
IRRIGATION IN CONNECTICUT. 243 
do good work with a wind of ten to fifteen miles per hour. 
Of course the movement of. the wind is very irregular, but 
there is usually sufficient to afford power to supply water for 
five to eight acres, by having a large storage tank. Wheels 
of large diameter are to be preferred in order to utilize light 
breezes. 
Steam power.—When water is wanted for a short time on 
one or two crops which generally give good profits, some form 
of engine and pump may be economically used. The Wiscon- 
sin Experiment Station has watered a variety of crops in this 
way and has shown this method of irrigation to be a profitable 
one. By the use of a No. 4 Rotary Pump, driven by an 8-horse 
portable farm engine, Prof. King of that Station writes* that 
he has ‘‘ drawn water through 11o feet of 6-inch suction pipe, 
raising the water to a height of 26 feet at the rate of 80,320 
cubic feet per ton of soft coal, which is equivalent to 22% 
inches of water per acre or over 7 acres covered to a depth of 
3 inches. But this amount is much less than would have been 
moved with the same fuel had the pump been provided with a 
larger discharge and could the water have been used as rapidly 
as pumped so as to have made frequent stops unnecessary.’’ 
For crops like strawberries, raspberries, and some vegetables 
which give large returns per acre. and require water only 
for short periods of time, steam may be economically used as a 
source of power for pumping. On many farms a portable 
engine might be profitably rented for a few weeks during the 
strawberry season. ‘This is a time when farm engines are sel- 
dom wanted for other purposes. Naphtha or gasoline engines 
of five to six horse-power are economical of fuel, can be easily 
operated, are of lighter weight than coal engines, and as a 
source of power they are worthy of careful consideration. 
Electricity.—The recent wonderful developments in electric- 
ity point to that as one of our cheapest sources of power. 
‘Where such power is convenient we believe it can be economi- 
cally used for pumping water for use on small fruits and some 
vegetables. 
THE STORAGE OF WATER. 
‘When the source of the water is below the fields to be irri- 
gated some means of storage must be provided on high ground. 
* ‘The Soil,’’ page 274. 
