American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1913-02-27
BEST WATER ron IRRIGATION
Only Exception Being That which
Flows Over Alkall or Other Min-
erals Injurious to Soil.

What tG meant Dy btOrm "eeSA
storm water Ii q word that IL inten'
ded to refer to all rainfall that does
not sink into the soil. Storm water
also applies to that kind OF water
that comes from Melting SHOWS -
the mountains. The names proDaDiy
started from the torrents OF water
that flow down streams after heavy
rains and that comes down many
streams in the spring and early sum-
mer from melting SHOWS, but now
ever It started, 1t signifies all water
from rain or snow that does not sink
Into the soil, writes H. M. Madison
In the Texas Stockman and Farmer.
It will readily be seen that almost all
storm water is Of the very best kind
Tor irrigation, the only exception being
that which flows over alkali or other
mineral lands and become filled with
substances that are injurious to the
soil.
The problem Is, therefore, how to
catch this storm water and hold 1t
SO 1t can be used In those seasons
when 1t IL most needed. Many ways
have been devised for this purpose.
and most all of them have been sue
cessful at certain places. One method.
may be good at nj place, but be-
cause of the kind Of soil or subsoil
may be bad at another. Or on &C
count of the lay Of the land one plan
may be good In a certain section and
useless in another. All the ways OF
using storm water will not be de-
scribed in this weeks issue, but a very
simple form will be outlined. This Is
a form that almost every farmer can
use to advantage, yet as a substitute
for the best forms of irrigation 1t Is
poor.
All 1t requires in the way of cash
outlay is the amount to be paid to a
civil engineer to contour the land.
This is simply ~ascertaining the shape
and size Of lands that are on the same
level. There might be ten acres in
one tract, five acres in another and
fifty in still another. The shapes of
these different tracts might be very
different. But when the engineer has
run the lines and given the size and
shape of the tracts that are on the
same level, there are little dams or
levees to be thrown up along the lines
the engineer has run. This can be
done with a team and pillow In the
same way an ordinary head land is
made liz blowing. A hoe and spade
can be used afterward to rake the
dirt into little breaks and to make
the levee hold water. In the winter
and spring when the heavy rains
come these little levees keep the wa.
ter from running off, and as the levels
nave been run makes the water stand
somewhat evenly on any one of the
tracts. This water in a few hours or
days will soak into the soil and wet
1t down deep. Instead of it running
on through streams and rivers to the
Gulf of Mexico, it is kept right in the
land.
BY and by, when summer m
and there is a drought the excess of
moisture that was held in the land
from the winter and spring rains
helps to sustain the crop. 1t will be
readily seen that plants with deem
roots are best adapted to this kind
OF farming. 1t will also be seen that
when the dry season comes It ia de.
cidedly better to use the princinles
OF dry farming, especially is it good
to stir the soil frequently, but only
to shallow depths. At the close Of
the spring rain season, 1t is also we'll
to roll or in some way pack the
ground. for the reason that this tends
10 prevent the moisture In the soil
from evaporating. Later during the
time when the soil is stirred frequent.
~ only to shallow depths, it will be
found that the nearer to dust the verv
top soil is kept the less will he the
evaporation of the moisture and ~
better will be the results