The Estancia news. [volume] (Estancia, Torrance County, N.M.) 1904-1912, 1910-10-07
NUMBER so
IRRIGATION in
new MEXICO

ern country. In New Mexico,
howerer, we follow more univers-
ally the method of complete flood
ing by borders and ch ecks, espe-
cially where we find the non
porous kind of soil, sucn as we
have in the Rio Grande valley.
There is also a method of irrigat
ing by flooding where a lighter
and more porous soil is found. This
method, however, is carried out
by a system of interals. and ditch
es without borders being used.
This latter soil is of a more
susceptible character, absorbing
the water more readily, and there
fore, the irrigation is done more
rapidly and without the need of
checks or borders.
There is yet a third metod of
irrigation which is done by fur
rows, which are drawn from the
laterals and so arranged through
the field and at such distances
apart that the water, which is
carried down through these fur
rows, soaks through and is called
by some people subirrigation, and
is more universally used where
clear water is found.
Under the head of subirrigation
may also be mentioned the
method used by irrigating by
submerged pipes or tiles, or by
the use of the subsoil plow. With
this system, however, / am not
familiar.
In some ef the southern states
| believe mainly in Georgia.
where celery is extensively grown
a system of overhead irrigation is
used, by means Of perforated pipes
which are laid about eight or nine
feet overhead across the field and
about five or six feet apart.
These perforated pipes laid
overhead across the field all en-
anate from a large or main pipe,
which takes the place of lateral
ditch, and, when irrigation is re-
quired, the water is turned into
the main pipe with sufficient
force or flow to evenly distribute
through the smaller and perforat-
ed pipes, giving sort of rain
like result or sprinkling of the
water over the fields.
But the method or system with
which we, of southern New Mex
leo, are most familiar is the
method of flooding by the use of
borders and checks.
The first and most important
essential which the farmer must
observe is the proper preparing
of his field. such as the laying
out and construction of his later
ais and borders.
All progressive farmers DOW
make use Of an engineering level
which implement can be purchas-
ed for about Sis or SIG. BY using
the level, the farmer is enabled
to ascertain the general slope of
his land and to discover where
the highest points are.
The lateral bitches are laid out
on the highest parts on the field,
observing always that sufficient
fall is possible to carry the water
from the main ditch through the
laterals onto the field.
Assuming that a new field is be-
ing laid out, one begins by laying
out the border(after ieveling his
field as uniformly and as evenly
distanced apart as is possible.
according to the general slope of
the field, bringing the field be-
tween the borders as nearly level
as possible and with as little slope
as possible. These borders are
usually marked off with a plow
and subsequently constructed
with a ''V" shaped home made
wooden ma shine.
For an alfalfa field it is neces-
sary to use more practical and
uptodate border machine in order
to construct a substantial and