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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 1912)
t 'JT wwtfmw "iff., ' w J f& ft 14 The Commoner. 1 ' ( V, JT ' .v1 II : 1 1! jl I K , ) Wh - The Wiggins System of Sub-irrigation Pinna nml Purposes of tho Inventor jTO THE PUHLIC: In putting in my Btil)-lrrlgatlon project nt Farmington, In LaSallo County, Toxaa, it is ray purpose to concontrato ray energy and moans at ono Bpot for a period of llvo or hIx yoara in order to demonstrate and establish tho use of my system of Hydraulic Sub-Irrigation as a prac tical and foasiblo method for re claiming tho arid and semi-arid lands of tho country by tho use of Bhoot or surfaco well wators. To do this it becamo nocoasary for mo to buy a largo tract of land desirably located as to soil and climate with plenty of good water to mako it a buccoss, and whilo engaged in tho dovolopmont work, establish a train ing school for a special education of young men in tho knowlodgo of sub irrigating land. My plans are to colonize theso lands in small tractB, sub-divido It into flvo, ton and forty acre tracts, improving and laying a largo portion to tiling under my system; planting and cultivating it for a period of yoars undor rontal contracts and de veloping its possibilities and earn ing power undor a scientific appli cation of wator. To this end I havo sub-divided tho four quartor sections laying noxt to, and adjoining tho townslto of Farm ington in blockB of ton acres each, with Btroots around each block. Tlioso blocks are divided Into forty lota of ono-quartor aero oach in anticipation of tho growth of tho town whon thoy may become doslr ablo resldonco property. Theso ton aero blocks I am planting to Mag nolia Figs, Grapos and other fruits, also small winter garden truck. The romalning portion of tho land 1 am offering for saloe iiulraproVod on easy torras. .in- -tracts to suit tho buyer, giving him tho right to ubo my sys tem of sub-irrigation without royal ties, but installed undor my super vision at thoir own oxponse. Tho improved Magnolia Fig lots or blocks I sell on tho Bmall payment plan, and with the purchase money, I improve tho property. If tho buyer does not wish to llvo on, or culti vate tho land himself, I rent it for a period of years at certain fixed cash rents. Tho Magnolia Fig Orchards pay tho largest rents of any other fruit, and iB tho only pro duct that I can afford to stand be hind and guarantco tho rents for, during tho period of years, since by preserving tho fruit, I eliminate all oloments of risk in shipping and marketing. Where tho buyer becomes a settlor, and cultivates his own land, tho Pre serving Company will enter into a contract to buy his figs at 3c per pound for a period of flvo or more years. The land is in one solid block, situated on tho Ashorton & Gulf R. It., ono hundred miles south of tho city of San Antonio, which is tho largest city in tho state. It is my purpose to Sub-Irrigato and plant ono thousand acres in Magnolia Figs, and build a Preserv ing Plant on tho ground to handle tho fruit In connection, put in a can ning and ice plant, and subsequently erect an electric power plant for pumping wator from tho surface wells, lighting tho farm homes and tho city of Farmington. By this I hope to reduce tho cost of pumping to a minimum, and in connection with my By stem of water works through my sub-irrigation tile, give to tho suburban farmer tho comforts of city life, making tho country place become more attractive and In greater demand. , rt. Mpnj&y-tn vested in heso lands and Magnolia Fig Farms, will prove tho most profitable investment in South Texas, both in earnings, and in the Increased value as a development of the Biirrounding country takes place. SInco beginning this project, more than a year ago, I havo accomplished a groat deal in the way of develop ment, having spent over ?25,000.00. There is now more than seven hun dred acres cleared and fonced, lands all planted and laid out in blocks and streets, a larger number of wells down, re-inforced cement water tanks, a good number of houses built for tenenta, and several ton acre plants nearing completion, with some already improved with tho system. During tho last year I have raised my own nursery stock of Magnolia Fig trees, and havo experimented with othor fruits and products. This past year I broke tho state record in the growth and production of Magnolia Fig cuttings and one year old trees from nursery stock. The cutting is a limb from a treo, and cnt into six-inch lengths, and planted the same a3 grape cuttings. From 17,000 of theso cuttings I produced nursery stock from five to seven feet In height, maturing as many as 67 figs to ono cutting. This fruit was preserved, the same as from older trees. Thoy will average about four teen flga to tho pound, and sell on the market at 3c per pound. I pro duced matured, ripe Kumquats from nursery stock planted the last week in February, a gTowth of seven months, when this fruit is not sup posed to bear under three years from planting. What caused this unusual resnit, was the constant, continuous slow feed of molsturo all through the growing season, keeping the ground at the same temperature, and the plant constantly growing. Where tho plant depends on the natural rainfall, or water from surfaco irri gation, tho water is fed at intervals causing a spasmodic growth; the plant doing well when freshly sup plied, but as the moisture evaporates, tho vigorous growth of the' plant is checked, and in many cases becomes almost dormant before a new supply of water is had. With my system of sub-irrigation, I avoid this condi tion, which is its especial advantage. I also find under my system, I can save one-fifth of the land or more, for tho cultivation of the Bermuda Onion or garden truck, and mature VOLUME 12, NUMBER 1 tho onion before gathering, thus pro venting its perishable condition, or loss while shipping to the market. This extra production each year will more than pay for the installation of my system, as tho farmer, can make from $50 to $150 more per acre each year. Under my system I do not havo to chase tho water all over tho ground to see that it is all wet; I do not haVo to level off my land for the same reason; I prevent the bak ing and crusting of the earth with consequent injury to the plant, by keeping a dry mulch always on tho surface and my soil is always in fine condition enabling me to cultivate much more land at less expense. If the reader would like to invest in a highly improved, well cared for Magnolia Fig Orchard, and receive rents that amount to 20 per cent in terest on his investment per annum, I can sell him such an orchard and guarantee him hiB rents. He can buy these orchards in lots or in acres desirably located. If the reader would like to move south to the Coast Country so as to be able to get away from the cold winters of tho north, or to raise garden vegetables and citrus fruits, he can find no better spot to make his home. On a small tract of land he can make an independent living, cultivated with my system of sub irrigation, besides in a few years lay away a neat little fortune. If the reader has a son that he would like to start out in life in the coming industry such as my system of sub-irrigation will build up in tho reclamation of the many mil lions of acres of un-reclaimed gov ernment lands, and the already occu pied semi-arid lands, a course of study at Farmington on sub-irrigation will fit him for a field of acti vity that no other vocation can give. I solicit investments and corres pondence from all my readers. Respectfully JNO. L. WIGGINS, 211 Swearingen Bnilding, San Antonio, Texas. r riv ORCHARDS SUB-IRRIGATED In La Salle County, Texas, Better Than Insurance, Stocks or Bonds oy Fig Orchards and get rich in a years. B0.InAnC??pan?. wi,It drinSdvo years pay you back in nnJvlltlS7? ? the Farmin&ton Power and Pre- with 160 Magnolia Fig Trees planted to tho acre, which will vroilnUBO? yo? a nighly developed property. Do you know of an, other SAFE investment in which $400 will earn yon uu.X $960 o7 g remainder of 3' llfe The Preserving Company's Showing First Year. , Second Year Third Year Fourth Year Fifth Year Total Figs 38.40 1G8.00 83G.00 720.00 960.00 Truck Total $160.00 200.00 200.00 198.40 368.00 536.00 720.00 960.00 $2,222.40 $560.00 $2,782.40 Pay You Rent $ 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00 120.00 $400.00 Co.'s Profit 158.40 808.00 456.00 620.00 840.00 $2,382.40 Table of Fig Production , Lbs. per Tree First Year..t.n.r.T....j. , 8 to 10 Second Year. ... ,v, . 35 to 40 .Third Year............ 70 to 150 Fourth Year...r. .r. ..150 to 200 , ... Lbs. per Tre Fifth Yur.'-.iOSWi.200 to 400 Sixth Year. ,m.-WIOT..t,260 to 600 Sov.enth Year .350 to 1000 For IUntrate4 Booklet or the Production el MolU Fin Ha Othe rreiacta, Addrcwa ohn L.. Wiercriri 211 Swearingen Bldg, San Antonio, Texa The Testimony of a Practical Irriga tion Engineer Genttt TfcUff'irtlSi" . oni. Neb. quiry ttaongh !S&3? wUl l"y SSTtS2,WlB8 7ar "J knowledge of tho WiEelMFirr n?ih.J?J Jt? I.haTe Bom Personal (Signed) J. N. HEATER. Columbus, Neb., and Lincoln, Neb. in, rour BtotoftS SttStS ?" CMer- caty. .w.w4--www g VV-' 'vmrtvtvr'm i-,v i' (B.O.) XtutmmvtHxwtirTit- "- ) i:it:-MJtruJK,-f jnrtft1 ratr r r