The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1910-09-01
Understands them and their applica-


believe the time to irrigate is when
there is no crop growing. Nearly all
crops should be irrigated before they
are planted The soil should be put
in the best possible state of filth and
stored with enough moisture, at least
to terminate the seed and supply the
early growth of the plants. Potato soil
should be irrigated in the spring be-
fore it is plowed Some crops, like
potatoes and sugar beets, require the
most moisture in the later part OF the
season Wheat should be irrigated
most during the middle part of the
time of its growth. To be on the safe
quite young These things show the
variations which must be practiced to
produce the best results and points to
the Importance of the farmer looking
up the culture of each crop he expects
to raise. Some few crops, like onions,
should be flood irrigated. Other crops
give best results If water is never
allowed to touch the crowns of the
plant. Some crops should not be irri-
gated at certain stages of growth I'M
Jess absolutely necessary to save them,
Experience tells the farmer when his
crop is suffering for water and no
general rule can be laid down. Short
season crops may be ripened early by
keeping water away. Often late irri-
cations are responsible for injury to
the immature crop by frost.
Over much of the arid region there
is possibility of running water on to
the soil in the winter season and often
sufficient moisture may be stored for
the production of most excellent crops
the following season. On some farms
in the west, even during freezing
weather, the water supply from
springs or bitches may be run on the
land and stored, either as moisture in
the soil or as ice on the surface. Us
ing the water in this way in the winter
and the same water for irrigating adj
ditional land in the summer makes a
small water supply cover double the
amount Of land
Everything the farmer can do to
make the application Of water to his
crop and soil more efficient, should be
done. When either flood irrigation or
irrigation by burrows is practiced, the
crop should be drilled with the slope
of the land so the water is more rap
idly spread by following the burrows.
There is one form of drill that we
would recommend irrigation farmers
to avoid. This is the single disc drill
The single discs are set opposite ways
each side of the center and throw the
soil in opposite directions. This makes
ridges of soil which interfere with
spreading the water in irrigation. In
small fields where it is desired to
avoid back burrows or dead burrows
the two-way pillow will be found of
advantage. This implement is a double
pillow which swings on a pivot and can
be changed at the end of each furTow
so the land may be plowed from one
side to the other without leaving any
ridges and with the least amount of
turning and tramping of soil by the
team. We recommend the use of the
four or eight-horse leveler which may
| be run over the ground both ways af-
| ter every blowing. Such leveling OF
the soil saves much work in the distri.
| button of water
On new land where the sub-soil is
almost invariably dry, much water
| will be needed the first two seasons tic
moisten this sub-soil or, fill it with
the capillary or film moisture which
|
this moisture will be held year to year
and it will not be necessary to apply
such large amounts in irrigation. The
total amount of water to give the best
results on different soils and different
crops, varies greatly. On light sandy
bottom soils with gravel underneath,
| farmers sometimes use from six to
eight feet deep of water during the
season. A flood irrigation cannot be
made with less than four to tx inches
at a single application. Usually a
| thorough flood irrigation viii require
! from nine to eleven inches deep of
water over the surface. This does not
mean that enough water must run on
| to the land to stand to this depth, but
| that the amount soaked into the soil or
run off as waste will total enough to
| reach the depth indicated if it all re-
| manned on the surface. The irrigation
laws of the arid states generally pro-
vide that the limit of a water right
shall be one cubic foot per second con-
tinuous flow for from seventy to one
hundred acres of land. AS a general
rule, it is thought that enough water
| to cover the land to a depth of two feet
| is sufficient average for western
| crops. We are learning more all the
time about the economic use of water
To do effectual irrigating the farm
| er needs good sized head Of water. A
very small stream soaks away toe
| fast and cannot be spread over suffi-
cient land On land which lies well
| for irrigation an experienced irriga-
| tor can handle head of from two to
three cubic feet per second. If he on
| ly has water right for eighty eacres
| of one subic foot per second, it usually
| pay to rotate in the use of water with
neighbor in order to do his .irrigatine
in the quickest and most efficient
manner. Many western irrigators use
too much water and too little cultiva-
ton. Many injure their crops and
soils by allowing the water to run toe
long on one place, drowning the plants
| and alkalizing the soil. A quick appli,
cation of water which thoroughly
soaks the land and then removing it
to give the soil opportunity to become
aerated again. is best.
| In tho arid raVionc cvetan1c IF irri