Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-05-14
IRRIGATION PLANS
First Application to Lands Under
What Is Known as the Furnish
Project.

A party returned from Echo
where they had been to witness the
first application of water to the lands
| In the Inland Irrigation project, gen.
orally known as the Furnish ditch.
In speaking of the event to the East
Oregonian Mr.. Adams said:
"The Page Ranch company, of
which ]. w. Kyle is manager, was
the first to apply water for irriga-
tion to lands under the Furnish
ditch. This company took possession
of 100 acres March 10, and since
then has cleared, plowed and plant.
ed to crops 100 acres, the change In
that time from the native sagebrush
condition being marvellous.
"Mr. Kyle has 70 acres In pota-
toes, all of which are up so that the
rows can be seen from one end of
the field to the other; the remainder
of the land is in onions, peas, sweet
corn, canteloupes and watermelons,
and yesterday work began putting
out o acres of cabbage plants and an
equal amount of tomatoes.
"a remarkable condition of the
ground was shown in the amount of
moisture contained. Although no
water had yet been applied, an inch
below the surface the earth was
moist and all vegetation showed an
excellent color and vigorous growth
This demonstrates the capacity of
the soil for obsorblng moisture from
the rains of the spring and its ability
of retaining It.
"Mr. Kyle has adopted the CORFU
gated system of irrigation. Very
shallow burrows are run with the
slop of the land two feet apart. AT
rightangles with the corrugations a
distributing ditch is constructed and
boxes made with lath connect the
ditch with the burrows. When the
water is turned into the ditch check
gates are placed so as to raise the
water above the feed boxes, permit
ting II to flow down the corrugations
until the section above the check has
received sufficient water, when the
check Is moved TO point lower
down and the same method repeated
The corrugatlons were made about
800 feet long, and by the time the
water had reached the farther eli
A l.l hnt Tho fnR.
rows thoroughly wetting the entire
section, and demonstrating the ease
with which the work of irrigation car
be accomplished.
There were a number of interest
ed visitors from Echo at the Kyle
place yesterday to see the practical
work OF irrigation begun, among them
being Engineer King and oliver 7.
Morton of the reclamation service,
and II. II. Johnson. attorney for the
Water Users association. The gentle
men named were very much pleased |
with the successful manner in which
the water was applied, and congratu-
lated Manager Kyle on the excellent
condition of the big farm brought ,
about in such remarkably short
time.
"a mile TO the southwest of the
Kyle farm is the tract being farmeA
by A. w. Norton. He has 40 acres
In potatoes and an equal area in
spring wheat, His crops are in splen'
did condition, though they have re
ceived no moisture since the last
rain. lie was engaged with a force
of assistants yesterday constructing |
his sub-laterals and preparing to ir-
rigate. Mr.. Norton will demon.
strate TO the wheatraisers of Umatil'
la county what can be done with the
aid of artificial moisture and expects
a bumper crop that may break all
records in both quantity and quality
OF grain produced.