The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-05-17
When TO lRRiGRTf AND How
A Treatise on the Subject by a Neb-
raska Man.
700 MUCH WATER DETRIMENTAL.

ETOO MUCH WATER DETRIMENTAL.
The Knculedge of When aaa How 70 Irri-
gate o. vital Importance TO the
Irrigating Farmer.
The very first duty Of the irrigator
who has ais lands in proper shape to
irrigate, is to turn the water on IN suf-
fcient volume to thoroughly vet the
ground, including the subsoil. In all
cases where water can be obtained III
the autumn, after the seasons crops
are harvested and before the ground
| freezes up, turn on a volume equal to
four to six inches of water, which viii
soak into the ground and much of it
viii be stored there to assist in supply
ing the requirements for the next
years crops. If this has been done,
then when the frost leaves the ground
in the spring the soil will be found to
be quite friabIe, as the freezing ex-
panded the earth particles it left in
terstices between these particles into
which air finds its way. 1t would seem
that air is as important and as neces-
sary for plant life and vigor as it is for
animal life. Therefore, every effort
must be made to retain this air in the
soil. A food of water drives the air
out, but if the water be allowed to soak
away into the soil and the soil allowed
to assume a normal condition before
being stirred the air will follow the re-
ceding water and again take its place.
In good time before blowing in the
spring, water the ground thoroughly.
When in good working condition, pillow
carefully, then as soon as possible har-
row or otherwise pulverize the soil
very fine. Cultivation, careful cult
walton, intense cultivation is more i'm
pOrtant from now on until crop is har-
vested, than water. Do not depend on
water alone, but depend more on care
full and intense cultivation to produce
the big crop yields. Many irrigatOrs
just undertaking farming by irrigation
are liable to drown the crops besides
they will waste the water by putting
too much on the ground during the
growing season, by watering too much
at time or too often.
As we have already called attention
to the evil Of driving the air out of the
soil by flooding with water, there is an
other way of driving out the life giving
air without drowning it out, and that is
to work the ground when it is too wet.
Stirring wet soil kneads it into com
! pact masses, driving the air out of the
interstices, which should always re-
main between the earth PARTICLES. This
produces a "puddled" or "baked" con
dition. For the same reason, as soon
after watering the growing crops that
require cultivation as the soil is in
proper condition to work, a suitable
implement should be used to pUlverize
the surface over which the water flow
ed, which will again permit the air to
enter the soil.
In all crops requiring cultivation, the
surface of the soil cannot be kept too
finely pulverized.
Corn-If the irrigator has complied
with the foregoing, let him plant the
corn and cultivate it carefully and
there will, probably not be required
any further irrigation until the stalks
begin to tassle-when if the cultiva-
ton has been done by what is known
as the "level" system, then with a large
single shovel pillow Ia single lister will
ansWer) let him run furrOw midway
between the rows for the water to run
down through Then when irrigating
the water must be confined to the fur
rows so that it may not spread over
the ground about the roots of the
stalks. If it does, injury will be done
through baking, since it will be quite
Impossible to break up the baked
crust about the roots of the growing
plants. The water soaking into the
ground from the furrOw spreads
through the soil to the corn rows on
each side Of the furrow. As soon after
watering as the soil is in proper con-
dition a suitable implement should be
used to gather the soil back into the
furroW, at the same time disturbing
the corn roots as little as possible.
One more watering will be ample and
should be done about the time the corn
| is in "good roasting ear" filling up the
! burrows as before.
Sorghum, Kaffir corn and other kin
bred crops should be watered in a SINH
lar manner to that of corn.
/ Potatoes-Irish potatoes should be
watered in the same manner as corn.
Best results are obtained by killing
the potatoes as it is called, that is by
throwing the dirt to the rows of pOta-
foes with pillow, this leaves a deep fur
row between the rows. No water is to
be used until the tubers have set. II
Watered Immediately before setting, a
great number of potatoes will be form
ed than the plant can support, and
consequently but few of them will
grow large enough for the market
! When the tubers have set then turn
bH6 wafer lulO Tic lUIIOW5, D6lus CdI6'
full not to fill the burrows too full
otherwise should the water flow over
the hill and against the vines or plants
the soil will "bake" and besides the
} water "scalds" the plants. Once the
, irrigation Of potatoes has commenced
9 the water must be turned into the fur,
rows every eight or nine days until the
/ tubers have developed to the size de
t sired, when the watering is to be dis
continued and the soil allowed to dry
$ out, so as to ripen the potatoes in gooC
3 form. After every watering, as sooI
as the soil is in proper condition {
: suitable tool should be employed and
l drawn By a horse to break up the crus
9 that otherwise would form in the fur
Z row through which the water flowed.
S Sweet potatoes should be irrigated il
3 a similar manner to that of Irish pc
: tatoes, but may be Watered when set
5 ting out as we'll as before the biberi
set.
+ Root crops, such as turnips, beets