Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-08-20

| however u ~ tlBnl III ls yet Hlbh'i
! than II should be for the most econom-
ical use OF water.
These conclusions concerning the
| varying value Of water hold primarily
| for shallow bench lands, yet on deer
| soils the general variation Is Ike that
| here explained. IL is evident that con
siderlng only the crop yield, profitable
| irrigation ceases when 10 10 10 inches
| have been applied. The general prac-
! lise among farmers IS to bring upon q
! field as much water as can possibly be
| obtained, with the expectation that the
| yield viii DE proportional TO the amount
| OF water used. AS a result, a waste
Of water occurs lower lying soils are
| injured, crops Of poor quality are pro-
duced. and, worst Of ALL neighborlng
thrstIng lands are robbed Of the water
they should receive.
IL Is not az all improbable that as
more facts are gathered on this sub
| feet. ana become understood by canal
companies and farmers even with the
present water supply the irrigated area
| may be increased one-tourth or one
third or even one-half.
SUMMARY or CONCLUSIONS
Following is summary Of scientific
irrigation data deduced from the cNper-
ments given in the bulletin
The results OF this investigation
hold primarily for shallow bench
lands.
.. The composition Of the irriga-
ton water from the mountain streams
Is quite constant during the irrigation
season.
3. The temperature Of the water In
farm bitches Is about 81 degrees i,
for June GO degrees +, for july 62
degrees r. for August, and 81 degrees
r. for September
l. AT the time OF the first lrriga-
ton wheat and oats had drained the
soil more completely of us moisture
than had corn, potatoes or sugar beets.
o. Perennials use less water IN cary
spring than do ANIMALS
g. The amount of water held 10y the
soil decreases with the depth
T. only about 60 per cent to 20 per
cent OF the maximum water capacity
Of the soil are utilized one day after
irrigation.
The lateral movement Of water
In the soil of the College farm Is about
lafeet for the first foot; feet Tor
the SecOnU lOOl
g. on soils like those of the College
farm the latE'al movement Of the soil
water Is Of little consequence to the
farmer
TO- The loss Of the soil moisture is
greatest from soil which has received
most water; and is In direct proper
ton TO the per cent Of moisture In the
soil Immediately after irrigation
II. OF two soils having the same
per cent Of moisture, the deeper soil
loses most moisture.
70. The longer the time that eapses
after an irrigation, the more water Is
lost
10. About one-half Of the water
added In an irrigation is eyaporated
during the first week,
"A. Ali tillage having IN view the
conservation OF soil moisture should
be put into operation as soon as pos
sible after irrigation
Is. The effect on the soil moisture
In changing the relative humidily a
few degrees Is very slight
l6. Sunshine is strong factor In
causing a loss Of soil moisture
II. or the three factors. relative
humidity sunshine and temperature,
the last is most potent in causing a
loss OF soil moisture
rs. Winds cause a large loss Of soil
moisture.
10. The rate Of loss OF soil moisture
depends upon the kind Of crop, The
order. beginning with the most waste
ful. Is following Potatoes, oats,
wheat corn, sugar heets, old lucern,
red clover. timothy and English rye
grass.
20. The soil moisture Is taken near
" at the same rate from the different
depths; though the upper soil layer
dries out first
o. The extent 10 which soils can
dry out was 2.lS per cent for the first
three inches, 3.i2 per cent for tho
first foot and l.63 per cent for the
second.
20 More water is lost from the
furrow than from the row, though the
soil under the row is quite moist
2S. The percentage Of water In
plants and In the ripe seeds increases
slightly with Increase In irrigation,
"a. Heavy irrigations Increase the
percentage weight OF the heads OF
plants light lrrgatIons Increase tho
25. Irrigation modihes definitely
the composition OF plants and plant
parts, the seeds are affected more
Nthan any other plant part.
&c. The percentage OF protein In
corn kernels was Increased from
12.O5 to 10. OS as the amount Of irri-
cation decreased, in odt Kernels from
14.07 to 20 .19, In wheat Kernels from
1926 TO 26.72. In all these seeds the
fat and ntrogen-free extracts were m
creased by liberal waterings,
"a. Increased Irrigation increased
the starch content and decreased the
protein content Of potatoes
%. Increased Irrigation Increased
seemed to be less strongly affected
by irrigation than were other crops
Between 20 and 20 Inches Of water
yielded beets with the highest sugar
content
20. The water IN plants is some
what dependent on the water in the
soil.
80. with a given amount OF water
better yields Of corn were obtained by
flooding than boy furrowing
a. Late irrigation did not AFFECT un-
favarably the growth and yield OF corn.
30. The proportion Of ear corn 20 sto-
Yer Increased regularly with the in
creased application Of water.
80. The best amount Of water for corn
lies between 20 and 25 inches.
~. Late irngations were found very
beneficial in transferring nutritiye ma
terlals from oat stalks TO the heads
35. Not less than Is inches Of water
should be used for oats and not more
than 30
80. Late irrigation was beneficial for
the wheat crop
81. The percentage OF grain IN the
wheat crop increased with Increased ir-
rigations.
So. The yield of wheat increased up TO
30 inches OF water
49, Frequent small iulgations Of po-
tatoes produced the best Yields
90 The percentage of marketable p0-
tatoes Increased with irrigation
Al. The best amount of water FOR SUI
gar beets ls about 30 inches.
A.. Crops In an arid district require
q greater number of pounds of water
for one pound 0f dry mater than in Due
mid climates.
s. Water has a varying value The
first few inches possess q much higher
value than the later ones, and the y3l-
Ne continues 90 decrease az The amount
" water Increases.