The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-07-05
IRRIGATION POINTS
Furr0w Irrigation Considered the Better
Method.

n t-kl1N AfEs5-itok considered sLle BETTER !
Method.
Water is valuable to crops Just in /
proportion to the manner Of applica- |
ton. Some soils admit Of flooding. /
others do better under seepage, while |
nearly every character Of land produ- |
ces the best crops by fuTrow irrigation. |
The principal object in producing
moisture is to get it in the place where
the growing crops demand nourish-
ment. Very few crops require surface
irrigation and hence flooding is not
the most advisable method Of applying
water except to such plants as natur-
ally require dew and moisture on the
top of the ground. The best results
are usually obtained by irrigating in
deep burrows. The burrows should be
made SO that water will not flow too
freely and wash away the soil. A grad
ual slope is always the best plan for
making good bitches and viii always
produce better crop results. The water
should never touch some crops, as
beans, peas and corn. Shallow surface
irrigation will always result in decreas-
ing the production Of all crops grown
above ground.
The roots crops, especially sweet po-
tatOes, peanuts and Irish potatoes viii
be better in quality and more product
i've in quantity if water is kept away
from roots and tops while growing.
The rust and sUab frequently noticed
on root crops can be avoided by deep
irrigation and keeping the water away
from the growing bulbs. Burrows
should always be made and water run
through them once before the crop is
planted. This serves q double purpose
of showing the high places in the land
and evenly and properly distributing
the moisture for terminating the seed
New land should be furrowed out and
irrigated once after the first blowing
and then ploWed over and leveled be-
fore planting. Small shovel ploWs are
good implements for making iTTigating
burrows. They throw the soil on either
side and thus make entertainments for
preventing the water from spreading
over the surface. If the plOW does not
run deep enough the beam should be
weighted sufficiently for the purpose.
Growing crops demand moisture but
do not require water. If too much
water is placed on or near the surface
it will cause the alkali in the soil to
rise and crust around the vegetable
plant Deep irrigation has a tendency
to draw off the alkaline substance
The moisture does not rise to the sur
face and consequently does no harm
in baking or crusting. Deep burrows
place the moisture where it properly
belongs and allows the water to per-
meate the undistuFbed space between
the sub and the surface soils. The
water forms pathways that by circula-
tory veins keep the soil enlivened and
and prevents the loggy sOUrness notice
able in shallow irrigation. Soil can be
more quickly cultivated after a period
of irrigation if the water has been ap-
piled through deep burrows. Weeds
grow fast and cultivation is necessary.
If soil is stirred when wet it will
bake. If the plants are cultivated
while wet they will become diseased
with a rot which destroy the yield
Surface irrigation by flooding or
through shallow burrows brings upon
| the land an immense amount of nOx-
i0us weed seeds. The common water
grass and sand burrs so destructive to
crops are nurtured by surface irriga-
ton. Make deep ditches and keep the
water from the surface and you rid
your lots to a certain extent Of. these
pests. Deep irrigation admits of better
openings being made in the main or
sub-head bitches and allows a more
even and systematic distribution. A
A small stream will trickle along a
deep furTow and seep out on either
side giving moisture to the roots of
plants, when a greater stream would
evaporate or be swallowed by the dry
soil within a few rods if put in a
shallow furrow. The water should not
spread over the surface either by seep-
age or flooding. 1t makes the land
unfit for passing over in changing the
| burrows. When man sinks into the
soil on account of too much water
the plant life for that season is de-
stroyed.