39. — Costs of pumping plants. 
Name of plant. 
Acres. 
Cost. 
Cost per 
acre. 
Year con- 
structed. 
Phillips Land Co 
2,500 
1,880 
2,250 
5,000 
7,500 
4,350 
11,250 
1,800 
2,000 
650 
835 
940 
4,240 
6,943 
5,720 
$15, 000 
10, 000 
13, 500 
28, 000 
40, 000 
34, 000 
73,000 
18,000 
14, 000 
10, 000 
10, 500 
12, 500 
31,500 
37, 500 
54,290 
20, 000 
15,000 
8,000 
$6.00 
5.32 
6.00 
5 60 
5.32 
7.81 
6.48 
10.03 
7.00 
M5.40 
12.57 
13.30 
7.42 
5.39 
2 9.50 
1911 
Subdistrict No. 1, Lafourche drainage district No. 6 
Subdistrict No. 3, Lafourche drainage district No. 12 
Jefferson drainage district No. 3 
1912 
1910 
1912 
1912 
Subdistrict No. 2, Avoca drainage district 
Subdistrict No. 3, Avoca drainage district 
1911 
1913 
Subdistrict No. 4, Jefferson drainage district No. 4 
1915 
Fayport subdistrict No. 1, Lafourche drainage district No. 9 . . . 
1913 
Subdistrict No. 1 Lafourche drainage district No. 12 
Subdistrict No. 2 Lafourche drainage district No. 12 
Subdistrict No. 4 Lafourche drainage district No. 12 
1915 
1915 
1913 
1913 
Port Arthur 
1918 
1918 
1918 
1918 
1 
1 Acreage will be considerably increased later. 
2 Plant costs more than it would for an agricultural proposition, as two units must lift water 11 feeti 
occasion demands it. 
GRAPHIC SUMMARY. 
Figure 5 shows the pounds of oil per foot-acre-foot of water 
pumped, plotted against the lift in feet. The several curves repre- 
sent different types of plant. While, in some instances the data 
were sufficient to define the cmwe accurately, in others the exact 
definition was a matter of judgment. The amount of fuel shown is 
