Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-25
FARM AND GARDEN.
PRACTICAL IRRIGATION.

We learn from Colorado farmer of ex-
perience in this matter, that one cannot al.
ways tell where the lateral bitches should
run for economical irrigation. A mair
ditch, however, must be provided on the
highest ground; but it is wise to wait till
this Is tilled with water before marking and
making the subordinate bitches and cutters
for the general distribution of water, which
should be as uniform as possible. Our in
formant has often run water courses through
grain after it was well up; and while it ap-
peared wasteful, it proved profitable. BE
says It costs great deal more to
irrigate than many represent, but still the
large crops grown more than
pay for all outgoes. BE
afirms that be has raised wheat 80 thick
and stout in straw that he could throw bis
hat at q distance upon it, and the well-flled
beads would hold it up. Experience has
developed the interesting fact that after ir-
rigating field a few years only half the
quantity of water is needed to accomplish
every intention of the irrigator. Our in
fornant did not state the cause of this phe-
nomenon, but we will. When the land is
first watered artifcially, there is large ex-
cess Of earthly salts, called "alkali," in the
soil, to be diluted and removed in running
waters. To do this work, more water is
required for q few years than is
needful for any growing crop after there
is no surplus Of saline particles in
the ground. With good head of water, q
man can irrigate an acre in day, conduct
ing much of it in small cutters made with
hoe. II the surface is quite uneven, the
water-courses must all run on the highest
parts, be nearly on water level, 30 that
soakage from higher to lower mass of
earth viii wet all the ground, as in a first
rate soaking rain. We beg to assure our
agricultural readers that the power and
the art of making rains in Tennessee can
not be acquired too soon.
Cheap and successful irrigations imply
that there is water enough in the upper
bitches to keeps man busy all day distrib-
uting It in small cutters made with hoe,
over al the ground as equally as it falls in
. shower. To turn stream Of water on
q field or garden, and go off aud leave it to
take care of itself, is useless, and likely to
do harm. Irrigation is rural art, acquired
by practice, like good blowing, grading,
and chopping with ease and skill. 1t is the
custom in Colorado, always TO- roll the
ground after watering it, to check evapora-
ton and delay its drying in very dry
atmosphere. When seeding is done,
whether oats, barley, wheat, or corn, even
without irrigation, pretty heavy roller
passes over the seed, not only to compress
the soil, and condense air for chemical and
vital purposes in the porous earth, but to
prevent the injurious drying of the loom,
sand or clay which must supply dissolved
food to the plant, or it win certainly per-
ish. The great demand for water about
the roots of our staple crops, is seen 10 the
fact that 400 parts Of water must pass
through a corn, wheat, or cotton plant,
while growing, to every one part of solid,
organized matter fixed in such plant. Skill
fulirigation meets this demand.