The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1896-03-19
IRRIGATION.
IL. Il. Hunters Address Before the
EeIHeId C~OnNeNtiOn

Tho following is an extract from ali
interesting and practical address de-
liycred by Hon. III. /. Hunter before
he recent irrigation convention ar
Redficlh. He said:
'IE speaking ON This subject I will conhne my
self 10 tho results obtained en- the Hunt"r-S-lher
farm at NCllette. As most OF you are aware, we
conducted an eIperimcntal station there during
the past season with most satisfactory result; IL
fact, we we're all surprised at the wOndnfful sue
cess of the experiment. we find that all kinis
Of grains, vegetables, grasses and forage pants
! usually grown in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin or
Minnesota can he grown most successfully here.
With irrigation We are sure Of as large a crol
eNtry year as they are in their best season, nd
] ind in travelling through these states that they
have their poor years as well as Dakota. Tue
L I'D used for the experiment has not been irri-
gated since the fall Of 1894, and has retained
plenty Of moisture Since, thus showing that u IS
possible to grow two good crops with one april
cation Of water. This ~ where we nave a great
advantage over countries where they have TO irTi-
gate several times e@ch season. Our black loan
and clay subsoil holds the moisture a long time,
as we have 10 sGhdrdinage aud oar cooperating
So; son is short. One piece Of land irrigated in
the fall o{ 1888 proiuced "a bushels Of oats in
1894, and "a bushels OF wheat in 1895. Last fan
1t p!owed up nice and moist, and l expsrt will
! grow IA good crop of potatoes in 1896 without irri-
gdting. The fact Is, II we have any moisture in
our subSOil, we have rain enough 10 grow a crop
every year.
The result of irrigation the past season was "a
bushels Of wheat per acre, 7si2 bushels Of oats,
10 bushels OF potatoes, > tons OF miIirt. Corn
Yielded only 80 bushels. a. we were late in plant
ing ami most OF it got frosted early IN the fall,
Jnirrigated wheat yielded II husbCls, oats -
bushels. corn 10 bushels, mi!Iet one half ton, 10
tato"s go Bushels. The largest yield Of wheat
On the farm WIS 374 bushels to the acre in
1881, il hetug irrigated about the time il began
to head. The sEaiicst yiCif was 81 bushels in
1893. On land rFiga,rd I'm the fall of 1894. Oats
on thi> farm ia 1884 averaged 90 bushels per acre
from fail irrigation. In 1875 they were Irrigated
during The growing season and averaged 7S1a
bushels. | believe NAT tn" yield Of both wheat
and OEtS wOHlJ hove been larger II we had used
~ bushels Of wheat and 2Ns bushels of oats.
the hest results were obtained from POTATOES
ty ~irrlgltin2 them w!"n In blossom. water
Sb"aId b" run hctwceH the rows and not allowed
to get upon the vines. Chey should he cultivated
az soon as possible after applying the water Ia
prevent the land from baking. As irrigation pro
longs their growth, late varieties should be planted
early to mature before the fall frostS.
The same conditions apply 20 corn. 1t should
not be irrigated late in the season and carly VA.
rictios should he used. l believe in fall irrigl-
Atom 70" grain, or after II Is up high enough to
shade the ground. TOtatocs. corn and all hood
! crops should be irrigated during the growing sea-
son and then cultivated. Deep blowing brings best
results.
Irrigation is no longer an experiment in South
Dakota. Our farm Of 500 arcros viii pay q per
cent On a valuation Of SEQ per acre. IL more
than paid IL the past season. Ten dollars per
acre will put our prairie lands under a most com
plcte system OF irrigation. There is more water
In South Dakota to-day than there are farmers
who know how To use il, and many will fail To-
spread the water over mach land the FIRST year.
They must not he discouraged. My advice is Ia
build . good reservoir first, then max" bitches as
needed. Arrange crops to always have land TO
use the water on. Keep the well going night and
day. Every time you have n good head If wat"r
IN the reservoir spread II on the land DIDN'T pay
any attention 10 rains. DO not irrigate the same
piece Of land twice until yon have gone over y"1r
whole farm. After yOu have irrigated II fciL
once It Is much easier to 40 30 IN" second time.
because YOU know how 10 handle the wafer and
the land does not require as n,ch. DO not try
to spread the water unless ym have a good sup
py in the reservoir TO work with. Make a iarrC
n cning In the ditch and rush tn" watc~ owe" 'he
field This ls the secret of successful Irrigation
ta levC! land.