Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1911-02-23

~ training and the environments OF
the irrigators themselves.
Then apart from the influence
which early training may exert.
there is always present the vital
question of money.
Many new settlers have not the
means to prepare their fields for the
easy and efficient methods of irri-
cation. They are compelled to re-
sort to crude methods.
Others again have an excuse for
their poor methods. They are ten
ants and wish to obtain the greatest
immediate returns for the least pos
sible expense.
The size of farm has also much
to do with the manner of irrigating
it,
There is a wide diversity in soils
and subsoils. This diversity calls for
notifications in the methods en-
ployed in preparing the surface and
applying the water The farmer in
one locality cannot use the furrow
system on account of the porous ma
ture of the soil and subsoil. In 9TH
er localities nothing but burrows can
be used for the reason that the fine
volcanic soil bakes so readily when
the surface is flooded as to damage
the crops.
The nature of the surfarce as we'll
as the steepness of the slopes is like
wise to be considered.
And. finally the variety of the crop
raised is a cause of the differences
in irrigation methods.
1t is unfortunate that an impress
sion has gone abroad that irrigation
is some kind Of mysterious science
and before one can become an irri-
gator he must go through a long and
tedious course of training.
Irrigation is very simple and prac-
ticable, and any farmer with intelli-
gence enough to know that water
will not readily flow up hill and that
vegetation can be drowned by an ex-
cess of moisture. as well as famish-
ed by drouth. may become a good,
practical irrigator with one season s
experience.
For the purpose of irrigating the
thing of the most Importance is the
preparation of the ground by level
ing and grading.
To prepare land well for irriga-
ton is very important, for in it's nat
ural state the ground is generally
very irregular. and a certain amount
of leveling is required.
The Injurious effects of attempt
ing to spread water over uneven sur
} faces is soon apparent, as the wat
er settles in the low places while
not enough reaches the higher ele
vations, leaving the crops thereon
, to burn up or be of inferior qualit.
or quantity.
When once field is properly grad
ed, one man can apply the water t.
every part of it with greater rapidit
and effectiveness than two or tire
} men can irrigate a ike area whei
the land is not properly leveled
Grading should usually be done af
ter the bitches have been made, a
it will be found that less gradin
will have to be done than in reduc
ing the whole farm TO a uniform
slope.
Too much stress cannot be put up
on the Importance of leveling tn
} surface of the field between the LAT
erals at the outset.
The amount of leveling necessar
will depend on the fall or slope o
} the land. When the slope is consid
cradle comparatively little levelin
is required, but when the land ha
very little slope great pains mus
be taken to make the surface as ey
en- as possible
The improvement is a permanent
one. and the time and labor spent i
such preparation is amply compen
stated for by the ease with which il
rigation is accomplished and tn
greater yield in crops
The laying out of a system O
bitches and laterals on a farm. t
convey the water over the land
rather a difficult problem for a be
ginner and it is always best to hav
this work done in the first instanc
by SOME one who has had experience
In laying out a system of lateral
to serve a farm, it is important 70
future saving Of money and labor
run the main lateral along the higl