The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-09-26

without carbonaceouS matter that is
introduced by the growth of the plant
and exhausted by continuous culti-
walton in most soils.
Mature gives us various problems
TO consider. Heavy rainfalls wash
away vegetable growths from up
lands and bring sterility. Light rain
falls fail to give sufficient moisture,
which is the carrying system for the
plant. Research by the scientist
prevents washing in one case and
develops deeper roofing plants in the
other, as well as methods of culti-
vation suited to each.
Object of Congress.
'The principal object of this con-
gress in the past has been the secur-
ing of government aid in the build
ing of irrigation works so that the
greatest possible area of the arid
lands of the west might be brought
under cultivation That object has
been attained, but the most optimistic
friend Of irrigation admits that when
all the available sources of water
shall have been put to use, either by
public or private works, only a small
fraction of the arid lands can be re-
claimed. In such a situation there
are two things which may be done to
increase the area which can be re-
claimed: One is TO increase the wa
ter supply; the other is to make a
better use of what we have. The
work Of the agricultural department,
as authorized by congress, is along
the latter line. Some of the possi-
bilities along this line which have
been suggested by our work up to
the present time will be here pre-
sented, together With a general state
ment Of what we are doing to realize
them.
Up to the present time large part
of the field work of this department
has been measuring the quantities of
water used in irrigation. Measure
ments have been made at the heads
Of canals, at the heads of laterals,
and at the margins of fields. The
great differences between the quanti-
ties diverted by some canals and the
quantities delivered to farmers by
them. led TO series of measure
ments TO find out where the water
taken from the streams but not de-
iiVered to farmers went. Such meas
urements made up to and including
she season of 1901 show that canals
on an average lose 6.75 per cent of
the water entering them in each
mile OF their length, some small
canals losing in "a single mile as high
as 81 per cent of the water diverted
by them. The general average of the
volume lost by canals in their entire
length is usually given as one-third
Of the volume diverted. although our
would indicate that ii
IS even greater. The saving of these
losses from canals means an increase
Of at least third in the area which
can ultimately be reclaimed. The
measurements made show that in
many canals the larger part of the
losses occur in short sections of the
canals, and the measurements locate
these conditions. Where this is the
case, the losses can be stopped by
lining the canals or putting in fumes
Tor these short distances where the
losses are greatest. The measure
Eents show another fact: The per-
of losses from small canals
ire much greater than those from
arge canals. Averages of our meas |
lrements show that:
What the Figures Show.
Canals carrying 100 cubic feet per
econd or more lose .9S per cent per
nile.
Canals carrying from fifty to 100
ubic feet per second lose 2.67 per
ent per mile.
Canals carrying from twenty-five
0 fifty cubic eject per second lose
% per cent per mile.
Canals carrying less than twen-
y-five cubic feet per second lose 7.4S
er cent per mile.
These figures show that the per-
entage Of loss from small canals is
lore than seven times that from
lrge canals. Great savings can,
herefore. be made by running water
4 large canals rather than in a
lrger number of small ones.
Various experiments have been
lade in lining bitches to prevent
'ss, and the department is collect
g all available information on this
lbject. The problem is not to find
means of conveying water without
'ss, but to find cheap means of
Ding this. Where the crops raised !