Agriculture.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1175, 14 October 1882, Page 4 (Supplement)

Agriculture.

STATION, FARM & GARDEN. BOBING FOR WATER. BY OLD COLONIST. The nothing short of wonderful successes, which have followed the efforts to get water by sinking, and boring, since we last dealt with this matter, induces another review of the situation. Not a word need be said, of the importance of water to colonial settlers. Late experiences have not left a doubt, that the time has fully arrived, when, by individual and national effort, water supply has got to be provided, or the occupation of immense stretches of otherwise valuable country will be no longer safe. The losses recently, from absolute water starvation, have been so heavy and wide spread, as to give the situation the weight of a national question even now, and one that might well occupy the active abilities, of the best men we have. That the questions of water saving, and water distribution, will, ere long, become of burning importance, and can be no longer held aside, is evident to those who watch the course of events. But, meantime, individual effort is necesssary, and it can do much. It is by individual effort, that such marked success has followed the experiments made lately, and in various parts of the country by boring. The diamond drill has done good service in this direction, and in places where, without the use of that grand machine, efforts to get water at great depths would be paralysed. One casein point may be cited to show what is referred to. On a sandstone hill near to Sydney Harbour, a firm of brickmakers found themselves without a sufficient supply of fresh water. Their clay deposits are of very superior character, and are extensive, but being located near the top of the hill, there could be but little prospect of their obtaining sufficient water by the erection of dams. The porous character of the soil, too, would make the holding of water a difficult and expensive operation. The place, situated as it is, well up on a sandstone eminence, with beds of brick and pipe clay in it, does not seem a likely one to get water by sinking. But those who own the works are amongst the rapidlyincreasing numbers who believe that under vast areas of Australia, and in places very unlikely for water to ordinary eyes, there are sufficient supplies of water which only require tapping to be available at the surface. The diamond drill was used in the bore mentioned, and the experiences gained during the operation are both valuable and interesting. The site, as stated, is near the top of a high, rough, sandstone ridge. There are nothing like running creeks—or, indeed, any permanent fresh water whatever, near the location. And, what made the case seem more doubtful to the ordinary observer was, that all low-lying parts in the immediate vicinity where water would be expected to be met from surface sinkage, are so near to the harbour that salt, or, at all events, brackish water might be expected below their level. The bore was started, however, and the drill passed quickly through deep layers of splendid sandstone; also clay of various qualities, in layers, indications of coal, and at least one good bed of shale. As was expected, brackish water was met, and also streamlets of salt water, but not in any great force. The depth the owners of the works determined to go was 350 ft., and, in the face of what were certainly not encouraging indications, they persevered, and at length—and when very near to their total depth, a bold flow of fresh water was met. This fresh water rose quickly in the bore-hole to within 20ft. from the surface! Looking at the site now, and the small round hole, it seems next to an impossibility that such things can be. But the fact remains, that by tubing that hole to a depth of 50ft.— or, until firm stone is met — an ordinary pump can draw what there is every reason to believe will prove an everlasting supply of fresh water.

Certainly the process of prospecting and boring by means of the diamond drill is expensive. And there are difficulties in the way of the general use of that machine, from the necessity of having a heavy water supply to keep the works going. Yet with such facts and experiences before the country, is it likely that human beings and cattle are to starve, and valuable land be allowed to become desert —all for want of water, when the life-giving fluid can be got at the price paid, and the ex. perience brought to bear by the owners of the brick-yards at North Shore, Sydney? The whole experience with the diamond drill, so far, declares the contrivance to be such as the various governments should take hold of with skill and earnestness. They should be operated on public account in places where the land has passed from the ownership of the crown, and is not occupied by companies or wealthy landowners, who can themselves carry on such improvements as are necessary for the full development of their property. It is very safe to say that the time cannot be far distant (for life and property are depending on tha issue) when diamond drill boring, and the existence of immense water supplies got by the aid of that machine, will be amongst the most important works colonial governments may have on hand. And there are other machines for boring, which, in places where rock has not to be met, in order to reach water, are even more quickly available than the diamond drill. We refer to the various systems of boring with earth augers, which are coming into use. Several have been introduced from America, and a very effective machine of the kind has been patented and manufactured in Victoria. It is not our purpose in this article to refer to the systems of auger drilling individually, any more than reference has been made to the diamond drill. It is the capacity of the contrivances we deal with at present. Therefore, they are dealt with in a general way. There are great differences in the capacity, strength, and material of the auger borers introduced to colonists so far. But all have this one feature in common—that they bore down into the earth by means of bits (and other tools to assist the bits in difficult places) something of the form of wood boring augers. The sizes of the earth borers, or rather the size of holes they make, range from three to twelve inches. The latter is an immense sizes for a bored or artesian well, and would supply a town in cases where a strong flow of water is met. But recent improvements in boring tools of the kind mentioned, enable the making of holes larger even than twelve inches. Indeed, with the sort of tools now available, and by lining the holes as the bore goes down, an absolute well in size can be made. Where the soil bored through is loamy, and has some mixture of sand, the earth auger goes down into it, and the stuff is brought up with wonderful rapidity and comparative ease. To such perfection has the work* reached in California, that it is common enough for men with machines to contract to put down bores, and guarantee to find water at a given depth for from one dollar (45.) to two and a half dollars (10s.) per foot. Yet, not so very many years since, water was as scarce in parts of California (now so fully supplied by wells) as it is now in portions of the colonies. Experience in water-finding and well-making has made the operations both certain and uncostly. And we hope to see it so here ere very many years. Life and property cannot be trifled with here much longer. Although easy enough to bore through the earth under favorable circumstances—such as those stated through loamy sand, drc., it would be a serious mistake to depend upon boring tools capable of that kind of work only. The makers of such contrivances seem especially alive to this fact, and, as a rule, offer such tools as will go through stuff as hard as tough shale. Various boring points are requisite, therefore, as will be quickly understood by those acquainted with the nature of earths and soils. Some, however, advertise boring augers that will go through anything. We would advise caution in dealing with such; they are not likely to prove the most satisfactory in the end. Various means are adopted for boring the augers downwards, and for bringing them to the surface, filled with earth and stuff. In easy soil, two men turning on a lever fastened

to the boring rod, may get along for a time. But horse-power is better, and it is neither expensive nor difficult lo get, in the colonies. Machines for horse-power are made, that with the proper augers, points, drills, &c., to tackle loose stone when 'met, will work their way through anything softer than deep layers of hard rock. These machines are also geared, to bring tho loaded augers to the surface, the horses doing the work. Where hard obstructions are not met, they go down quickly, and, for depths of 200 feet or less, really effective well-boring is done by them. Some claim to go deeper, and they may, but the diamond drill would seem more suitable in such cases. We will return to this subject again, in order to describe more minutely, the working of earth boring machines.