Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-04-26
WINTER IRRIGATION.
Bulletin Issued by Agricultural COL
leue, MesiIla Park. =

The value of winter irrigation is ap-
parent even at this early date. Fields
of alfalfa u~n-irrigated up to the pres
emit time are almost as brown as in
midwinter, while the fields that were
winter irrigated are in fine growing
condition.
The difference in the growth of al
falfa. with winter irrigation and with
out it, is strikingly illustrated with
plots of alfalfa under experiment on
the agricultural experiment station
farm. Two plots were selected of as
nearly the same type of soil as posi-
BILE. One plot was winter irrigated,
while the other was not. The un-irri-
gated plot is at this time apparently
almost lifeless, while the plot receiv-
ing winter irrigation has made a fine
growth of from six to eight inches.
The late frosts have injured the
growing alfalfa slightly, but this dam
age is insignificant. when the two plots
are compared. One year age we had
severe late frosts and the alfalfa re-
ceiving winter irrigation was damag-
ed considerably, yet the yield of haf
was decidedly in the favor of the plots
which received winter irrigation. q
There is. however, another point
which should be, carefully considered
when weighing the value OF winter IT.
rigation. That is, the benefit derived
from re-establishing capillarity with
the ground water. Capillary action is
the name given to the passage of mois-
ture up through the interstices of the
soil, which is nicely illustrated in the
passage of oil up through the inter-
stices of the lampwick. Evaporation
carries moisture of from the surface
of the soil much as oil Is burned OF
from the lampwick. The loss Of
moisture from the surface soil is re-
placed by the movement of moisture
through capillarity from the soil be-
low and this, in turn. Is r~eplenished
from still lower layers of soil, until,
finally, the draft upon the moisture
may reach the ground water. Drouthy
spells dry out the soil to quite a depth,
sometimes several feet deep, and,
therefore, the capillary action is
broken and will not reach the surface
again until it is re-established by max
ing the soil wet from the surface down
to moisture.
This wetting of the soil seems to be
a sort of printing of natures pumps
which she attends to herself In rainy
belts by frequent showers, but leaves
to the care Of man in all irrigation sec
tions. The re-establishment OF capil-
larity a best be done in winter when
evaporation from the surface soil Is at
a minimum and at a time when water
is abundant. If the soil is well charg-
ed with water for several feet in depth
during winter, much of the water will
be available for the crop during the
growing months of spring and sum
mer. The roots of the plants will push
down into the moisture and capillary
attraction will bring the moisture to
wards the surface, thus rendering II
available to the plants.
In sections where water is not plen-
tiful for irrigation purposes during all
seasons of the year., the question of
the storage and conservation, in the
soil. of the flood waters of winter is of
great importance, and the writer be-
lieves that more attention should be
given to it, at least until dams, reser-
voirs, or other larger storage systems
car be established for the conserva-
ton of the waste waters OF winter and
flood seasons.
]. j. VERNON.
Ali 90 1QaO