The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1910-11-30
TOCONsE2VE WATER
Of Present Scant Supply Large
Amount Is Wasted.
People Wholly inexperienced In Prop
or Methods Misuse Artificial Ar
t1cle With Characteristic
American ExtravaQance.

areas of hitherto unproductive desert
lands by the expenditure Of many mil
lions Of dollars by the United States
government and many millions of dol
lars more are already planned to be
spent in claiming for the husband
man empires of land now Stunned by
man, says Orchard and Farm. With
all this work completed and planned
the field of endeavor in winning from
the desert has only been fairly en-
tered upon.
Every step forward is to be ap-
plauded. and while only the high
places" have been embraced in the
work Of the past and that now planned.
bona fide conservation will excel much
more than Is contemplated.
The unfortunate fact regarding ir-
rigated lands. wherever they are. is
that people wholly inexperienced in
proper methods. misuse the artificial
water supply with characteristic Amer
lean extravaganza and prodigality.
considering only the present. needless
of the future.
OF the present scant supply large
percentage is absolutely wasted. inso-
far as benefitting cultivated acreage
is concerned. because of the unscien-
tific distribution and lack of engineer
ing direction In the preparation of
field laterals.
Evaporation and seepage. overfiows
and leakage claim more than the cult
waited land receives. Over-irrigated
lands soon become OF as little value
The very selection Of crops soon show
complete ignorance of the value Of
irrigation.
Irrigation Is expensive at the best.
and the idea that water artificially
supplied to the land is mere sub
stitute for the rains that fell regular
ly. or frequently I'm good old days."
often referred to by "old-timers." is
a fallacy 1t were well to be rid Of at
once and all time.
To plant crops that will yield but
$40, SIS or $40 an acre on irrigated
land is loss of time and energy. Ten
acres well and understandingly irri-
gated and cultivated. should produce
more than 40 or even SO are made to
at this time, and excess OF water will
not accomplish the purpose Of the
grower.
Many thousands of acres of the fin
est vineyards In California have been
badly damaged by excessive applica-
ton of water and must be again re
claimed" by drainage. The same is
true OF a large section In the Salt
Lake valley and In the valley below
Fort Collins, Col. At Barstow, Tex.
II has been found necessary to dig i'm
mense drainage canals to carry on the
excess water with which he soil
has been saturated. and the ano-
maly is presented of irrigation and
drainage bitches paralleling each 9TH
err, the latter to counteract the unwise
and extravagant use of the former.
And this, in the face of cruel short
age of water. thousands Of acres are
not titled for want of any supply
whatever.
II might be well for each irrigation
section to have a board Of practical ir-
rigationists who. with engineering d.
rection should educate all users OF ir-
rigation waters In the prudent and ju-
dicious distribution.
is the having OF water ''on tap to use
when needed and held In reserve
when not needed.
In a country where 1t rains but sell
dom and never in violent storms.
weather forecasts may be ignored. but
in a land where cloudbursts and semi
deluges are among the probabilities.
double dose" should be guarded
against with every possible precaution.
Having secured a water supply treat
Il as II 1t was worth money-do not
throw It away. Learn how much is re-
quired to mature each crop planted
and use no more. including the natural
precipitation. Do not drown your
lands just because you are entitled to
take the water. II you do not need
windbreak. plant fruit trees along your
bitches instead of shade trees. The
Mormons do this with good results.
Do not flood your orchards. fruit
trees do not need as much as alfalfa.
and moisture encourages the presence
of insect pests.
Find what your land is best adapted
for and specialize those crops. Do not
try to force nature against her will
you'll lose money trying.