The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1893-08-26
AND HOUSEHOLD.
THE ADVANTAGES OF lRRlGA-
+ TIoN In CROP GROWING.
water Available When Needed-To
Keep Milk From sourin ng-lIow to
: Manage Cut Worns-About Tonaa toes,
:, Sheep shearing and Household Helps.
Irrigation,

= Irrigation,
The moro we observe the effects of
Irrigation as relating to farming and
the production Of crops the more we
become convinced of it's advantages,
and that it might be profitably en-
ployed in many sections where such
assistance is unthought OF. One
point must be conceded and that is,
that moisture is an absolute neces-
>sity in crop growing, not only to
start the seed into vital activity, but
: as a medium whereby the soluble
elements of nutrition are conveyed
to the plant itself. While it is true
that an excess is Objectionable and
hurtful, it must at the same time be
remem bered, that the want of it, is
also fully as damaging to the growth
and development of crop.
The advantage of using irrigation
water is that it's Office can be
regulated to meet the actual require
ments, and if there is sufficient
moisture in the soil to answer the
demand of the crop and hold it in
condition of healthy growth then the
irrigation supply need not be drawn
upon, this is usually the. case in the
spring after the melting of snow and
the fall of spring rains has occurred,
but how often is it the case that as
the summer months come on with
the attendant hot weather, the sup
ply of moisture >diminishes and at
the same time the demand is rapidly
increasing with the increased growth
of the plant; this is the time when
an, incalculable amount of benefit
could be conferred by an applica-
tion of water held by storage
for that purpose. We do not claim
that irrigation can be made available
in every instance where it might be
needed, but we believe that there are
sections where a reservoir might be
constructed to prevent the waste of
surplus water, and that might by
some effort be- diverted to points
where crops would be greatly bene-
fitted. We have seen something of
the workings of irrigation in Colo.
+ RADIO and also in California, although
we are aWafesthat the general. condi-
! !! tons Of climate in both states are
unlike most other sections of the
country in the fact of having longer
season Of no rainfall; but the effects
can be studied equally as we'll.
Even at the East where rainfall is
expected periodically, crops are fire.
quently greatly injured by want of
moisture; this is the case in Colorado
and California with this difference,
there it becomes a certainty but the
effects are wholly warded off by
means Of a sufficient flow of water
from some neighboring canal and be-
cause of this crops are kept continu-
ally growing and are carried to a
state. of perfection. It is considered
that by a judicious use of water for
irrigation, crops of much superior
quality and of larger yield are Sc
cured, and this is what ali farmers
desire.
The same rule that applies to culti-
waited crops, such as vegetables,
corn. etc., will apply with equal
force to grains and grasses, says
Coleman's Rural World; a crop of
grass may be very largely increased
by use of water, and this, too, by no
addition Of fertilizer. In Colorado
immense crops of alfalfa are grown
through the agency of irrigation and
we feel confident that the same means
applied to moving lands of the
Eastern. Middle and Southern states,
where possible, would tend to a great
~ increased crop of hay. There is
little doubt but that the improved
agriculture of the future will demand
the utilization of the surplus water
that now goes to waste. =:
: y. =. To Keen Milk From Saurinnr