The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-06-14
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Increased yields to repay with profit the
cost of providing the water supply and
distributing II over the land. Results thus
far secured show that 1t will The maxi.
mum yield Of corn In this locality With
out irrigation, Is about forty bushels per
acre, while the lands irrigated during The
past year yielded from forty to sixty
bushels per acre. Two adjacent fields, one
irrigated and one dependent on rainfall
alone, yielded sixty-six and twenty bushels
per acre. respectively.
A series OF experiments in the humid
sections Of the United states show that. as
an insurance against drouth and an aid
TO intensive agriculture irrigation is year
~ becoming of greater interest and i'm
portance During the past season studies
OF the benefits Of irrigation In Wisconsin
nave been carried on under the immediate
direction of Prof. F. II. King OF the college
of agriculture OF the University Of Wis
consin at Madison and stevens Point. In
both cases the water supply had TO be
provided by pumping, and records have
Deen kept to show the amount of water
used, the time of Its application the cost
on pumping, and the increase in yield OF
the various crops to which IL was applied.
Owing to the exceptional d htni, which
anle to irrigation. The difference in yield
between the irrigated and the unirrigated
potatoes was 100 bushels per acre, II the
results Of one seasons trial would justify
IRA wing a definite conclusion, 1t would be
tnat irrigation in Wisconsin is marked
success.
similar inVestlSHllOn Is DtluE CdlEicn
on at the Missouri experiment. station under
the direction of Prof II, J. Waters. APP
plcs. strawberries and nursery stock were
the crops irrigated. summarizing the re-
suits of his work Prof Waters states thnt
the season was very disastrous to straw
berry plants. which were not irrigated,
many of the old plants dying, and prac-
tically no runners being formed under 81
binary treatment. The irrigated plants de-
veloped strong crowns, and undoubtedly
stored an abundant supply Of food for
next years crop. The strawberry nursery
man, the man whose business Is to supply
plants for the commercial strawberry
grower. will find in irrigation absolute pro-
lection against failure IL will require
next years record Of the yield TO deter.
mine the full measure OF the BENEFITS of
this years irrigation. Referring to the
result OF this years watering of nursery
stock. Prof. Waters believes that nurfery
men viii md irrigation profitable. that II
will result In securing larger eroNtn In
young trees trees with better formed
heads, and possibly a saving OF one year
In the time when nursery stock can be
placed on the market.
The report points out the need of early
reform OF IRRIGATION laws Interstate quas'
tions are arising which can not long he
ignored. although laws TO provide for the
proper division Of water within State
are urgently needed 10 prepare these.
requires careful and impartial investigation
VI existing conditions by competent engi-
ncering and agricultural experts,
Appended 70 the report is list or pub.
licftfons Ct the office ~ experiment sth-
tiUns on irrigation, Intended for grHtuitons
distribution