Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-03-15
FOR LESS IRRIGATION
Excessive Use of Water Causing
Much Damage.
BY Proper Cultivation OF Soil, Surface
of Ground Ia Kept Loose So That
Moisture ls Prevented
From Evaporating.

The more / go over the state, the
| pie being awakened to the fact that
they must do more cultivation and
less Irrigation. There are vast areas
of land all over the state that are be-
Ing ruined by excessive irrigation 1t
Is causing large areas to become wat
ter logged and swampy, says writer
Ia the Desert Farmer 1t Is causing
large areas to change from fertile
fields to alkali beds. It is causing
vast areas to become over-run with
weeds.
BY proper cultivation OF the SOIL
the surface of the ground is kept
loose so that the moisture which has
soaked into 1t from rains and melting
SHOWS is prevented from rising to the
surface and thus evaporating into the
air. We can cultivate with less ex-
pense than we can irrigate and our
soil by SO doing Is always kept in
better condition for crop production.
Irrigation always has the tendency to
produce shallow rooted plants because
the roots always develop where they
can get the moisture. The roots OF
such plants will be able to get less
food from the soil for the develop
inent OF the plant than will the roots
OF plants which penetrate to greater
depths into the soil because they will
have less area from which to draw
their food.
Plants require considerable
amount of moisture for their proper
development. 1t has been estimated
that under normal conditions it takes
about $50 tons of water to produce
one ton of alfalfa hay, and about 50
tons of water to mature one bushel
of wheat. An inch of rainfall on one
acre weighs little over 113 tons, so
that where the annual rainfall is about |
IL inches, 1855 tons of water falls |
upon every acre of ground every year. |
This would be enough to produce. IL IL |
were all conserved and could be used |
by the plants, 1888 tons Of alfalfa or
~ bushels of wheat. The only way
IN which we can conserve this mois-
lure in the soil, SO that the plants can
Use 1t when they need 1t, is by thor
)ugh cultivation. The cultivation, too,
must be done at the proper time
which is as soon In the spring as the
ground can be worked without dan
ger of injuring the texture of the soil,
md after each heavy rain storm. II
t is left until some more convenient
ime much moisture Is lost Last
pring | induced a farmer to pillow
wo acres of land upon the same day
Turing the last week In May. Soil
light feet Immediately after blowing
nd the moisture determined. The
wo acres contained about 16 per cent
( moisture or 2,240 tons of water was
eld in the soil on each acre to the
epth of eight feet. One acre was
arrowed Immediately after blowing
nd the other acre was left rough
Tithout being narrowed for one week 8
fter week, soil samples we're again t
iken to the depth of eight feet. The {
ere that had been narrowed had lost /
tons OF water, while the acre that
ad not been narrowed had lost ITO !
ms of water. or enough to produce
ne ton of alfalfa, or 1874 bushels OF J
heat. Think for a moment, II you
IN. of the thousands of tons OF wa 4
II that are being lost each day, each }
eek and each year in our state.
hink OF the vast amount OF irrfgat-
g this would save. and the great In y
ease in yield which this would
ing to our state. a