The Mankato free press., 1902-06-20
IRRIGATION HINTS.
The Process Valuable for the Humid
Reaion Also.

A Washington correspondent COM
menting on the matter of irrigation
says:
Some interesting facts relative to ir-
rigation are given in the report on
irrigation Investigations, which forms
a part of the annual report of DR.. A.
G. True, director of the Office of ex-
pertinent stations of the United States
department of agriculture. The report
makes it certain that irrigation is
destined to be widely adopted in the
humid and subhumid portions of the
country.
During the past year important
studies have been made in the sub
humid region by Professor 0 V. P.
Stout of the agricultural experimen
station of the university of Nebraska.
This station is in section where
lands have been cultivated for many
years, and where agriculture is a
demonstrated success without the aid
of irrigation The question to be set
tied is whether the use of water on
general farm crops will give suffi-
GENTLY increased yields to repay with
profit the cost of providing the water
supply and distributing it over the
land. Results thus far secured show
that it will The maximum yield of
corn in this locality, without irriga-
tion, is about forty bushels per acre,
while the land irrigated during the
past year yielded from forty to sixty
bushels per acre. Two adjacent fields,
one irrigated and one depending on
rainfall alone, yielded sixty-six bushels
and twenty bushels per acre, respec-
lively.
A series of experiments in the humid
sections of the United States show
hat, as an insurance against drought
and an aid to intensive agriculture,
irrigation is yearly becoming of great
er interest and Importance. During
the last season studies of the benefits
ofsirrigation in Wisconsin have been
carried on under the immediate direc-
tion of Professor F. II. King of the
college of agriculture of the university
of Wisconsin, at Madison and at
Stevens Point. In both cases the water
supply had to be provided by pump,
ing and records have been kept to
show the amount of water used, the
time OF it's application, the cost of
pumping, and the increase in yield OF
the various crops to which it was
applied Owing to the exceptional
drought which prevailed, the results
were highly favorable to irrigation. If
the results of one seasons trial would
| Justify drawing definite conclusion,
| it would be that irrigation in Wis
consin is marked success.
| A similar investigation is being car
ried on at the Missouri experiment
station under the direction of Professor
II J. Waters. Apples, Strawberries
and nursery stock were the crops
irrigated. Summarizing the results OF
his work, Professor Waters states that
"the season was very disastrous tC
strawberry plants which were 9
irrigated, many of the old plants dy'
ing, and practically no runners being
formed under ordinary treatment.
The irrigated plants developed strong
crowns, and undoubtedly stored al
abundant supply of food for mex
years crop. The strawberry nursery
man, the man whose business is tt
supply the plants for the commercial
strawberry grower, will find in irriga
tion absolute protection against fail
ure. - 1t will require next year,
record of the yield to determine tht
full measure of the benefits of this
years irrigation. Referring to thu
result of this years watering O
nursery stock, Professor Waters be
lieves that nurserymen will find irri
CATION exceedingly profitable, that i
will result in securing larger growth
in young trees, trees with better form
ed heads, and possibly saving of on
year in the time when nursery stool
can be place on the market.
The report points out the need o
early reform.sof irrigation laws. In
tersIate questions are arising whicl
cannot long be ignored, although law
to provide for the proper division o
water within state are urgentl
needed.
Appended to the report lisa list Q
publications of the Office of expert
ment stations on irrisgtion, intende
for gratuitious distribution.