The Clovis news. [volume] (Clovis, N.M.) 1907-1929, 1913-06-12
NOTICE FOR PUBLlCATfov
Va ene vun0o, ndpUiIahCe IN r.
rIgatlon Country.
Farmer Should Hire Engineer Who 10
Capable Of Making Necessary
9urvey and Who Knows How
60 Lay out Good system.

CRy ~ b.. HOUSE. Colorado Arricui-
turai Coiiese)
The drainage Of lands Is Of great i'm.
poFt0nce- as the subject Of irrigation
itself. We apply water to the soil
and call It irrigating; we spread It
over the ground and see It sink from
sight; we sec crops grow and forget
al about the excess water we apply.
This water, however. Is not lost and In
later years win return to bless us or
curse us, as the case may be. end II
usually comes in the form Of a curse
rather than q blessing.
What Is there that detracts more
from the appearance Of a prosperous
farming community, as we drive along
the country roads and look at the
magnificent crops, than to see here
and there large tracts Of barren waste
covered with white alkali so common
In this state, producing absolutely
nothing and all on account Of a high
water table? Perhaps this ground used
to be as productive as any in the
community, but in later years farmers
H1NR AAAA0 ~ AAANNHNANA0 " ANANg AAJE
thing upon II. They have finally aban
doned It, and there # lies worthless to
the farmer and worthless TO the com
munity at large.
Why this state Of affairs? II is due.
rs stated before. to the high water
table or, IN other words. to the tact
that the underground water has risen
naafNN e. Hn u~Nfhfn "a Hnar foot 30 fNtn.rrrw-
face. Capillary action is then set up
and excessive quantities Of water
work from the water table TO the sur
face Of the ground and there evapo-
rate. leaving behind the elements that
they carry in solution. These saHs
form the alkall which we see on the
surface Of the ground.
Can this land be reclaimed and can
It ever be made lrst-class farming
landf The answer to this question is
yes" It may be reclaimed in a mum
Der Of ways, but the only permanent
way is to thoroughly drain the tract.
The laying out and installation OF a
drain Is not the simplest problem in
the world, and is too often attempted
by men who know nothing about it.
MY advice to the farmer is to hire
some engineer who is capable Of ma
king the necessary survey and who
knows how to lay out a drain system.
Water is becoming extremely val
liable in eastern Colorado and in many
Instances land may be drained, the
outlet Of the drain being 80 placed
that the discharge enters some irriga,
ton canal, and after filing upon the
same the owner may sell Il to or rent
Il prodtably. This has been done in a
number of cases near Fort Collins. In
some cases the flow has been sufficient
to pay for the installation Of the en-
tire drainage system. Drain water
makes good late water, as the flow
usually continues well into the fall
and when water in the bitches be.
comes low. The seepage water enter.
Ing the drain is a maximum, hence the
value.
The drainage Of lands should be
considered whenever irrigation Is con
templated, because. II the subsoil Of
the community does not Of itself form
a natural drain, It is only a question
OF time when the underground water
will be so increased in volume that the
water table will reach the surface In
the many low spots. The worst alkali
and seeped tracts that could be found
in the country have been experiment.
ed upon and reclaimed in such a man
ner that luxuriant crops have been
grown upon them while surrounding
them on all sides was a barren alEali
waste. A drainage system properly In.
stalled may be counted upon to do the
work