The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-16
IRRIGATION BRINGS
HANDSOME PROFITS
Instructive Results of Exper-
iments Made in Wis.
cOnSin.
Special to The Globe.

Special to The Globe.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March Is
The rise in prices of agricultural lands
IN the last few years has made it nee
eSsary that farmers should get the
largest possible return from their lands
and has created a general interest in
Whatever viii help to that end. One
or the aids now being considered is
irrigation. In the East it is not, as in
the West, absolutely necessary for the
raising of any crops, but. like fertiliz-
ing or thorough cultivation, is a means
OF increasing the returns from land.
The whole question is whether it will
pay. The report of the irrigation in
vestigations of the department of agri-
culture for the year 1901, carried on
under the direction of Elwood Mead,
gives some valuable data on this Ques-
ton. The report covers experiments
in Missouri, Wisconsin and New Jer-
sey.
A series Of experiments extending
over several years at the Wisconsin
experiment station at Madison show
marked increase in yields of farm
crops. The average increase In the
yield of clover hay on irrigated land
over that from unirrigated land has
been 20 tons per acre; the average in
crease in yield of corn has been 2695
bushels per acre; and potatoes show q
gain of S3.9 bushels per acre. The an
nual cost Of irrigation at Madison has
been $6.68 per acre, not including any
interest on the investment, but includ-
ing all extra labor. At current prices
this leaves a net profit from irrigation
or about $20 per acre on hay, $11 per
acre on corn and $73 per acre on po-
tatoes. The conditions of soil and eli
mate at Madison do not differ from
those Of the Middle West generally,
and the results given above show that
where water can be obtained without
too large an outlay irrigation as a part
OF intensive farming is very profitable
Another series of experiments was
begun for testing the effect Of irriga-
ton and fertilfzing on sandy soils,
such as are common in large sections
of Michigan, Wisconsin and Mime
sofa. These lands are poor in plant
food. and retain so little moisture that
all attempts to farm them have failed.
The experiments included the supply
ing of both manure and water. Manure
alone was of little use, as there was
not water enough to make the plant
food available. Water alone produced
good results, but the application of both
gave the best results. The cost of ir-
rigation was $3.50 per acre, and the
net gain from irrigation was as fol-
lows: Potatoes, $50 per acre; corn, 81
per acre; WatermelonS, $58 per acre;
muskIuelons, $45 per acre. From these
experiments it seems that with special
crops irrigation Of the sandy lands is
profitable, but the increase in yield of
corn is not enough to justify the ex-
pense of securing a water supply
In New Jersey water has been used
on small fruits and vegetables, and
the added returns due to irrigation
vary a great deal with the seasons.
Some years no irrigation is needed, in
others all crops need it, but in most
years some crops are helped by 1t.
Prof. Voorhees,, who has charge of this
work, reports that, in his opinion. n
rigation where tried has paid well
Pumping from streams or wells is the
most common way of getting water
for fruit and garden irrigation. Small
plants furnishing water enough for
from five to ten acres, including pump
and engine, cost from 5000 to $500.
The fourth part of the report, deal
ing with the experiments in the humid
parts of the United States, has been
printed as separate and can be had
by applying to the director of the Of
fee Of experiment stations, United
States department of agriculture,
Washington, D. C.