Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1906-06-07
IRRIGATION EXPERT
ON HANDLING WATER
Valuable information Complied by HiaS
Nelson, a Government Official
Soil and Climate.

There are two stages in the
growth of wheat and oats when an
abundance of water is required;
namely, at time of jointing, or
sending up stems, and just 6cfore
blooming. Large amounts OF water
tend to increase the starch contents
of wheat, while as the amount of
water is decreased, there is larger
percentage Of protein.
Irrigation water is warmest in the
afternoon and does not become cold
until several hours after shutdown.
The subsoil, or that part of the soil
where most of the roots are, be-
comes warm towards evening and
retains it's heat pretty well into the
night. In fact, it is coolest at noon
and warmest at midnight In view
of these facts it is best in irrigating
tender things to turn on the water
late in the afternoon and allow it to
run during the fore part of the
night.
1t is claimed by some that night
irrigation gives better results even.
with field crops. The difference,
if any, can be but slight In prac-
tice, when water is turned on a
field of grain or alfalfa, it is kept
running day and night, and shifted
from one section of the field to an
other until the whole has been irri-
gated, and that is the most expedi-
tious way of irrigating ordinary
field crops. Day irrigation per-
mits of better regulation and dis
tribution of water. The evaporation
is less at night and water pcrcolates
to a slight degree, faster when the
soil is cold than when it is warm.
We are learning to make the
water go farther, and farmers now
adays secure as large yields with
one-half or even one-third as
much as was formerly used. The
tendency is to restrict the allow
ance of water to such an amount
as will suffice for ordinary farm
crops when used economically. AS
the duty of water is thus lowered,
larger tracts of land may be supplied
with water, which means more
homes, a larger population, and a
greater agricultural wealth through
out the arid belt.
The best possible use should be
made of all moisture, whether il
comes from the clouds or is diverted
from streams, and this cannot be
done except by adopting methods Of
soil culture which tend to conserve
the soil moisture. In blowing, the
soil ought not to be dry, nor on the
, other hand wet, but should be mod.
erately moist. When just right IL
: crumbles and becomes a loose, frag.
able mass. Often farmers pillow
large fields in spring and let then
lie for a week or two or longer
thus allowing moisture to escape
very rapidly. Land should be har
rowed Immediately after blowing
and not let lie for day as the pillow
leaves it. In spring, seeding ma,
well follow the blowing withou
; any delay, in order that the seed
, may terminate while moisture il
yet available.
Fall plowed land may lose mucl
moisture, if not stirred, should dry
ing weather prevail in spring
Shallow cultivation of such land il
y spring will start nitrification, thu
5 preparing a congenial seedbed TO
: crops that should be sown early.
: In summer, cultivation Shout,
c follow irrigation with all crops tina
: may be so handled, and this ha
: better be done as soon as the sol
I may be safely worked. Such cult
II vation not only checks evaporation
8 but increases the supply of avail
II able nitrogen. On irrigated farm
II it is important to keep the soil q
: work, always moist, and in Gro
y every year. In arid climates
&c wherever the soil lies bare and DIR
y in summer there is considerable los
{ of humus, which is the source {
ID nitrogen, the most expensive {
e plant foods.