The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-09-20
AMOUNT OF WATER
NEEDED FOR CROPS

Alex MoPerson of Twin Falls, Ida
ho, who has charge of the expert
mental farm at that place, delivered an
address at the Boise irrigation con
gress on the subject "rhe Duty of
Water and the Best Methods of APP
plying It," lie said. The soil on the
Twin Falls tract is commonly consd-
cred tn be of volcanic origin, vary
ing from two feet to an unknown
depth, consisting of very fine parti-
cles.
When we began WORK on the Twin
Falls experimental farm in 1905, we
dug prospect holes to determine the
character of the soil, and the amount
of moisture present. The only differ
ence we observed in the soil was that
the first foot was somewhat darker in
color. With regard to moisture the
first Is inches contained some moist
ure, but below it was pretectly dry,
consequently we irrigated before
planting. 1t required "A to 36 hours
to saturate to depth varying from
seven to 10 inches. No effort was
made to determine the quantity of
water used during the season after
that. This year (l906) it was deter
mined to measure the amount of wat
or used on the farm, and the amount
running Oft as waste, RS well as ti @
evaporation, with view to determine
the quantity of water necessary to
keep the soil in pro. or condition.
The miners inch was used in meas
uring half cubic foot per second for
the farm, and device was emI lnyed
in connection TO ohviRte any iluct-
uation In the head A weir with an
automatic register attached was used
as check on the miner = inch mons
urement in order that we might be
sure that just the amount of water
desired was supplied.
At the lower end of the farm weir
register was installed for measuring
the waste. Ellis Nelson, of the bu-
reau of irrigation and drainage in
vestigation, added an evaporatiug
tank.
We began irrigating May >, with the
amount of water allowed under the
contract between the settlers and the
Twin Falls Land & Water company
bllhJ IL, l-Op VI "a tuDlI Ib'L per ttN
ond per acre, continuous llow
The amount of water supplied dur
Ing eech month up to the first of Sep
tember, 1906, is given below, as well
as the waste and evaporation;
Total amount applied, 36. 10 inches
total percentage, 100 plus.
Total amount precipitation, 0; total
percentage, ia.
Total amount wasted, 40; total per
centage, IA.
Total amount evaporated, 2OG, to
tai PERCENTAGE, 7I7.
Total per cent wasted, IA.
Total per cent evaporated, III.
Total difference (or water retained
by the soill, 10. 694 inches; l5.S cent.
The waste during the month of July
rs greater than any other month.
This Jcurred while we were rrigat-
ing the lower tier of plsts, and no op-
portunity was afforded whereby we
could again use the waste The farm
consists of 40 acres, and being an OK
perimental farm, there are a great
many different crops grown, requir-
ing water at different times ana in
various quantities.
The evaporation almost eQuaIed the
amount of water applied during this
month, less the waste and evaporation
as shown by the evaporating tank.
Assuming that the evaporation from
the water-free surface in the tank was
equal to the amount ovaporated from
the ground, plus the amount used 10y
the crops, we can have some idea of
the amount of water actually requir.
ed.
No doubt il less water had been
applied, the results, as far as the crop
production is concerned, would have
been the same or greater, as was in
dicated by some tests made by Mr..
Nelson, showing that the third foot of
soil lost much less moisture in Civ
en- time than the first or second foot.
The roots of certain crops penetrate