The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-10

TELLS OF PAST SUCCESSES
SPEAKS or TECHNICAL PHASES
IMPORTANT TO FARMERS.

Eiwood Mead at the head OF the irriga-
ton Investigations bureau Of the United
states agricultural department held a
conference yesterday afternoon at the
Kenyon hotel with Professor L. ". Nc
LauGhlin and Professor b. /. Yoder of
the state experiment station at Logan in
regard TO carrying on experiments in irri-
CATION and the draining of AlkaH lands
1t is probable that Mr.. Mead will rec
ommend an appropriation to carry on this
work. The experiments carried on last
summer at st. Ges~Ee and Huntington
furnished valuable statistics for the far
mer. 1t is probable that extensive ex-
pertments viii be conducted in Weber
valley this summer along these lines.
What MIR. Mead Says.
'tThese irrigation experiments have fair
" begun, Mr.. Mead said THE agricul-
turaL department intends to go into this
work thoroughly so that il will be of
great benefit To the farmer in saving
wateF-and in producing a larger yield.
tie experiments completed last summer
by the directors of the state experimental
station here in Utah showed that when
the land was given the right amount of
moisture the yield was heavier.
Too much moisture is as injurious TO
the WELD as not enough. OF course the
nature of the soil must be taken into con-
SldeTatlOn- The sandy soil takes more
moisture than the heavy soils and must
be irrigated more often. Several farmers
throughout the state cG-Operated with
the directors of she governmental station
and il was found that where the soil was
sivene the right amount of water the yield
was a third. heavier Where water IS
scarce proper irrigation means a saving
Of water and then II can be used to its
hest advantage if the character of the
soil is known.
Drains Were q Success.
Several drains, made out of thing and
lumber, were dug through alkali lands
last year by the experimental station and
IL was proven that In this way the land
could be reclaimed aud cultivated These
alkali deposits are often caused by seep-
age. The water from the highlands grad
tally SeepS down to the lower lands. 1t
galners the alkah from the soil and when
the water reaches the lower lands IT gets
no further It deposits all these impuri-
lies and from lack of drainage makes
swampy and maTShy lands.
The agricultural department is also
experimenting on Innings for canals to
prevent seepaEe. About 40 per cent of the
Eter turned into a canal seeps away.
The British government has been making
2 number of tests in India with crude oil.
The oil is mixed with soil and plastered
ag8inst the walls of the canals. It is
about the most successful lining that can
he put in canal. 1t is even used to
c dvantsge in saturating cement Innings
end prevents a great amount Of SCepaSe.
In the United States one Of the most
important things in the construction OF
canal Innings IS to make one tnat VIII
stand the heavy frOsJs in the winter.
different combinations of cement are be
ing tested and experiments with oil are
siso being carried on by the department.
THESE tests will doubtless be carried on
in this state before long in connection
with others by the directors of The eX
TerimeHt station.
Mr. Mead will leave Salt Lake today
and wifi Eetprn to Washington d. g.
He has been Through several states n the
region Inspecting the work
carried on by the experimental stations
and laying out work for the coming sum