The Ordway new era., 1909-11-12
TO IRRIGATE BEETS
Furrow System Is Cheapest Be-
Cause Covers Quickly.
where Flooded Evaporation is Greater
and Leaves Soil Exceedingly Hard
and Likely to Crsck-Plant
Can't Be Cultivated,
BY Prof. F. knorr.

'~'' 'NIS'ls
The subject of irrigating has been
discussed several times, but from the
questions that we are asked there al
ways seems to be a doubt in the mind
oi the grower whether he or we are
correct in our statements.
Farming. as all else, has several
methods. or ways, in which work may
De done. each man thinking that his
system Is the proper one. We must
all admit that farming is not an exact
science, but variable one, that which
IN true one year may not be the next;
certain plan of working that gives
success this year may mean failure
the following year. In chemistry. by
combining certain chemicals, we get
certain results, to-day. tomorrow,
next year and forever; In mathematics
the same is true; we irrigate beets
three times this year and get a crop:
we do the same next year and fail.
IL Is good judgment that makes a
success of farming and more specially
of irrigated farming. We have studied
very carefully all of the bulletins that
have been issued by the various ex-
pertinent stations trying to determine
the minimum amount of water that Is
required to produce maximum crop
or beets or grain. The results obtain.
ed from this work are very interesting
from the theoretical view point: from
the practical side 1t is rather n failure,
and has been so admitted: II has
taught one great lesson. however. and
that Is. closer study of our soils.
crops. etc.
The soil and climatic conditions are
variable, with this variation the crop
requires more or less water; even II
all OF the soil were alike the atmos.
phere is different. more wind or sun.
shine would call for more water
There are means that are within our
province that we can use and follow
out for the more economic use OF wa.
ter. for water means money: the
application of 1t reduces our net in,
come.
In many sections OF the irrigated
country we find that flooding Is prac
ticed. Though we have been guilty
OF the same thing we have now
changed our viewpoint and have taken
to row or furrow irrigation for the
following reasons:
We found that the furrow system Is
cheaper-one man can get over q
larger area OF land in the same length
OF time. II we slope all of the rows
In direction where the fall is no,
too great. and have found that one
and one.half to two inches to the 1OC
feet gives excellent results on average
soil The length of the rows vary
with the nature of the soil. We hav,
tried rows running from 200 feet tt
one-quarter of mile and find thai
3OO-fool long rows were preferred b,
the workmen and gave the best re
suits.
Where the land was flooded the
amount of evaporation was muct
greater than on the furrowed land. as
the water passed away the top sol
was left exceedingly hard and caused
1t to crack. Before the subsoil wa.
sufficiently dry to permit cultivation
the surface was rs dry and hard as
DrlcK. lt UlHtteTS nOt HOW Thoroughly
we cultivate the bcets after flooding
we cannot get close enough to the
beets to break up all of the crust. ant
that portion between the beets in tho
row cannot be pulverized. On furrow
irrigation the soil in the rows is re
naming nice and loose. thus permit
ting the beets to expand to their full
est capacity.
On the smaller farms the grower.
that are following the furrow irriga
from the ditch. The spouts are made o
spouts that are led into the row.
from ditch. The spouts are made o
plastering laths: bundle of laths are
sawed in halves and made into these
spouts: others have made a mould
ing out of one and one.half by one
inch stuff. This moulding was cut ou
half round in the center. By nail
ing two of these together we get {
sprout with an inch opening. If {
man can set 100 rows It would require
about $50 of these spouts. as they car
be taken up and moved.