American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1908-02-08
BEST METHODS
OF IRRICATINC
Conugation Method Prefera-
bic to Flooding.
Amount Of Water Controls Character
of Root Crowtn- Soil Should Have
Plenty Of Moisture a.
Planting Time.

Mr.. MePherson's lecture on irrigation
at the farmers institute at Aberdeen
was probably the most helpful Of the
series, inasnueh as Il dealt with the
fundamental principles Of irrigation.
Irrigation. he said. meant the supplying
of water in the right amount at the
right time Water is the one element
necessary 10 plant life which is under
the control Of man. and the good irriga-
tor can control plant growth with ss
much certainty, almost, as he can the
shape OF his buildings. The man who
does no, understand something OF plant
growth can never become a good irriga-
tor. Water must bee applied in a seien-
,iiie and rational manner. because IL is
the lever which controls production.
Moisture. air. heat and plant food are
the elements which control plant
growth. Water is the vehicle which
carries food 10 the plant. Descending
into the soil Il dissolyes the chemical
food elements, ard rising by capillary
attraction. carries that food 90 the
plants. Bear in mind that 4, is not the
water going into the soil. but that COM
ing up which feeds the plant.
Plants should grow continuously from
the tims the seed sprouts until they ma
turc. II they are supplied with moist
ure IN the right quantity and In the
right way. they will do SO. II the soil
Is saturated with water 10 such an es-
tent as to sxp.I the air. the growth OF
the plant Is checked. Thia Is one r.a-
son why irrigation by the eorru9ation
method. or In small trenches. Ia prefer
able to flooding. Bear in mind never TO
keep the soil saturated. Water In the
soil forms in thin layers aroind the soil
particles II these PARTICLES are cubes.
with inch surfaces. there would be a
film of water on all sides of the cubes.
II this cube were pulvcr,xed. or chang
ed to a powder. there would be as many
films A there are soil PARTICLES. There
fore fine soil will bold more moisture
than eoarse soil. because there arc
more inters,iecs TO be filed. Ten per
cent Of moisture in these interSticcs
and the balance air Is about the ideal
proportion.
Thus good cultivation. in having the
soil we'll pulverixcd. ix an aid 10 good
irrigation.
The roots Of = plant arc always larger
than it's top. That is, the roots extend
f.,s k..x ..xs.. ka h.,
does above IL. The roots may run along
near the surface or may be made TO
penetrate deep into the soil. II the
soil Is kept wet when the plants begin
To grow. their roots will keep near the
surface. But IL moisture is withheld,
the plants will hunt for II. the same as
an animal. and send their roots deep af-
ter il. The deeper the roots go the
larger the feeding ground of the plant,
and the thriftier the plant will be.
Thus. by the application of water. the
irrigator may benefit or injure plant
growth. A plant with roots near the
surface viii require frequent irrigation
One deep rooted requires much less
water Thus by starting right the irri-
gator may either make or save him
self work.
As between the corrugaticn or flood
ing methods, he preferred the former,
for two reasons: a better and quicker
distribution of water, and less liability
of checking plant growth. In the cor
rugation or furrow method, burrows
three or four inches deep, and two feet
= apart, should be made in the field i'm
mediately after planting. before the
seeds sprout These burrows readily
conduct the water. carrying II across
field in much less time than when
flooding Is rcsorted to. and distribute
the water more evenly. The rise of an
inch or two in few square rods Of
ground is scarcely noticeable. Yet wat
er cannot be forced upon such ground
without mpounding it by dams and max
ing the low places too wet while the
high ones are getting moisture enough
to make the plants grow. Where a
furrow four inches deep IL made through
such high places the water flows with
out interruption, and soaks in about
twelve hours from one corrugation to
another, leaving the surface generally
dry, and supplying the water to the
roots where 1t IL needed.
The best results are obtained, In per-
manent bitches, by placing spouts made