16 
[January, 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
A Steam Pump for Irrigation or 
mestic Use. 
Bo- 
We have been using a steam pump during the 
nections for carrying steam from the boiler to the 
pump and for the water supply. The rear view 
is shown at figure 2. We have had these en¬ 
gravings very carefully made, showing these con¬ 
nections accurately, so that any person may readily 
put them together. The boiler 
(4) and tank frame rest upon 
cross timbers, 4 x 8, to which 
they are bolted, the near foot 
of the tank frame being ex¬ 
actly 11 inches from the near 
edge of the supporting timber 
to which the foot of the boiler 
is bolted. The front of the 
boiler at the lower part, is ex¬ 
actly 7 inches in advance of 
the front of the tank frame. 
When thus placed, all the pipe 
connections furnished with the 
boiler, etc., fit accurately. The 
tank, B, is placed on the frame 
above the 6team cylinder, C, 
and pump D, as shown in fig¬ 
ures 1 and 2. The following 
references apply to figures 1 
and 2 and partly to figure 3 
a, the safety valve; 6, the 
steam-gauge; d, the steam 
pipe to the tank; when the 
, water in the boiler falls below 
i'Jg. 1.—FRONT VIEW OF BOILER, TANK, AND PUMP. 
past summer, by way of experiment, for irrigation 
and for pumping water for domestic use. The 
value of a practicable and cheap method of irrigation 
for market and fruit gardens, or tor private gardens 
and lawns, and of a certain supply of water for 
domestic purposes is evident, and it is only neces¬ 
sary to be assured that the method is practicable 
and cheap, for a large number of persons to avail 
themselves of it. The pump we have been using is 
operated by an “Economizer” steam boiler of 2j 
horse power, both of which are made by Porter 
Manufacturing Company, Limited, for Whitman 
& Burrell, of Little Falls, N. Y. The pump is 
operated directly by steam from the boiler, with¬ 
out any engine, and so far has worked in a very 
satisfactory manner. The pump is arranged either 
separately upon a frame not directly connected with 
the boiler, as shown at figures 1 and 2, or affixed to 
the boiler as at figure 3. In the first instance the 
pump is set upon a frame beneath a tank, which 
holds a supply of water for the boiler. This is fed 
directly and automatically by a simple provision of 
pipes ; the water flows from the tank into the 
boiler as soon as the water-level in the latter falls 
below a certain point; therefore, so long as there is 
water in the tank, that in the boiler can never fall 
below a proper level. All that is necessary to en¬ 
sure .absolute safety in this respect, is to see that 
the tank is always supplied with water; the tank is 
provided with a water-gauge that this may be done 
Fig. 2.—REAR VIEW OF BOILER, 
without difficulty. In figure 1 is shown the front 
view of the boiler, tank, and pump, with the con- 
the mouth of this pipe, steam 
enters, raising the pressure in the tank as high as in 
the boiler, and forces water 
from the tank through the 
water pipe e into the boiler; 
at / is the blow-off pipe by 
which the boiler is emptied; 
at q the exhaust pipe from 
the cylinder, which discharges 
into the smoke-stack ; at h, h, 
is the steam pipe from the 
boiler to the steam cylinder, 
with valve; at i is the feed 
pipe to the tank connected 
with the discharge pipe from 
the pump, and shut off or 
opened by the cock shown in 
the engraving; at j is the dis¬ 
charge pipe from the pump ; 
this is made either to connect 
with a rubber hose or with 
which convey the 
iron pipes 
water to its destination ; at k 
is the balance-wheel, provided 
with a handle by which the 
pump may be worked by hand 
to fill the boiler or tank before 
firing up ; at l is the water- 
gauge,showing the bight of the 
water in the tank ; at m is the supply pipe to the 
pump , in figures 1 and 2 this is connected with a 
well near by ; in figure 3 it is 
carried to a river, from which 
the supply is drawn. This 
pipe is It inch in diameter up 
to the connection with the 
pump, the discharge being a 
one-inch pipe. At h is the 
waste steam pipe from the 
boiler. At figure 3 is shown 
the arrangement of the pump 
when affixed to the boiler. 
This is found to work very 
satisfactorily in drawing water 
from a river and forcing it 
through 1,200 feet of iron pipe 
to a series of hydrants, from 
which it is used in the irri¬ 
gation of a large garden, the 
supply of several greenhouses, 
and other uses. Some persons 
will prefer this arrangement, 
which is economical of space, 
while others will choose that 
shown at figures 1 and 2, in 
which safety is made so abso¬ 
is left full of water. The pump arranged, as shown 
in these engravings, has been used for the watering 
of a garden and lawn of 3 acres through 250 feet of 
rubber hose, and for the supply of a tank in the 
dwelling house, the hose being connected with the 
tap (shown in figure 4) upon the 
supply-pipe to the tank in the 
attic. The lower tap closes the 
connection with a hand force 
pump, (Blunt’s Universal Pump), 
kept for use in case of accident 
With a pressure of 20 pounds of 
steam, the water is forced through 
the hose and a 1-inch nozzle, and 
thrown 50 feet from the nozzle. 
After some months use of the 
pump, which is shown without 
any connections at figure 5, we 
find it to work very well, and to 
cost so little, that, to say nothing 
of its other valuable uses, it is 
more economical than the employ¬ 
ment of a man once a week to 
till a tank holding 1,000 gallons 
of water, by hand. The boiler is heated very 
rapidly, a little waste wood being sufficient to get 
up steam and run the pump for an hour or two. 
In a dry season, or even in the few dry weeks of 
spring, wiien garden crops are in a critical condi¬ 
tion, the whole cost of the boiler and pump might 
be saved in the rescue of young plants from 
drouth, or in the rapid forwarding of their growth, 
Fig. 4, 
CONNECTION. 
RUMP. 
lute that the boiler may be securely left in charge of 
an inexperienced man for several hours, if the tank 
3.—PUMP UPON THE BOILER. 
in preserving the fresh verdure of a lawn, or in 
furnishing a supply of water to a stable or barn yard. 
Canning Rabbits in Australia. —An instance 
of the profitable use of what has been, and yet is, 
a most destructive pest in Australia, is given in 
the new business of putting up the flesh of rabbits 
in cans for exportation to Europe. Formerly these 
rabbits existed in such numbers, that not only were 
the farm crops completely destroyed in some dis¬ 
tricts, but the 
grass was de¬ 
voured,and the 
sheep pastures 
rendered use¬ 
less. Many de¬ 
vices for their 
destruction 
_ _ w.ere tried with-j 
* ~ m / = 3 5C3 . — ou t success, 
pump. until the idea 
of turning them to account was put into prac¬ 
tice. A company was formed which steadily 
employed a number of hunters to trap the rabbits, 
for the purpose of dressing their flesh for canning. 
About 200 tons of the meat have so far been put 
up, and 5,000 rabbits per day are now canned. The 
heads are boiled down to glue, and the skins are 
