Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1904-06-17
contaIus Valuable information.

NeNNUEt o Will OOOii aDCOO q OoAtStiil,
describing methods of preparing
land for irrigation and applying
water to crops in different sections
of the arid lands of United States.
In this bulletin the methods of get
ting rid OF sage brush. smoothing
the ground, building laterals, and
distributing water over fields as
developed by the experience of
farmers in irrigated districts are
brought together and described.
The implements and tools used are
illustrated and the cost of the work.
based upon actual examples in dill
ferent states, is given. The pur-
pose is to afford beginners a re-
liable guide both as to the cost of
bringing wild land under cult
walton and methods best suited to
different soils, climates and crops.
The facts included in this bulletin
have been gathered by the irriga-
tion investigation of this Office,
acting in cooperation with the
state experiment stations and state
engineers offices.
Tn bulletin brings cut the fact,
not well understood, that the cost
of preparing land for irrigation is
in many instances greater than
the cost of building canals and
reservoirs. Detailed figures OF the
cost of checking land show that it
varies in certain districts in Cali
fornia from 1896 to S1S0S per
acre. This is more than twice the
cost of the canal systems in the
San Joaquin valley, California,
which is given in the report of the
census bureau for 1902 as 81 SO per
irrigated acre. Where the prepar-
ing of land is contracted for the
cost Of checking varies from $3.50 |
to $40 per acre. The price of pre-
pairing land for flooding is much
less-but is So per acre in Wyom-
ing. The need of a better under
standing of this particular branch |
of irrigation practice is becoming
more and more important. Reser
voirs and canals are but a means
to accomplish a purpose. That !
purpose is to increase the products
of the soil. The value of the ditch
or reservoir depends upon the acre
age Of the land which it will serve
and the increase in the value of
the products which the use of water
will ing about. The time is COM
ing when the most important prob
lens connected with irrigation will
be the best means of applying water
and not, as at present, those of
canal and reservoir building.
About thirty different methods
are now in use. This does not
mean that there are thirty dis
tinct systems but includes the diff
ferent ways of preparing land by
checking, compartments, deep and
shall CIV burrows, flooding, sprink-
ling and subirr CATION. The bull
letin gives some of the results of a
series of tests of different methods
of applying water and the differ
ence in loss of water by evapora
ton in deep and shallow burrows
and in flooding. About one and
one half times as much water was
needed to irrigate an acre of land
by flooding as was required in fur
rows II inches deep. About one {
and one-third times as much water I
eas needed in burrows three inches
deep as in burrows one foot deep.
A saving of one-lhird of the water
by the adoption of better system
would mean not only in !
creased profits to farmers but a
large increase in the acreage which
could he irrigated from canals and