American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-08-10
USE roc MuoH WATER.

H~@
USE TOO MUCH WATER.
Tests which have been made ut
the Cooling experimental station
disclose interesting facts as TO duty
OF water, according 10 Don II. Bark.
director OF Irrigation Investigations
in this state, who has returned TO
Boise from the south.
Different amounts OF water have
been put on three kinds Of grain the
Sonora, Bluestem and Defiance
wheats, to find out how much water
should be applied to secure the best
results. Tho amount OF water va
ried on 81 different plots, from dry
farming, with no application. all the
way up to four feet Of water during
this season. The stuff hasn't been
threshed yet. and when 1t Is,
important data will be Forthcoming.
The observations show hat these
grains grew finely up to a depth OF
one and q half feet OF water. but
from there on they dropped off on
yields Of both straw and grain. This
therefore indicates that about q foot
and . half OF water Ii the right
measure for the season on that par
ticular soil and for that kind OF q
crop.
The soil at the station IL the typ
ical lava ash which IL common to a
greater part OF southern Idaho, SO
that probobly similar results would
be secured In other places.-Boise
Statesman.
The soil at Gooding. where the
tests were made. is very similar to
that on the American Falls Carey
tract near Aberdeen. Evaporation In
this vicinity il less than at Gooding.
because OF a greater altitude and
consequent cooler nights, so that II
n foot and a half Is sufficient at
Gooding It certainly should be here.
and those who use a greater amount
ma be doing 80 at the expense OF
the crop. 1t Is claimed by experts
that more failures result from too
much rather than too little water,
especially In the case OF beginners,
and that old ~irrigators are given to
trying to make water replace cul-
tivation. Plenty of fall irrigation and
not more than two spring irrigations
for grain was the rule Mcpherson,
the Twin Falls expert insisted on,
and his lahors have produced uni
formly good crops wherever he has
been employed. Too much water
bakes the soil, excludes the air. and
sometimes causes harmful salts to
arise. The result of the experiments
IL worthy of the consideration OF ey-
cry irrigator who is not securing the
results he hoped for. The appearance
of a detailed statement OF how wa
ter was applied together with the
Yields, will be awaited with interest.
----------
Another sacred right of the people
IS being Violated right which
crnor Hawley ~stoutly proclaimed In
his campaign speeches, would never
occur II he We're elected. The thing
ne rallied at was the holding of ex-
~ecutive sessions of the state land
board behind closed doors. He would
throw them wide open and admit the
press and the p~ubllc--but he has not
done so. His duties have forced him
TO realize that there are times n
occasions when the service OF the
public Is best accomplished by a
measure OF secrecy. and last week
the governor ordered reporters ex-
cluded from such a meeting. the
Press Is not complaining because ne
did SO. believing that the matter
under consideration demanded some
secrecy, not In the final disposition,
but In a discussion OF its features,
but II would like to see less bum
comb on the part of high Officials.
Had Mr.. Hawley made less noise In
his campaign and not berated MS
opponent for doing the same thing
that he has done. he would appear
10 better advantage.