Arizona weekly citizen., 1886-07-03
Method of Irrigation.
By Pa-nck Hamilton.

learned only by experience. A thorougl
 knowledge of conducting the lIfe-givinI
 fluid over the land means a saving in it
 use, better cultivation, and sn increase'
 production. The system varies with tn,
 diverse conditions of different countries
 rom the primitive wster-wheel of tn
 Egy plian peasant to the sub irrigation
 pipes ot Southern California. The ear
 hest, the simplest, and the chsepes
 method IS by flooding" By this plaI
 the water Is made to cover the who'll,
 area under tillsge, to the required depth
 From the nam canal the cultiystor con
 yeys the water to his land by latera
 ditches. Very often the number of far
 mers whose holdings lie contiguous
 unite m constructing the main lateral
 From thls each opens sub lsterals oI
 field dltches, which carry the water tc
 all parts of the farm.
 FLOODING.
 The plan of flooding" Is the most
 wssteful manner of applying water to
 the soil, but 1t cannot be avoided m the
 cultivation of cereals. With 8 regular
 slope the work IS trifiing, but Tn most
 countries some outlay IS required for
 leveling surface inequalities. and pro-
 vldinR for the equal distribution Of the stream from points of vantage. When
 the fall IS slight, shallow dItcbes are run from fifty to one hundred feet apart m the direction of the slope; when the land IS sleeper they are carried dis- gOnally to the slope or made to wInd around 1t, and from these. by throwing lttfla nnUnC frnVn count n TnInf tha whole field Is flooded. These ridges or dams must have rounded crests and easy slopes, so es not to interfere with the use of farming machinery. By means of diagonal furrows and dams 1t IS claimed that one man can irrlgate twenty tive acres III 8 day. This IS the plan which prevails in Colorado for the raising of grain.
 the labor and cost Cf applying water to the soil IS, perhaps, lees than any other region O! t5e irrigated area of Western America. The land IS almost as level as floor, with gradual slope from the foothills 10 the streams. The farms are checked of into plats by shallow fur rows, into which the water from the sub-lRterals finds its way and is quickly conveyed to every part of the field. The process is SO simple that an inex- perienced hand finds DO difficulty in soon mastering the details. It may be said that in "fioOding" the aim should be to put no more water ou the land than it will st once and equally absorb, or can part with without creating a cur rent that will carry off sediment. Where there Is a heavy fall and the water has been allow ed to flow too freely, rthe;result has been the washing away of all the fertiliZirg elements.
 BY FURRowa.
 Irrigation by means of furrows hss been found the most successful for yInes and fruit trees, as also for nearly all vegetables. These furrows are gen erally run four to ten feet apart, and when the water flows through them il | soAks quickly to the roots, whereas by | the flooding system the soil Is Hpt to | bake 1T not protected from the sun. When unrestricted flooding Is practiced ln orchards, 1t Is found to bring the roots to the surface, enfeeble the trees and gives the fruit an insipid taste. Sometimes small hole Is opened in the Iurrow Rt the foot of the tree, into which he water slowly sOaks A better way 8 to surround tine tree or shrub by smell ridges some three feet from where the water flows. To obtain the best results he trees should be carefully looked liter, and supplied with just enough water to keep them ID vigorous con- Iition. It IS also of the first import nee that the soil be kept looseDed. By Olng this the water Is more readily 6b- orbed and there is less lost evaporation.
 SUB IRRIGATION.
 Irrigation beneath the surface is con ldered the most perfect method of sup lying water to vegetable life. The hammer ID which this IS done ID Cali DrnIa IS thus described by the State | .ngineer of that commonwealth: | Pipes, made of a combination of Port md cement, lime, sand and gravel. lth a small adIuixture of potash and z nseed oil, are laid at a depth of one nd half or two feet below the rows of ( 'ees or vines. On the upper side of ( lese pipes IS inserted s wooden plug, ( ith B tRpering hole ID the center about ' lres-eighths of an inch in diameter trough which the water percolstes, sch plug Is surrounded by a stand [ pe setting on top of the distribution | pc, open at the bottom and reaching the surface. This pipe keeps the C nth away from the outlet and leaves [ at all times accessible for inspection. b be distribution pipes are connected b lth mains leading from 6 reservoir, t Id the labor of irrigation merely | a insists in turning on the water and b Iuiting IL oil. The water finds its WAY I, rough all the outlets and slowly reaches | a e roots. None Is carried on the sur D Cd, consequently the ground does not u Ike, but IS kept mellow. In the or ard of the inventor of this system, | ir rec acres of fruit were irrigated within V lf an hour. Water applied twice 6 |. )nth IS sufficient to maintain a strong n d healthy growth; snd the trees at th n twice the size of others of the same e and m the same soil, irrigated from surface. By this system 1t is esti- tied that cubic foot of water will be hcient to supply from 1000 to 9.OO1I es. Three men can lay l,600 feet of co 'e per day-the cost of the work com SD ted, being from S30 to $50 per acre co lere water Is scarce and high priced ini its are cultivated. this method is fast erseding the old surface system. ml
 BY PUMPING. pr' irrigation of vineyards and orchards lifting water from various depths. ar' long been practIced in California. lnG motive power, m many cases, is piled by windmills. These cover kel a limited area, but several orchsr- csi 6 have adopted steam power which Pr, lps water for extensive tracts. A I ling fruit grower of the southern xb of the State, who depends entirely T n this method for the raising of 1s, furnishes the following dsts: !" h a SIX inch pump, driven by 6 twen- ore power engine. have raised L. VI gallons Der minute. Tbe price of D pump. including engine, boiler ana All steam fittings, IS S1. 40. To GOV tric b acre of land one inch deep with \ IT, requires, m round numbers, 23,- pro gallons. One miners inch be- c1r, gallOps nparlv fK --..fa ...... -