Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-13

publishing bulletins describing the best
practice OF the sections already highly
developed, and giving plain directions as
to how TO perform every operation con-
nectpf WITH" t1le uge or water in irriga-
tion. In addition, our field meD devote
as much time as possible to giving adj
vice and public talks along these lines.
Just now more OF our energy is being
devoted to the needs of the new settler
than to any, other line of work.
Taking the country as a whole, how
ever, and looking at the arid region from
a national standpoint. economy In water
Is more important. The highest esti-
mate of the area which can be served by
the available water supply Is about 10
per cent Of the total area, while the more
conservatives student Of the arid region
p~lace%tt at 5 per cent. All admit that
the water supply ts the limiting factor
in the development or the west. It fol-
lows then that every. reduction in the
quantity used upon a given area makes
possible a corresponding increase In the
area which can be reclaimed. The guam
tity of water actually used by plants in
the processes Of growth is very small
as compared with the quantities diverted
from streams for use in irrigation, and
It may be possible to decrease this guam
tity by breeding drouth resistant crops,
but this does not offer a very large OPP
portunity for saving on account OF the
small quantity required by any plants.
But in order that plants may secure their
supply It is necessary to keep in the soil
considerably larger quantities." OF mois-
ture which must be held there against
losses by evaporation and percolation.
And In order that this amount may be
supplied to the soil much larger q%uanti-
ties must be diverted from streams to
supply evaporation and seepage losses In
transit. Many farmers use much more
: water than Is necessary through mis-
p. takena1deaS as to-ths.q quantities required,
while careless and wasteful use Is re-
sponsible for much loss.
Sources of Waste.
"Seepage, evaporation, excessive use and
waste are the great sources Of loss, and
while this loss is regrettable, there Is hope
In the fact that most of 1t is preventable.
1t viii. never be 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 nave shown that by improved
methods Of applying water and BY intensive
cultivation after irrigation the larger part
Of evaporation can be eliminated; that by
/. careful study Of his soil and subsoil condl-
tions, the farmer can apply water in sucn
quantities and at such intervals of time
that little will be lost by percolation be-
yond the reach of plant roots,
''seepage losses from bitches can be elm
mated. but not always within the limits OF
cost. allowed by the value Of the crops
CROWN but they can be checked to a large
extent without. prohibitive expense. Elk
-. - ~ A.tHA
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 depend more largely upon the
quantity used. All these things we are
trying TO. bring about In the belief tina
in nc, other way can so much be done to
extend the agricultural development Of the
arid regions.
> las the value Of water for use in irrlgA
ton Increases, Increased expenditures for
developing water will be justified, but !.
large part OF the losses mentioned can he
saved with little or no expense. Estimates
Of the possible saving vary, but 1t seems
conservative to place Il at one-half the
water now diverted from streams, making
possible a doubling Of the irrigated area.
-: Power in Irrigation.
Our work along the third line-the use
Of power in irrigation-relates primarily to
pumping. , In this field, as in the others,
we are working along two lines: Studies OF
present. practice and the supplying Of prac-
teal informationi and technical studies for
the purpose OF working out improvements
in pumping machinery.