Arizona republican., 1910-01-12
Contents.


 Introduction.
 IrrigabIe lands adapted to alfalfa. The removal of native vegetation. Preparatory crop.
 Methods of irrigating alfalfa
 The border method. The check method. ! The flooding method.
 The furrow method. Farm ditches.
 1 The subirrigation of alfalfa fields. The amount of water required.
 The proper time to irrigate alfalfa | Winter irrigation of alfalfa. Winter killing of alfalfa.
 Seeding alfalfa on land to be irri- gated.
 Rise of ground water and it's effects on alfalfa
 The injurious effect of silt on alfalfa ! and the benefits to be derived from | disking
 Pasuring irrigated alfalfa. Production of alfalfa seed under ir- rigation.
 Profits to the irrigator. Copies Of this bulletin may be se- cured by addressing the delegate to | congress or irrigation investigations United States department of agricul- ture. Fleming building. Phoenix. Ari- zoEa.
 This division of the department of agriculture Is one that is at present 1 renewing activities in the territory. Several years ago W. H. Code. now of the United States department of the interior and then chief engineer of the Consolidated Canal company. was em- ployed as special agent to prepare re- ports on the duty of water in Salt river valley for the irrigation investi- gations. For a few years no agent has been stationed in the territory. but the department has received so many calls for information on such matters as the use of water and on the possibilities of pumping from wells for irrigation that it has been de- cided to establish headquarters in this, city for Ecrk in the territory. The person ass Hnco to take charge of the Aiizona work for the time being Is q. l.. Tat. who has previously repre- scented the department in southern California. One ar more men are to be stationed here who will visit all sections of the territory with view to keeping in touch with the develop inent for irrigation and to collect data -to- be made public in the form of official reports and bulletins tn supply the needs of water users. Similar in- vestigations are carried on in All parts of the country by congressional au- thority and the bulletins issued are intended to give full information to irrigators and settlers on the possi bilities of growing profitable crops by irrigation. the cost and manner of se- curing water rights and of distribut- ing water under mutual systems and of applying it to the land to get the most beneficial results. The bulletins number that are awaiting publication. Others deal with the irrigation of fruits. sugar beets, etc.
 Investigations that are of much in- terest in this part of the country in- clude one on the economic use of wa ter pumped for irrigation in the citrus fruit districts of southern California and one on the removal of silt from canals and ditches The subject of canal cleaning is one that is becom- ing very important in the districts of the southwest and many of the irriga ton companies are preparing to usel special machinery for cleaning pur- poses. The department is being called on for advice as to methods and costs of cleaning canals and arrangements are being made to send an engineer from tine Phoenix office to Browns vile. Texas, and to the Yaqui riverl valley of Mexico to discuss the sub ject of canal cleaning with the peo- pie of those localities at their request. The district covered in gathering ma terial on this subject includes Arizona. { New Mexico. Texas and southern California. The Salt river valley hasl less canal cleaning to do than many of the other irrigated sections of the southwest as the river is not muddy , all of the time and the quantity of silti deposited in the ditches is much less | than in some Of the systems taking | water from the Colorado. Gila and the Rin C.ra nffe. |