Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-12-30

damaged by frost before maturity.
The largest increase was nearly 18O
per cent In general, it seems safe to
say that the intelligent application of
water to crops will easily increase
yields from rs to $50 per cent. In
other words, irrigation properly ap-
piled will double the output of farm
ing opertions.
Irrigation Of Forage Crops.
The growing Importance of the
dairy industry in the Willamette val
ley is fast bringing the production OF
forage crops to be one of the most
important phases of farm practice
The climatic conditions during the
growing period Of these crops are such
as to make the fullest development
difficult. Owing to the mild. moist
spring, most hay crops, II permitted
to grow, are ready for cutting toward
the first of June, but as a rule rainy
period may be expected about that
time. and unless the time of curing
be DELAYED the hay crop is very apt to
be damaged while curing. To prevent
this and to delay the haying season
until more settled weather can be
counted upon, the practice OF pastur-
ing the crop in it's early stages OF
growth, in March, April and May has
become quite common. BY so doing,
however, the growth of possible
second crop is delayed and the dry
summer period comes on before the
plants can make much headway to-
ward a second crop. AS result, only
one good crop of hay is secured, with
.possibly one light crop following,
which is either cut for hay or allowed
to produce seed.
Another effect of the dry summer
season is to deprive the dairy herd OF
green food during the very months Oh
the year when it should be the most
abundant. Through the balance OF the
year, by judicious selection OF solllng
crops, dairy COWS can be provided WIN
green food. In the summer time when
the pastures are all dried up they
must subsist on dry hay and silage.
One of the greatest benefits to be de-
rived from irrigation will therefore be
in the production of forage crops.
The Hillsboro experiments have
shown conclusively that in the case
of red clover the yield can easily De
Increased 100 per cent, and not only
Is It thus possible to increase the pro-
ductiveness of the land, but the DAIRY
herd can be provided with green Iod-
der throughout the dry summer Dy
soiling the crop, thus solving one OF
the most serious problems confronting
the dairyman at the present time.
irrigation Of Potatoes.
The benefit of irrigation to pota-
toes seems to be quite well demon
strated. A question yet to be solved
in connection with late-planted pota-
toes is whether it is best to irrlgate
before planting or, after, The potatoes
raised thus far which have been irri-
gated after planting have shown
slight tendency to be rough coated ana
subject to second growth unless the
water is applied at the right time. AS
all the potatoes raised were produced
on rather heavy land, it is thought this
trouble may be due to the heavy SOILS
running together and hindering the
nroper development of the tuber. One
experiment was tried in l9OS N whlcn
the soil was irrigated. then ploWeu
and seeded, and no more water given
To the crop. The crop was planted the
second week in July The tuDers
showed neither of the troubles men
toned, and promised a heavy yleld up
to the time the frost killed the vines
and stopped their growth. Just wnat
is the best method of irrigating late
planted potatoes remains for future
investigation.
Irrigation Of Corn.
Irrigation almost doubles the yield
of corn fodder. The production OF
corn fodder, however, is not IN I'M
portant item, since there are other
and better forage crops that can be
raised. What is needed is variety
of corn that can be ripened success
fully under Willamette valley condi-
tions, the grain to be used for finish
ing purposes in connection with the |
production of hogs and beef The
state experiment station is now breed
ing up such strain of corn. and If |
these efforts are successful an impor-
tant problem connected with stock
feeding will have been solved. The
value Of irrigation in the production
of ripe corn remains to be determined.
Irrigation of Root Crops.
Root crops can be immensely BEN
Gifted by irrigation, and as these will
form an important part Of the produc-
ton and feeding ration on the diver
sified farm, the value of irrigation in
in their production can be readily APP
preciated
Elmer Roland Wells on Irrigation.
There has been talk Of irrigation In
the valley east of Springfield for the
past two yers. 1t seems that some of
the farmers want irrigation while 9th
ers do not believe that irrigation will
bring the desired results
Let us pause for a moment 70 con-
slider the character of the soil in
other places where irrigation Is COM
mon.
There are two kinds OF soil In the
Willamette valley. One Is the sedi-
ment soil along the river bottoms,
which has been formed Of sediment
from oyerilows. This soil Ia from two