Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1905-04-06


have plenty of water, the very richest
OF il and the climatic conditions could
hardly be improved upon.
II have been in the West for nearly
~ years and am thoroughly familiar
with irrigation as it has been conducted
in other states. Nevertheless I was
greatly surprised when 1 came to Ore
gon. find practically two-thirds of the
state is arid or eemi arid land, and very
little of it is utilized. If we had the
water that is wasted in Crook county in
Southern California it would be worth
thousands of dollars to us because We
would utilize every portion of it.
ut is different in this state, though.
You have the lard and also the water,
but you have paid 80 much attention to
the western part of the state that East
ern Oregon has been overlooked. If
you could haye been along with me
when was in Crook county and have
seen the fertile land lying idle while
through it's midst flowed large stream
of water which could be diverted for ir-
rigation purposes you would think 80
too.
II visited several different sections OF
Oregon. l was at Umatilla, Pendleton,
Echo and through Butter Creek Valley.
1t was the same as in Crook county. l
Will tell you what they have been doing
in certain portions of Butter Greek VAL
lev. The streams from which the
farmers OK tain their water goes dry
early in the spring. However, they
flow the lands in February. The soil is
80 deep and rich that it retains the
moisture all summer They raise as
good crops and as vigorous fruit trees
by wnte. irrigation as We do IN Ca!-
ifornia
"While on this trip I instituted a
mall experimental station at Bend,
Oregon. The Deschutes Irrigation &
Power Company gave me the use of
six acres OF land. Elias Nelson, a grad
uate of the Wyoming University, who
has considerable experience with irri-
CATION has charge of the experiments
at the pre=ent time. We have SIX acres
OF land planted in oats.
He are trying three methods CT il
gaton to see which will prove the
most uccessful in the climatic condi-
lions Of that vicinity. Part of the land
viii be LAID off in checks or compart-
ments. Each check will contain about
half an acre OF taud and be surrounded
by small leyee which will retain the
water This form of r igation is used
IN the San joaquin Valley. Another OF
the tracts Will be fooued from field
lAterais in name, sini ar to the
method used most commonly in the ir,i
gated portions OF the mountain states.
The third test vii. b to allow water to
run down fu rows spaced from 80 20 40
inches apart. THIS would prevent the
ground from being baked after the
water has receded.
81 have ordered shipped from Port
land large galvanized iron tank.
about two feet in diameter, which will
be used at Bend to determine the rate
and amount of evaporation. There vii
also be seven or eight additional tanks
10 which will be grown sugar beets.
Dirt will be placed 10 the tanks and
beets planted. During the summer the
plants will be wateNh in different
Some of the plants will
receive hardly any water and others
W II be flooded nearly all the time. In
this way We can find out the amount OF
y water that should be used 10 that par
ticular vicinity. When the beets have
reached their full growth they will be
analyzed to ascertain the amount of
nutriment they contain and as to their
purity. The largest vegetables are not |