The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1896-06-05
IRRIGATION NATTER


D
the annual rainfall IS usually ample foi
this crop. n properly distributed. we
find comparatively few seasons. when
| the berry patch would not Dee benefited.
at some period Of its growth. by the
| liberal application Of water. and now
aud then season occurs when the en-.
tire crop win bc dependent upon such
timely rescue. A. We go west from
the Missouri river. the need 81 supple
mcnting the rainfall with irrigation
| steadily Increases az will be- shown by
| the precipitation tables ~ the past
twenty years The probability that
extensive systems 81 irrigation bitches
will ever be established In eastern Kan.
sas or Nebraska need not be discussed
here, but that thoughtful gardeners
and fruit growcrs In the east. ns well
rs In the west, are walking up 20 the
fact that II will pay them to invest In
some means Of getting water onto
their crops, Is becoming apparent TO
all.
The means most readily at hand for
getting a supply Of water in a position
ready for use are pumping 10y windmill
or other power from wells; pumping
from streams or ponds with engines or
by horse power; impounding storm
waters In ponds, or tanks" as they
are called In the southwest. above the
level OF the fields To bc irrigated; and
occasionally the utilizing Of water from
hillside spring fayorably situated.
II should be recognized Us u funda-
mental principle, by any one planning
20 irrigatc, that volume OF water
equal 90 two or three inches In depth
over the surface Of the land TO be irri.
gated must be available for immediate
use. Applying less than this at once,
unless Il h sprinklcd on with hose, II
Of little benefit, and allowing u small
stream from spring or pump 20 run
ON TO the land is generally worse than
useless.
An instance "a recalled where n
farmer attempted TO irrigntc potato
patch directly from his well, and that.
too, with windmill and pump OF small
capacity. Some wooden spouting was
provided, leading out % the ends OF
the rows; the mill was then turned
into the wind and the conhding irriga.
tor went about his other work. lie
doubtless pronounced irrigation u fail.
urc when he found that the water Of n
days pumping had not wet the ground
a hundred feet from the spout, having
soaked into the earth with little benefit
TO anything.
Unless the water can be drawn from
ditch OF ample capacity and sure sup.
ply, n tank, reservoir or cnrth-wnlled
pond should be built aud the water
allowed TO accumulate until enough IA
On hand IA noN rapidly over th. de-
sired land. or down the burrows, MS the
plan may bc.
II the ground 10 be wntcrcd II not
more than an acre or 30. "a wooden tank
will be very satisfactory and cconomi-
cal of water. A main supply pipe Of
good capacity should be laid below the
reach of frost and plowst TO n convenient
point for distribution. The lateral
pipes mny be carried along the ground
and uncouplcd when the season " over.
They should be fitted with three
fourths-inch hose bibs. md carried out
~ that two or three Gfty-ioot lengths
OF hose will reach to amy part Of the
ground Woven cotton hose has proved
the most durable for such work.
Our station irrigation nt the Kansas
college has been done from two-inch
main connected with the city water.
works, and even with the pressure that
we have here, about sixty pounds, the
flow becomes 40 reduced by the time Il
has passed through several lengths Of
hose that the work OF getting over land
with water from the outlet II quite
slow.
We sometimes turn the hose into the
burrows running along the rows Of
plants, but when they ARE In full leaf
and maturing the fruit we have found
that given quantity OF water N wort Il
much more when showcrcd directly
onto the matted rows than when run
down the spaces between the rows and
allowed 10 soak out latcrnlly 20 reach
the plants. A thorough showcring n
worth more than the same water used
In several light applications This
work should always be done In the
afternoon and evening. and In special
stress at ripeninR time we have kept
the hose going half the night. ThiB n
much better for the plants than 10 nut
the water ON during the heat Of the
day, under n clear sky aud with n dry
wind blowing.
Doubtless the cost ~ wooden tanks
Of sufficient size has KEEP, many from
attempting 10 irrigate, and we owe u
debt OF gratitude 90 the pioneers in
pump irrigation In the western cnun-
ties. whose very lacl, Of means Ia huv
expensive wooden tanks compelled
them 10 solve the problem in another
way. They built their reservoirs Of
the material they had nearest az hand
the fine prairie loan. The success
full methods Of pudding the bottoms
and sides Of these ponds to prevent
scepnge. Of putting the outlet box Ia
securely, and of protecting the sides
from washing, though all based on old
aud well-lsnown engineering practices.
have been discovered for themselves
by these prairie irrlgntors and adapted
10 their conditions Of work.
The problem Of building dam TO
hold storm water Is much more diff
cult one than that Of providing a pond
to hold few days pumping, ms a much
greater volume Of water must he
stored. and the added danger Of the
breaking Of the dam by the storm flood
must be provided against. by consult.
ing competent engineer before begin
ming such n work, much labor and
expense may be saved and sometimes
absolute danger avoided.