Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1909-07-16
FOURTEEN METHODS
Of |RR|GAT|NG
Will Re Demons
trated on Fifteen
Acre Tract
NAT. IRRIGATION CONGRESS
Sub -Draina ge Represents the
Acme Of Economy and
Science.

Spokane, Wash, July l6.-Fourteen
approved methods of irrigating, adapt
ed to practically every kind of land
crops, will be demonstrated on 15-
acre tract in the Spokane valley with
in a stones throw of the city limits
in connection with the 18th sessions
of the National Irrigation Congress
in Spokane, August 8 TO IA. The pur-
pose Is to afford the delegates to the
congress and visitors an opportunity
to study the best known means of
supplying moisture by artificial
means to orchards, berry and sugar
beet fields, vineyards and hay and
grain lands. There will also be DEM
onstrations by manufacturers Of ap-
paratus used in modern irrigation.
Ten acres of land has been set aside
for displays Of machinery.
What is considered by experts to
be the acme of scientific irrigation
and at the same time the most eco
nomical method will be shown in the
use of porous tile pipe laid under the
ground. The principle is the antithe-
sis of drainage in that the pores and
joints of the pipes give out sufficient
water to supply the plant life above
them. This plan is declared to be
practicable in supplying moisture for
fruit trees, vegetables, berries and
almost every kind of product, the
advantage being that the water car
ried by the pipes is discharged direct
ly below the roots of the plants, in
stead of on the surface of the soil.
In comparison with the foregoing
plan there will be shown the prim,-
tive method, practiced by irrigators
before it was learned how to distrib-
ute water economically. and to the
best advantage. No grading or level
ing was done on this tract; in fact,
in contour it is as nature left it. Wa.
ter is taken to the highest point on
the land to distribute itself over the
ground. The idea in this is to show
waste of water and soil by washing
and erosion.
The individual system, also TO pe
demonstrated, calls for piping water
to every tree. To make it effective
the water must have head. The
pipe, which may be small, is run to
within three feet of tree to dis
charge water into circular ditch or
basin built around the tree. This
method is desirable in districts where
a small amount of water is desired to
do large amount Of irrigating. There
is no loss from evaporation or seep-
age, and only the ground in which the
tree grows receives the water. The
cost of installing this system is much
larger than for the open ditch or
flume system, but the different is
soon made up on the cost of water,
or where it is paid for by the acre
foot.
Subirrigating by means of open
bitches will also be shown. The
bitches are of such depth that the
water is absorbed without moistening
the surface. This method is advan-
tageous where soil has tendency to
bake or become crusted after water
ing. 4
Two tracts will show the practica-
bility of watering steep land in open
bitches. The inclines on one tract
are from 80 to 45 degrees. The other
shows the terrace system, water be-
ing dropped from one terrace to the
other. 1t will be demonstrated that
land can be irrigated by this plan
without washing or erosion.
One form of the corrugation sys-
TEN is applied to soil where the land
slopes in more than one direction,
the bitches being made to follow the
natural contour, which needs no grad
in Water is supplied through one
box and the bitches spread out in fan
shape over the land.
Another plan of the so-called COR
rugation idea, best adapted to sugar
beet, alfalfa and grain lands with
gentle slope, shows water distribu-
tion by means of V-shaped bitches or
rills, 21-2 inches deep and about Is
inches apart The marginal dixie or
basin system of irrigation shows
bitches built surrounding the tract Of
varying size running from one acre
to 10 acres in area. To practice this,
method successfully the land must be
level or have only gentle slope. Suf-
|ficient head may be had in the water
itself to cause it to spread over the
ground.
On another tract is the dixie system
which follows the natural contour OF
the land. This method IS adapted to
ground with slope, but Is not prac-
tical for level land. II Is similar to
I'm ciJo 5iI,o c,,ctnv,, lx.,<s - !. ~ ..... NJ .