Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1912-03-14

~ ing q large number OF tracts OF Typ
- cal farms in different parts Of l1ah
: and then divide each tract into tire
different parts and apply diferen
- amounts Of water 20 each one Wa-e
r. was measured and varied in this man
ner on sixty different farms durini
1870 and OF as many more during IN
past season Several factors IN regar,
70 the use Of water have been yer,
strongly emphasized. the princ.pz
ones being that the amount Of waite
required depends upon. ID The
character Of the soil and sub-soil The
texture Of the soil as regards poro
:. sity has more 70 DO with the amount
i OF water used than any other one
; thing and il has been found that
> adobe soils may Be irrigated with a
: total application OF but two or three
! acre inches while n some instances
I from one 10 TWO acre feet are -
CURED 10 spread over and thoroughly
irrigate an acre OF very gravelly soil.
, At east 2-3 OF this latter amount is
almost invariably wasted as il either
passes into the ground water or per
colates beyond the reach OF the plan,
roots. II coarse soil IS un6erlaid
with an impervious stratum. the
amount OF water necessary is ma
terialiy cut down. while If the imper
vious stratum is lacking. some irriga.
ion system must be used which viii
food the ground quickly before the
water has time 10 penetrate too deep
ly if a high duty is 10 be secured.
~ Climatic Conditions.-The an
nual preci pitation and its seasonal
distribution, together with the temper
allure. humidity and wind movement.
all have very evident effect upon
the amount Of water required.
~ Diversifcation OF Farm
Crops--Where a farm is all devoted
10 one crop such as grain. hay or Do
tatoes. the greatest need for water
usually falls within a comparatively
short time. and there is but little use
for il during the rest OF the season.
while by diTersifying his crops. the
farmers need for water will be more
constant and he is better able 10
make good use OF continuous flow
OF the ditch throughout the season.
"a Use OF Rotation.-It is well
known TO most irrigators that little
can be accomplished by irigating with
small heads of water. and a much
larger and better use is secured from
the water where larger heads can be
used Rotation systems. by means of
which a farmer can exchange water
with his neighbor and use larger
heads for shorter periods. are now
being used with success in many 10
calities and the saving Of water is
very material.
90 Preparation of the Land
Maximum crop production can not be
secured without a uniform wetting Of I
the soil and this is impossible if the I
land is not properly prepared and I
leFeled for irrigation. Rough. uneven /
iand' 1t is plain TO see. requires more /
water than smooth land, for it has 10
be neld on the land long enough TO
soak up the high spots. Careful prep
aration OF the land is an absolute
necessity if the best use is 10 be Sc
cured from the water.
90 Kind of crop grown whether
cultivated or non-cultivated and length
of season that it needs water have
very direct bearing upon the amount
d water that will be required by the
;rop. Spring grains, on account Of
heir short season Of growth. REQUIRES
less water than alfalfa.
which grows from early spring until
ate fall Winter grains. all other
hings being equal, require less irri.
cation water than spring grains he.
'ause OF their ability TO utilize more /
u the moisture deposited in the soil I
rom winter precipitation. A crop
nat can be cultivated will need con
lderaoly less water than a non-culti
,ated one. because OF the great saving
nat can be made by the reduction OF
ne evaporation through cultivation.
II is as easy to apply too much !
'ater as 1t is TO apply too little. and
very bit as harmful. The exneri. {
1ents carried on this year at Good. {
~ snow up the results of over-irri I
alton very clearly. We had twenty G
ne diHerent plots of wheat consist. a
IL OF three varieties of seven plots +
ach. Inese were planted and hand. 4
"a IN exactly the same manner ex >
ept that different amounts of water
ere applied to each plot. all three =
arleties being handled alike as
neck one upon another. The water u
pplled TO each of the three series nj
lots was varied all the way from "
othing upon the first plot of each fl
'rles' to an average depth of an l II
.oxlmately two and a half feet -
mere the greatest amount was an =
led. With the dry farming where =
water was applied the yield was y
1000 pounds per acre N
the amount of water was increased IL
e yield also increased until the Mot p
ceivlng an application of approxi. 81
ately IL feet made yield of SO0 IN
unds per acre, after which the Weld al
creased rapidly until the blot 70. ST
wing an application of from 1s IN N
feet yielded less on the average %
an that which received no water at h.
. This shows strikingly the effects -. ~
oyer-irrigation on wheat and shows =,
ADDITION, as do all of the other OK. BIZ
riments that we have carried on III
II spring grains do not require or
lcn water. Alfalfa and clover CT
all of the experiments ar
We responded to the use of larger ma
cunts OF water and hove - A