The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-08-13
AID FOR
IRRIGATION
QContinued from First Page.)


giving personal advice and public
talks along these ines. Just now
more of our energy is being devoted
to the needs of the new settler than
90 any other line of work.
Taking the country as a whole.
however, and looking at the arid re-
gion from a national standpoint, eco
omy in water is more important. The
highest estimate of the area which
can be served by the available sup
ply is about 10 per cent of the total
area. while the more conservative
of the arid region place l.
al 5 per eel All admit that the wa
ter supply is the limiting factor in
the development of the West. II fol-
lows then hat YER reduction in the
quantity used a given area makes pos
sible a corresponding increase in the
area which can lbe reclaimed. The
quantity of water actually used by
plants in ~ processes of growth is
very small, as compared with the
quantities diverted from streams for
use in irrigation, and it may be pos
sible to decrease this quantity by
breeding drouth resistent crops. but
lu4S uOCSu l OntI a NClA ID sc oPPOA
tunity for saving on account of the
small quantity required by any plants
But in order that plants may secure
their supply il is necessary to keep in
the soil considerably larger quantities
of moisture which must be held there
against losses by evaporation and per
collation.. And in order that this
amount may ibe supplied to the soil,
much larger quantities must he di-
verted from ream to supply eva
poration and seepage losses in tran
sit. Many farmers use much more
water han is necessary through mis-
taken ideas as to the quantities re-
quired. while careless and wasteful
use is responsible for much loss.
"Seepage. evaporation, excessive
use, and waste are the great sources
of loss. and while this loss is regret
able there is hope in he fact that
most of it is p~reventable. II will new
err lbe possible to limit use to the
quantity consumed by growing crops,
but experiments and the experience
of farmers. in regions where water is
scarce and high-priced have shown
that by improved methods of apply
ing water and by intensive cultiva-
ton after irrigation the larger part of
evaporation losses can be eliminated
that by careful study of his soil and
subsoil conditions. h farmer can ap
ply water in such quantities and at
such intervals of time hat little will
he lost by p~ercolation beyond reach
of plant roots.
Seepage losses from bitches can Zoe
eliminated. but not always within the
limits of cost allowed by the value OF
crops grown; but they can be check
ed to a large extent without prohibi
tive expense. Excessive Use under the
belief of necessity can be stopped by
demonstrating that equally large
crops can be grown with less water
while wasteful use must be stopped
by such changes in our laws and
ditch regulations as will make the
cost of water to the farmer depent
more largely upon he quantity used
All these things we are trying &c
bring about. in the belief that in nc
other way az so much sbe done to ex
tend the agricultural development OF
the arid regions.
AS the value of for use in
irrigation increases. increased ex
penditures for developing water viii
he justified. but a large part of the
losses mentioned a be saved witt
little or no expense. Estimates O
the possible saving vary. hut ii seems
conservative TO place IL at one-hal
the water now diverted from streams
making possible a doubling of the IT
rigated g
Our work along h third line-th,
use OF power in irrigadon-relates
primarily to pumping. In this field
as in the others. we r working
along two lines; Studies of presen'
practice and the supplying of prac
teal information: and technical stu
dies for the purpose of working on
improvements in pumping machinery
ssWhile our work Is carried on prin
cipaIfy in the arid regions where fri
cation is necessary to h growing O
crops, IL Is not confined to that sec
ton. The great plains are being sat
tied rapidly by farmers who are grow