El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-10-19

difference of opinion, however. as to
how much water is actually required
for the different soils. as between the
heavv clay and the sandy soils The
courts have adjudicated the entire wa
Ter supply of the whole streams, only TO
find that in the course OF time read
judica ton could and should be made IN
view of the increase from year to year
in the duty OF water.
Canal companies have constructed
large projects and have provided In the
contracts with their patrons that Ger
tain quantity OF water per acre snail
be delivered from the canal system
perpetually each season. only TO fino
that in q few years the duty OF water
has increased by skilful operation and
other. and natural causes. to such an
extent that the terms OF the contract
in this respect are often mutually
abandoned.
The Natural Law.
We are Just at this time beginning
10 learn that there is a positive and
reliable source of testimony upon this
subject in the natural law which gov
ems the Transportation of moisture
through the stems and leaves of plants
OF in other words. the travel Of water
from the soil through the roots. stems
and leaves of plants in the process Of
its evaporation therefrom into the air.
absolute that il applies TO nearly all
classes Of soil and so nearly the same
in all conditions OF climate that II can
be relied upon for all practical pur-
poses. For instance, we have learned
that the duty Of water for 50 buShel
wheat crop is about Is acre inches Of
water to the acre of crop. That is TO
say. "A crop OF wheat that yields so
bushels per acre. can pass through its
roots. stems and leaves into the air.
during its entire growing and matur-
ing season: 1900 tons OF water per acre,
or an amount Of water that viii cover
each acre of ground 10 inches deep;
ian acre inch Of water is an acre Of
water one inch deep and weighs little
more than 100 tons)-
Amount Different Crops Use.
a 20 bushel crop of barley can use
Is acre inches
a 100 busheI crop Of oats can use
Is acre inches.
a 100 busheI crop Of corn can use
a 900 busheI crop of potatoes can
use II acre inches
a four ton crop of alfalfa can use
1s acre inches
And yet I have heard farmers testify
in court in the honest effort TO protect
their own interests that their success
depended on a water duty OF from 60 TO
50 acres TO the second foot flow
Duty Of the Acres
Now thar We have learned just
what an acre inch Of water means in
depth and weight as well as its rela-
ton TO the production of crops. let US
see Just what the above expressions
mean N acre inches a duty Of so acres
10 the second foot flow means that
during the ordinary irrigation season
Of six months. each acre shall be sup
piled with so acre inches. or about
four times as much as the maximum
yield OF crops can utilize
a duty Of so acres to the second foot
flow means 50 acre inches
g a dur- of 100 acres TO the second
foot flow means - acre inches
a duty of $50 acres to the second
foot flow means % acre inches. or
practically twice as much as the maxi
mum yield of crops can utilize.
Not DeeeivInS ourselves.
we are not deceivinE ourselves
here: because We are seeing 40 bushels
Of wheat per acre taken from many OF
our mountain valleys every two years
when the total precipitation has av-
eraEed but u inches per year for %
years Assuming that one-half Of this
moisture evapOrated direct from the
soil surface during the nOngrowing
season. we can understand that there
we're only L more acre inches available
for this crop Of 40 bushels per acre
Is il any wonder that the studious If
-igator is astounded at this wanton
waste Of so valuable an element
There are two portions Of our COM
munity that are deeply interested IN
his SUBJECT AliF man " AAU A4s1S AAlbl 2
land than water. because he can use
more water 10 advantage; the man who
Is using more water than his crops can
use to advantage ffor the reason that
he has convinced the court or jury
that he is entitled to it,; because these
excess waters are doing his land much
more harm than good
Most Potent Element.
Why more harm than gOOd2 Be
cause Of the fact that water is the
most potent and important element in
al Of natures great laboratory. its
great function is its ability TO gather,
to hold and to convey all kinds of solu-
bic materials, good, bad and indiffer-
snt
Put water into the top of a barrel
II wood ashes and catch the water from
he bottom Of the barrel. analyze the
water and pour it into the barrel again.
and when you catch and analyze the
water the second time. YOU find II car
-ies more I've in solution than it did
the first trip: II lost nothing. but gath
cred, held and conveyed more solids
than before.
Catch the waste waters from an ir-
-igated farm in a catchment ditch. an
llyze them and drain them upon an
1ther equally fertile farm for use in
irrigation. gather these waters again
md analyze them and you Will find that
they have gathered more soil ingredi-
ents than they contained when leaving
he other farm We need not worry
lbout the water the crops utilize. but
We must watch the excess waters that
eave our farm as we can be sure that
hey are carrying away plant foods
hat we cannot afford TO spare.
Rain Drop Gathers as II goes.
From the time the rain drop in its
purity falls upon the mountain top
and enters the soil il begins its func-
lions and never ceases 10 gather, hold
tnc convey until il reaches the river
he lake or the sea
Let US follow some OF these waters
Is they are diverted 10 a farm for ir-
-igatiOn upon an acre of alfalfa upon
which four tons of cured hay are to be
grOWn. The thrifty farmer has hriIf IN ]