The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-10-15
IRRIGATION METHOD
Fourteen Different Systems Dem
onstrated at Congress.
Delegates Afforded Opportunity to
Study Best Known Means of Sup
plying Artificial Moisture to
Orchards, Vineyards, Etc.


Fourteen approved methods Of irri-
eating adapted to practically every
kind of land and the various tree root
and vine crops were demonstrated on
a 15-acre tract in the Spokane valley
within stones throw of the city linn
its in connection with the seventeenth
session of the National Irrigation con-
gress recently held at Spoqane. The
purpose was to afford the delegates to
the congress and visitors an oppor-
tunity 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 were also dem
onstrations by manufacturers Of appa-
ratus used in modern irrigation Ten
acres of land had 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 economical
method was shown in the use of por-
Gus tile pipe laid under the ground.
The principle is the antithesis 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 carried by the pipes is
discharged directly below the roots of
the plants, instead of on the surface
of the soil.
In comparison with the foregoing
Plan there was shown the primitive
method practiced by irrigators before
it was learned how to distribute water
economically and to the best advant-
age. No grading or leveling was done
on this tract; in fact, in contour it is
as nature left it. Water was taken to
the highest point on the land to dis
tribute itself over the ground. The
idea in this was to show waste of wa
ter and soil by washing and erosion.
The individual system, also demon
strated, calls for piping water to
every tree. To make it effective the
water must have a head. The pipe,
which may be small, was run to with
in three feet of a tree to discharge
water into a circular ditch or basin
built around the tree. This method
is desirable in districts where small
amount of water is desired to do a
large amount of irrigating. There is
no loss from evaporation or seepage
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
f1ume system,i-. but the difference is
soon made up on the cost of water,
or where it is paid for by the acre
foot
Sub-irrigating by means. of open
bitches was also shown The bitches
are of such; depth that the water is
absorbed without moistening- the sur
face. This method is advantageous
where soil has a tendency to bake or
become crusted after watering.
Two tracts showed the practical
bility of watering steep land in open
bitches The inclines on one tract
were from 80 to As degrees. The other
showed the terrace system, water be-
ing dropped from one terrace to the
other. It was demonstrated that land
can he irrigated by this plan without
washing or erosion.