The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-12-22

!, state OF Idaho, has, In cooperation
with the state engineers office, been
carrying on series of experiments
: for the past two years by means of
; which ii is hoped to determine this
very important factor, and we have
secured a vast amount of data con-
corning it. These experiments have
all been carried out on comparative
ly large areas and in a practical
way.
1t does not give any indication of
how much water is necessary for
maximum crop production on any
soil to merely measure the amount
that some farmer applies for the rea-
son that the same or larger crop
might have been produced with either
more or less water than that which
was really used, so we have been
trying to work out this feature by
selecting a large number of tracts
on typical farms in different parts of
Idaho and then divide each tract in
to three different parts and apply
different amounts of water to each
one. Water was measured and var
led in this manner on 60 different
farms during 1910 and on as many
more during the past season. Sev-
eral factors in regard to the use of
water have been very strongly en-
phasized, the principal ones being
that the amount of water required
depends upon. CD The character of
the soil and sub-soil. The texture
of the soil as regards porosity has
more to do with the amount of wa
ter used than any other one thing
and it has been found that adobe
soils may be irrigated with a total
application of but or acre inches
while in some instances from l to 2
acre feet are required to spread over
and thoroughly irrigate an acre Of
very gravelly soil. At least 2-3 Of
this latter amount is almost invar-
lably wasted as it either passes into
the ground water or percolates be-
yond the reach of the plant roots.
If coarse soil is underlaid with an
impervious stratum, the amount of
water necessary is materially cut
down, while if the impervious stra-
tum is lacking, some irrigation sys-
tenn must be used which will flood
the ground quickly before the water
has time to penetrate too deeply IL
a high duty is to be secured.
CD Climatic Conditions-Th an
nual precipitation and it's seasonal
together with the tenn
perature, humidity and wind move
ment, all have very evident effect
upon the amount of water required.
co Diversification of Farm Crops
Where farm Is all devoted to one
crop such as grain, hay or potatoes,
he greatest need for water usually
alls within comparatively short
line, and there is but little use for
t during the rest of the season. while
~ diversifying his crops, the farm
RS need for water will be more con-
tant and he is better able to make
,ood use of continuous flow of the
Itch throughout the season.
(4) Use of Rotation-It is we'll
,nown to most irrigators that little
an be accomplished by irrigating
With small heads of water, and
much larger and better use Is Sc
ured from the water where larger
leads can be used. Rotation sys-
ems, by means of which farmer
an exchange water with his neigh
or and use larger heads for shorter
)eriods, are now being used with
uccess in many localities and the
aving of water is very material.
co. Preparation of the Land
faximum crop production can not
e secured without uniform wetting
I the soil and this is impossible IL
he land Is not properly prepared and
ven land. it is plain to see, requires
lore water than smooth land, for it
as to be held on the land long
nough to soak up the high spots.
areful preparation of the land is an
bsolute necessity If the best use is
, be secured from the water.
60 Kind OF crop grown whether
lltiyated or non-cultivated and
myth of season that 1t needs water
ave very direct bearing upon the
mount of water that will be re-
uired by the crop. Spring grains,
n account of their short season of
rowth require considerably less wa
n than alfalfa which grows from
tTly SpftuS uHJll ldtc ldll. WluIcE
rains, all other things being equal,
squires less irrigation water than
BRING grains, because of their abil-
y to utilize more OF the moisture
eposited in the soil from winter
A crop that can be
will need considerably less
alter than non-cultivated one be-
,use of the great saving that can
2 made by the reduction of the
through cultivation.
1t is as easy to apply too much
alter as it is to apply too little and
very bit as harmful. The expert
ents carried on this year at Good
e show up the results of over-ir-
cation very clearly. We had 81
fferent plots of wheat consisting of
varieties of plots each. These
ere planted and handled in exactly
e same manner except that differ
1t amounts of water were applied
each plot, all three varieties be-
6 handled alike as check one up
/ another. The water applied to
Ich of the three series of plots was
II NJ L. e.. Ii.