Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-07-02
IRRIGATION STUDIES
The Department of Agriculture Has
Issued an Interesting Bulletin
on the Subject.
ECONOMY In IRRIGATION
The Waste of Water in Many Districts
Water Adds Enormously to the Worth
of the Land Some Legislation
Suggested,

The department of agriculture has
just issued a bulletin prepared by B. c.
Buffum, professor of agriculture and
ming, on the use of water in irrigation.
In the work Professor Buffum describes
his studies on the subject of irrigation.
In the introduction to his publication,
says: There are some things about irri-
cation which are fairly well understood
We have learned how to build bitches
and operate them in the distribution of
growth are becoming well understood,
and the amount of water taken up by
the. plant, used in its development, and
thrown off by it is being studied. Com
to determine how much water must be
applied by irrigation to mature the
plant and to unravel the somewhat in
tricate relations between water. soil,
Climate anu q ploltdplG Nlop. ~
knowledge lacking in irrigation, and
which must in some way be obtained
before u water supply will be either
wisely or correctly used, is, how much
is required to secure the best results,
and when and by what lean it Il be
most economically and efficiently APP
| Piled.
WATER ADDS TO WEALTH.
The area of land il arid regions
| which can be ultimately reclaimed is
limited by the water supply. Anything
| which will extend the use of this sup
ply will add to the ultimate wealth and
population of this region, but if,
through lack of knowledge of the actual
necessities of irrigation, rights to wa
ter are required which have no relation
to these necessities. and these rights be-
come fixed by custom into laws, the
train of evils which will follow Will Sc
riously restrict the acreage brought un-
der cultivation and add greatly 10 the
cost thereof. The problem is a large n
1t will require much repetition of eXper-
iments and long and careful study be-
fore the question can be fully solved,
but the end in view promises returns
more than commensurate with the cost,
Under the best irrigation laws now in
force the water belongs to the state,
and the amount which the individual
may appropriate for his land is not
more than he is able to prove is applied
to beneficial use. Such laws pen the
way to the greatest possible develop
ment of our natural agricultural re-
sources. The limit of that development
will be known only when we know the
amount of the supply and are informed
in regard to what constitutes beneficial
use.
PUBLIC WEALTH INCREASES.
In the arid regions values attach to
the water rather than to the land. Wa
ter is scarce, while land is comparative
ly abundant. The Investigations demon
strate that duty in any locality varies
between wide limits, so that distinctions
annot be too closely drawn. The limit
of an appropriation should be no less
than the maximum amount needed in
ordinary practice. One cubic foot per
second for seventy acres, as given in
Wyoming, has proved sufficient under
ordinary conditions, even for newly IT.
rigated lands and for native hay, which
requires more water than old land or
other crops. More measurements Of the
amounts actually used on farms are
needed before a close estimate can be
made of what may be accomplished
with the available supply. Growing a
variety of crops lengthens out the irri-
eating seaso and enables the farmer
to make better use of his continuous
flow. but even this does not even up the
difference.
STORAGE IS ESSENTIAL.
The greatest necessity is storage I'M
til the water is needed. 1t would seem
that a final solution must come
through a system of storage, combined
with wise laws regarding appropria-
lions which will insure the greatest use
and economy of the whole water sup
ply. The requirements of the land when
used for certain crops should be made
the basis of allotments of water to
users. There are in operation several
ditch companies in the west which sup
ply users with enough water in the sea-
son to cover their lands to a certain
depth, and each farmer chooses the
time through the season when each
portion of the water is to be furnished.
1t would seem that such a system
would eventually be followed by such
adjustment Of crops to the land and wa
ter supply in different parts of the sea-
son as would bring about the greatest
possible economy in the use Of water.
As a result of his Investigations, Pro-
Buffum concludes; y