The Greeley tribune., 1904-06-16
Methods of Preparing Land for
Irrigation.

The office of Experiment Stations,
q. S. Department OF Agriculture,
will soon issue a bulletin describing
methods Of preparing lands for irri-
cation and applying water TO crops
in different sections Of the arid reg
ions of the UDited States. In this
bulletin the methods of getting rid Of
sagebrush, 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 tools and implements
used are illustrated and the cost OF
the work, based on actual examples
in different states, Is given. The
purpose is TO afford beginners Ielia
BILE guide, both as 10 the cost OF bring
ing wild land under cultivation and
methods best suited to different
soils, climates and crops. The facts
included in this bulletin have been
gathered by the Irrigation 1nvestiga-
tors Of this office, acting in co-opera-
tion with the state experiment sta
tions and the state engineers office.
This bulletin brings out the fact,
not we'll understood, that the cost of
preparing lands for irrigation is, in
many instances, greater than the cost
Of building canals and reservoirs.
Detailed figures Of the cost OF check
ing land show that it varies in GER
tain districts in California from 50. SO
to sls0s per acre. This Is more
than twice the cost Of the canal sys.
TENS in the San joaquin valley, Cali
foInia, which is given in the report
to the census bureau for 1902 as 81. so
per irrigated acre. WheIe the pre-
pairing OF land is contracted for. the
cost OF checking varies from 81. so to
$40 90 per acre. The price Of pre-
pairing land for flooding is much less,
but is $500 per acre in Wyoming.
The need Of better understanding
of this particular branch OF irriga-
ton practice is becoming more and
more important. Reservoirs aud
canals are but means to accomplish
purpose. That purpose is TO increase
the product OF the soil. The value
of the ditch or reservoir depends
upon the acreage Of land which it will
serve and the increase in the value OF
the products which the use of water
Will bring aoout. The time Is COM
ing when the most important prob
lens connected with irrigation will
be the best meaus Of applying water.
and not, as at present those OF canals
and reservoir building About thirty
different methods Of applying water
are now in use. This does not mean
that there are thirty distinct sys-
TENS, but includes the different ways
Of preparing land by checking, COM
partments. deep and shallow furrows,
flooding, sprinkling, and sub-irriga-
tion. The bulletin gives some Of
the results OF different methods Of
applying water and the difference In
loss OF water by evaporation In deep
and shallow fnrrows and in flooding.
about one and one-half times as
much water was needed 70 irrigate
an acre Of land by flooding as was
required In furrows twelve inches
deep. About one and one-third
times as much water was needed to
lrIigate in furrows three inches deep
as in furrows one foot deep. A saving
Of one-third of the water by the
adoption OF better system would
mean not only increased profits to
farmers but large increase In the
acreage which could be irrigated from
canals and reservoirs.