Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-06-12

M NDA Y JUNE r 1905.
shorter run are used than n. 'irrigatIns
fruit trees. bscsaanse 1t Ii desirable "a
|have the water spread frosty nearer
The surface. For this reason, ana I'd
secure more even distribution over the
l6ea, 9 second lateral ditch Or Hume
us taken accfroosss the slope at i distance
of 40 rods or SO from the first, and q
lower length Of burrows is fed from
this secondary source.
The whole system, then, on a broad
gentle slope would consist In supply
ditch passing down the slope With
laterals at right angles 81 Oh 81 contour
lines, from which the water is admit:
ted to the burrows made with a small
double moldboard pillow between the
rows Of plants. The lateral, whether
I It be ditch or Hume, should BE as T near 81
| " level as possible and kept well filled
with water, So that the amounts dis.
charged at the openings shall be, near.
ly equal. The openings are simply
cuts Id the side Of the ditch, each one {,
supplying several burrows, and divided
with hoed or shoveled ways in the
earth: If the fiume is used, the water
Is taken out through holes bored at
Il : -
proper intervals In the sides, and ii
the slope along the line of the ftume Is
too rapid, the lengths of the Rumu,e ,A are
leveled and drops arranged for the
water from one length to the next
Thus series Of Hume lengths, each
one level, may be carried down quite
a slope by steps, and give equal dis.
charge of water for all the burrows Of
q wide field. ~ - ' '''.
inere are very many ways by which
water may be brought to the heads of
the burrows, such as movable troughs,
canvas hose, ETC., according to the
local conditions and the ingenuity OF
the operator. If the soil is not too
porous, the furrow method is a good
recourse when small stream of water
running continuously has to be used:
Tor 1t Is easy to arrange so that atten.
tlon need be given to it only at inter-
walls and the irrigator can proceed with
his other work.
Ihls furrow irrigation operates on a
fiat-culture basis. AS soon az the
ground dries sufficiently a cultivator
IS used between the rows and the
ground leveled and pulverized as
thoroughly as possible to prevent sur.
lace evaporation and baking of the
soil. When another irrigation is need.
ed new burrows are made, as before.
Choice of an Irrigation Method.
In the discussion Of the different
methods of applying water Incidental
mention has been made or tbe n.r-
ocular adaptations of each. It NAV
DO further suggested that the choice
OF method is to be made in accorda moo
with several conditions:
~ The slope of the land. This il
OBVIOUSLY a ruling factor. :.
e2) The character Of the cron
small grains and forage crops which
are best grown from broadcast sowin.
are open only to flooding.
(3) The character of the soil Soils
naturally very open or loose or
market-garden soils rendered very
loose by the constant and deem work.
ing in of coarse manures favor sucb
rapid percolation that even distribu.
ton through the soil mass can be had
only by covering the surface rapiIly
with a uniform sheet Of water. Under
such conditions. also, flooding ia the
only practicable method. On tho
other hand, for soils which take wafer
slowly and distribute it we'll. both
iaterally and vertically, the furrow
system, distributing water between
long rows of plants is best for plants
which are profitably grown in rows
and on land of grade which does
not force too rapid now Of water.
"a The labor RECRUITMENT. The
largest area can be evenly moistened
with least labor by the contour check
system and by the furrow system.
Each is superior to all others in this
respect for the conditions Of land and
crop to which it is adapted. The labor
requirement in preparation Of the
ground has beensso rendered by i'm
proved grading and ieveling devices
and by using permanent leyees which
allow all the ground to the ,cropped
instead of counting the leyees waste
land, that the first cost OF putting the
land In shape for flooding In contour
checks Is but a slight addition to the
grading necessary to remove the
knolls and Says which is necessary in
preparation tor the furrow system.