The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1908-07-04
~T Cbe Duly of HUafer -
~nusd by Mi, J.. A. lIr'mbaugh, n competition Tor trophy cup offered
by Vernon l. sullivan, Territorial Engineer.
N pipe has also been used to ad.

en- pipc mas also heeu used to ad.
vantage IN some localities.
From the best Information oh.
taInablr IN the subject d. is Az
parent that with surface irrigation
rom two to tour lttigationS are
required on the average crop dur.
lng a season, and that an average
NJ three inches OF water is suhi
tent to thoroughly soak the soil.
Nv employing suhlrrlgation, as
now practiccd ~ many places ~
California, this duty NAV hr
larprl, increased. The great qucs.
ton - the conservation OF every
cubic foot OF water. II " Ich
water To apply and how often W
ur,gate must hc decided hv each
individual IN accordance with thu
rop hr wishes to produce and the
'hatacter OF the soil. Water M {
he applied when the crop needs II
md withheld when that need has
been supplied. Enough water Is
the great disld"ratum Thousands
oi acres OF the richest lrfIgahlr
land has been and is being render.
ID unproductivs bv reason OF
reckless and unwarranted APP Z.
cation oil water. II is a crime
against nature as well as against
nan. II not only means a imam.
rlal loss to the iatmer who ruth.
lessly wastes the water because he
happens % have It al his command
Int II deprives others OF II who
nave an equal right to It's use.
The evils OF over irrigation must
I've overcome il the best results are
TO be attained.
II Is the common practice among
irrigation larmets To limit the
amount OF water applied 10y the
quantity TO be had. This is done
without regard to the amount
actually needed. One instance
has recently come TO my notice
that is a iair example. THIS water
hog" irrigates his land hN flooding
The land lies admirably Tor the
application OF water. The supply
Ut water is beyond all the natural
demands. The water is turned on
IN a volume tar too great to he
handled with efficiency. Without
attention It is permitted TO How Tor
DAYS at 4 time, flooding not onl,
the land sough; to Ice irrigated,
hut covering many acres upon
which irrigation IS not desired.
The result NAV be readily guessed
about So acres oil valuable land
has been so water logged aud
alkalied that il has been rendered
almost worthless. IL can now only
be reclaimed 10y a careful system
OF filling TO tree It from the water.
logged and alkalied condition. This
IS only one OF many similar in.
stances that might he cited.
Throughout, Colorado and New
Mexico the water hog" is at work
That he works his injurious system
through ignorance makes him none
the less ~culpable. The only way
to remedy the evil rs to inaugural :
a stricter supervision OF the wate
resources. Make him liable to
criminal procedure and hold him
to strict account before the law
| ANfh.n Ia. g..E l.aH nRA.. gttVl.NtAa.
Tor lack OF moisture, and knows
that il is due to the criminal waste
ot others, the farmer who can r.
nam erc oi spirit Is a rare II
not m impossible character.
In the interest OF Justice, tor the
protection Ut those who seek water
rights, to protect such meH against
the evils OF their own ignorance,
II is important to secure reliable
data upon the duty Ut water that
will fully meet the requirements
OF the ordinary irrigation farmer.
As vet but little has been accom-
pllshcd OF a practical nature. We
lliuNN hllO" NV ''iN Wv hiic'hN W
rainfall, the amount ot evapora-
ton, the amount OF ABSORPTION,
but we must know the quantity OF
water required under varying con.
dltions OF soil and crop. The task
OF obtaining this information seems
almost Herculean IN It's nature,
but patience, industry and the
love tor knowledge will bring it
about. Never before in the world $
history have men been better fitted
tor the ,ask. The reclamation ser.
vice OF the National Government
and various experiment stations
have men pre.eminently qualified
Tor the work. Admirable as has
been much OF their work IN the
past, yet the work to be- done in
the future is OF tar more vital i'm.
portance.
The mystic power OF a drop OF
water! How incomprehenslble are
It's workings II doth v~ouchsaie
10 feed MS. The gentle dew OF