Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-18
IRRTGATOR FACES
MANY PROBLEMS
Essentials Of Intensive AgricuI-
ture In Sacramento Valley Dis
cussed by Development Direc-
tor--Simple Things Wrongly
Done.

I'm discussing irrigation practice in
tho Sacramento Valley" said w. S.
| GuIlford, director of agriculture Of the
Sacramento Valley Irrigation Company,
IL recent address. ~ shall attempt TO
cover some OF tho points that seem to
me TO have been the cause of success
or failure-both with new settlers who
are buying subdivision acreagc-and So
called 'old-timers,' who are abandoning
| extensive grain farming wholly or In
part for more intensive operations under
| irripat on.
such propositions as the duty OF
| water, cost of pumping plants, compara-
| tive value of plants OF different kinds
| and many other highly important factors
have been, or arc being worked out by
| the investigators with time and appl-
! anccs for such careful and scientific
| studies. Many of the things | will touch
| upon are so simple and self-evidcnt that
| 1t would seem that no thinking person
would ever do them wrong, yet they arc
| repeatedly the cause of Inconvenience
and loss In every irrigated section in the
| United States
CHOOSE LAND CAREFULLY.
The first consideration in connection
with prospective irrigated farm is the
choice OF the land. Factors which gov
| orh the value Of land for an irrigated
| farm arc Character of soil contour
| irrigation facilities and transportation.
THE soil should be selected with refer
ehco TO the crops to be grown. In al
most every part of California where land
rs Tor sale 1T Is possible to find similar
land to that which IT might be thought
desirable TO purchase, growing profitabIo
intensive crops. Tf the principal crop to
pe grown by prospective settler is
prunes, Tor instance, and In the neigh
porhood Of a piece of land he has Sc
iected prunes are being successfully
srowh IN similar land. he can be rea-
sonaoiy sure of his choise as far as crop
adaptation is concerned In general n
rlch soil. well drained and free from
hardpan and alkalI. should be chosen.
hen There Is the cost of lcveling to
consider, and land with an even slope
iree h from deep depressions that viii
nave TO be iilled-and not so level that
1t mas to be moved long distances I'm
order TO make the water run, can often
De ieVeled for irrigation for $50 to $50 less
per acre than some other land.
me klnd OF an irrigation system
rrorn which water is to be secured
whether from gravity flow or pumping
Is consideration that affects future
pronts. II water is to come from wells
inc assurance OF supply is OF import
ahce' also the cost Of pumping and main
tcnance. The same applies to water from
gravity project. a stream must FUR
nish water throughout the season to he
OF the greatest value.
Many of the products from an irrigated
tarm are bulky, and transportation from
the place where they are grown to the
railroad or boat, and the cost of sending
them to market must be figured for a
term of years 1t is possible the cost
OF hauling heavy crops to a loading point
may be large percentage of the total
cost of production.
WHAT IRRIGATION SEEKS.
The fundamentals of irrigation prac-
tlce arc based on the object of irrigation.
Irrigation is practiced to supply to the
soil in the area in which roots take plant
FOOD sufficient amount of moisture for |
the best possible development of the plant |
Many different methods of applying |
water are necessary to accomplish this |
result with the different kinds of soil. |
rms is what makes every successful ir-
rigator student and is the reason that
an ingenious, thinking person gets better
results than one who simply irrigates
without knowing what the water is DONG
There is no better way to learn what
the condition OF the soil is than to dig
holes into it, before and after Irrigation,
TO IND out how dry the soil is and
whether Or not the moisture has pene-
trated to the proper depth.
IN order to be of the greatest pos
7ipi' u tue tree OF plant irrigated, |
moisture must penetrate as deeply into
the soil as the roots can feed to advan-
LaGc. Water penetrates open. sandy soil
rcadlly, and the biggest problem in this
KIND of land is to get 1t over the sur
'acc without wasting too much through
he sub-Soil Checks or burrows must be
snort and big head of water used.
PENETRATING THE SOIL.
where the land is heavy, with a large
Der cent of clay and silt, as It is in a
;reat part of the Sacramento valley the
iifticulty is TO get enough penetration.
Nhen the soil Is thoroughly dried out |
o a considerable depth, as it was last
ear. small stream of water must he
un for long time before IL penctrates
hree to five feet. Two years ago. at
he Monroeville orchard of the Sacra-
nento Valley Irrigation Company on the
sacramento River near st. John in Glenn !
'ounty, the soil was thoroughly dried out
o depth of fifteen feet and the rains
I the winter OF l9l2-l9l3 penetrated only
wo or three feet and did not connect
he lower with the upper moisture Dur
lS the season of 1913 we were compelled
0 run small streams along the three
ows Tor ten days in order 10 get a
hree TO fve-foot penetration, as indi-
atcd by the steel rod when showed into
he Iurrow But irrigators were re-
ulred to get this penetration, and so
ontrol the stream that very lie was
'asted at the end of the 66O-foot rows.
ENGINEER NEEDED.
''unless the owner of the land OF the
ian who is to do the levelins is very
lmilllr with this kind Of work. it viI
iy to get = reliable, experienced engi-
GER to lay out the place. BY experience,
mean one Who has had experience in
e particular locality and under similar
ndltions to those prevailing on the place
be improved, In this way il is possi-
Q to bsneht by the mistakes that have l
'en previously made in handling the
H. water, etc, in the district in ques-
pm,
Even il the owner is experienced. a
ap OF the place with the proposed pres
L development and all future develop
5nt should be made, showing the an
oNlmate location OF drains, ditches
ecks, or borders, boxes, etc.
There seems to be good many places
lere prospective Irrigation farmer can
end money for the counsel and advice
d service of men experienced In the
tails OF the business with the assur-
ce that II he gets the right men ana
q rtnlt