Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1894-12-21
POINTS IN IRRIGATION.
III Influence or soils-Important COnsld-
eratlOns.

IL Influence on Solls-ImpOrtant COnsld-
eratlOns.
Too much water or too little is All i'm
portant consideration in irrigation. But
II conditions in this respect arc IA
vorablo there remain yet other obstacles
to success and many illusions to DO dis
carded. 1t is u common idea that tho
irrigated farm always remains in its
state Of virgin fertility, kept 80 by tho
deposits Of rich sediment daring tho
process Of irrigation. In this connection
Frank l.. Watrous of Colorado writes az
follows in Tho American Agriculturist:
No doubt there arc certain times III tho
season when there is sufficient ~alluvial
matter in the river waters to add some.
what to tho quality of the soil on which
it is deposited. l think this il true of
the streams Of northern Colorado and
Wyoming, which arc usually clear, but
in time OF frcshcts receive tho wash
from the mountain sides that il quite
rich IN potash. In other portions Of IT.
rigated districts tho waters do carry
during several months in tho year very
heavy sediments, which AFRO deposited Oh
tho fields, but in many or perhaps most
cases they do a. much harm mechanic
ally as they do good chemically, and it
is safe to say that generally these dopos-
its have no noticeable effect i'll prolong.
ing tho fertility of soils.
1t may not DO generally admitted,
but it is u fact nevertheless, that irri-
gated lands become depleted under
steady cropping, and unless kept up by
some system of rotation or manuring be-
come Improbable. Irrigation does not
keep up soil fertility. 1t may assist the
process; but, on the other hand. if not in
telligcntly used, it il "a prolific cause Of
soil deterioration and not infrcuncntly
complete Atcrility. The soil irrigated
from tho Cache la poudrc river pro-
duccd 80 to 80 bushels of wheat per
acre IN tho pioneer days. but now, three
decades later, 10 to 20 bushels is the
average. We raise fine potatoes here
now, but get nothing like the big yields
that wero common before 1870 unless
tho land in the meantime has been high
ly mannrod.
There Is Il point Of cooperative sym
pathy between soil and water, The
highest art Of the irrigation farmer is
to have learned the needs Of his soil, to
know where cultivation should leave
off and irrigation begin and to know
not go much the exact number Of inches
Of water it takes t. irrigatc an acre,
but the condition which his particular
soil should be in when it has been wa
tered sufficiently. IT iS beyond tho
science Of figures to determine the
amount Of water a plant needs N va
rious soils. The farmer may by close
and. intelligent study Of plants and
their requirements determine very CLOSE
ly when sufficient irrigation has been
given.
The prevailing fault with amateur ir
rigatoTs and too large Il number Of those
who have had experience h the appll-
cation nf too much water. An excessive
dilutiOn Of the soil separates its part
clcH and produces an approach to a
mortar bed that settles down tight
when dry, shutting out the air, causing
evaporation to increase and producing
finally d hard dry surface, crusted over,
which plnchcs plants. causes them to
turn yellow and perhaps die. This meth
cd persisted III for "a few years will
bring the richest soil to Il condition
which will support no vegetation more
valuable than poverty weed.
I~ntelligcntly applied irrigation is tho
most valuable factor in bringing up and
keeping up the prpductivcncss Of land.
1t aids in bringing soils into proper con
ditIrn 10 receive manure, aud it after
ward aids in dissolviug the at
the right time, getting IT IN shape to be
mot conveniently available 70 plants,