Pueblo chieftain., 1922-02-13

4 large quantities sccp steadily thru the
soil. to be lost. as far as tho crop Is
concerned. and those seepage waters
carry with them large quantities OF
Substance dissolved from the soil.
These dissolved substances are usually
those most easily dissolved and there
fore OF greatest value to the crop. The
losses OF nitrogen, potash. phosphoric
acid. and other important plant foods
are often very considerable. and In that
way the soil Is robbed OF its fertility,
which should be used for the produce
ton OF crops.
Too much water in soil reduces the
crop yield. by increased Transportation.
and by limiting tho plant foods. and
| can easily be made the primary cause
o: agriculture failure in irrigated re-
gtonS.
WATER LOGGING AND ALKALI
In addition the waters which sccp
thru the soils ~ result of excessive
irrigation accumulate. ultimately. In
the lowcr-lying portions of the land.
and there cvaporatc, leaving behind
the substances which they hold in So
luton and which have been taken
from the neighboring soils. Thus al
kali is formed. which as tho concomit-
ant OF unwtse irrigation, is ono OF the
most serious mcnaccs to tho pcrman-
NUNN VI
HOW MAY EXCESSIVE IRR1GA-
TON BE CORRECTED OR
AVOIDED?
First and fundamentally, by a bet
ter understanding by farmers OF the
principles that govern the use OF water
in irrigation. Few farmers really un-
dCrstand tho vital and fundamental
principles which arc In operation WHOM
water is used by plants or when water
passes thru the soil. There must be
n better knowledge among farmers OF
the general relationships that exist he
twcsn plants and polls and water. Then
the farmer must govern more careful
ly the amount OF water which nc ap-
plies each irrigation. He must know
how much he uses. In general, when
more than ) inches of water in depth
are applied in ono irrigation, much
water is lost by scepage. II farmers
can be made TO understand that the
quantity OF water used docs not do
torminc tho quantity of crop produced.
muca OF the battle against excessive
irrigation will have been won. Almost
above all 1t must be said with cmpha-
sis that irrigation is never to take
the place OF tillagc. Irrigated districts
are constantly bcsot with the danger
that tho farmer believes that by apply
ing water he can escape tho lsbors of
Irrigation can not with success take
the place OF tillngc. Irrigation and
tillage. hand in hand, give tho best
results.
THE NEW DUTY OF WATER
The phrase the duty of water has
long been recognized to Indicate the
value of water in producing crops. In
the western part of tho United States
where this phrase was coined, ii has
found It's way into the courts OF law.
It's general meaning is the area OF
land that given quantity OF water
may be made to scrvc. Thus n duty
of so acres mcanz that 1 sccond-foot
irrigatcs so acres OF land. In the be-
ginning of modern irrigation days
when farmers knew little about the
principles of irrigation, and had to ap-
Ply water to "A barren soil to produce
crops TO protect themselves against
starva ton. their only thought was to
spread water on the soil-much II thcy
had much. little IL they had only n
little. Later on. when more settlers
demanded participation In thc hcnc-
fits of tho stream, the term beneficial
use OF water camo into vogue. Water