The Ordway new era., 1910-11-18
T0..STi0(|lRE MOISTURE II
Prime Factor in Production OF IT.
4 : .rigated Crops. 3"
Farmer ..of Future Must Consider
Proper Storage Of Rainfall and
''".' snowfaIi'in Soil and Later =
."r :sWatsr:l Canal Above. : .,

The natural precipitation in this
arid codntry' may be made prime
factor ihathe production Of irrigated
CROPS and Of course it!s was the
foundation of farming without irri'
CATION: Irrigation should be- ailp-
Elemental only to-. the natural pro.
cipitation, and therefore the irrigation
farmer Of the future. must consider
first the proper storage Of the rain
fall and snowfall in the soil and later
the water right in the canal above
his farm. The soil of the farm II put
in proper condition acts as a storage
reservoir for the winter precipitation.
says Field apd Farm. The results OF
years Of experience show that In the
spring q large per cent, of the winter
upper eight feet Of soil. -.
In one case. as high as ninety-flve
per cent and an average Of fully
eighty per ;tent. Of the total winter
precipitation was accounted for IN the
upper eight feet. This proves conclu-
sively that the winter precipitation
maybe stored In the soil. In view of
the importance of the winter. precipi-.
tation In crop production. the methods,
Of conserving the snow and rainfall
becomes of great importance. It is
generally. conceded that ini order to
permit the winter precipitation to en-
ter tho soils easily and effectively the
plowing should be done in tho fall
and left in the rough throughout the
winter. To prevent loss of this Beor-
age moisture; when the warm sun
shine of spring and summer appears,
the fall plowed soil should be hnr.
rowed in early spring and by means
OF repeated harrowings a dry earth
mulch should be- kept on the surface.
e.: In many places where the winter
precipitation Is not great and the wa
ter in the stream goes to waste in
the fall much benefit may be gained
by. fail or winter irrigation. 1t is pos
sible to- store by these methods large
quantities, OF water to, be used in the
succeeding season by the growing
crops. When this is done. the amount
Of irrigation water that needs to be
applied the following season Is ma
terinlly 'lessened. Great care shclld
be taken however not to apply 80
mitch water. as to set up waterlogging
in the soil. Fall and winter irrign-
ton; is q coming practice in arid! dis
tricts bit It must be: done cautiously.
1t is especially safe on well.drained
LANDS. t''.: '-.
Our Colorado soils are able to hold
the rainfall. Of from one and one.half
to nearly two years. in the upper eight
feet. The. best results in arid farm
Ing will probably come when the wa
ter capacity is fully attained at seed
time to a depth Of at least eight feet
and perhaps deeper. This implies that
the total, precipitation of two years
fshould be, in the soil before planting.
, One years precipitation will. then be
taken out by the crop and that Of
another year will. be kept in tho soil
as O. working capital. with which to
enable. the. new moisture to move
downward. fapidly and to enable the
lower moisture to move upward With,
ease to the plant roots. ..Of course
in a very dry season like the past
summer this theory may no: work
out in all places. for. the rains come
in streaks across the country, so that
certain sections go for months with
OFT drop Of moisture.