Pueblo chieftain., 1922-02-13
What is Excessive Irrigation?

piled at the top OF the soil the upper
layers first become saturated. the
lower layers then take on 4 little less,
those lower still little less. until. II
the right amount OF water Is applied.
the major part of the water applied
will be found in the upper soil layers.
gradually diminishing until there is
scarcely any movement OF the water
applied beyond the depth OF 10 feet
This, OF course. is not 80 In gravelly
soils or those undcrlaid with hardan,
am speaking here OF soils OF uniform
consistency and texture. 1t Ii OF prime
Importance for the irrigation farmer
to maintain his soil TO "a depth Of 10
feet In an average unsaturated con-
dition.
EFFECTS OF EXCESSIVE TRANS.
PIRATIOS
The proper growth and development
OF plants require that the plant roots
absorb moisture from the soil, carry
that moisture thru the plant stems
into the plant leaves, where 1t Is fin
ally evaporated from the leaf surfaces.
The ratio OF this Transportation may be
varied greatly. The factors upon
which the rate of Transportation de-
quantity OF water contained In the
soil. The more water there is in the
soil, the more water is passed thru the
plant and cvaporatcd ut the plant
leaves. Transportation increases. in
short. In proportion to the amount Of
water found in the soil. In that re-
spect, plants do not have any reguia-
tory apparatus, SO far as Is known.
Tho farmer can, ut will, compel
larger Transportation stream or a small
or ono by applying more or less water.
This is made still more important
from the fact that the growth Of the
plant does not keep pace with the
quantity of water used in transpira-
tion; that is to say. 1t does not fol-
thru tho plant that the crop is grow
inc moro rapidly. In fact, careful
studies carried over a large period OF
years havc made it clear that the guam
tity OF water used to produce II pound
OF crop becomes larger and larger the
more water is applied to tho soils. In
other words. the water cost OF plants is
higher as more water is used. There
comes n time at last. If excessive guam
titles of water are applied. when plant
growth almost ceases. The plant be-
comes merely an apparatus for pump
ing the excess water from the soil
thru it's own structure into the air.
and this work consumes the energy of
the plant which otherwise should be
uStu III vi EipNNi
farmer familiar at all with irrigation
agriculture has recognized this condi-
,ion--tho stuntcd yellow plants grow
ing on fields whero too much water
has bccn applied.
Tho first harmful effect of excessive
irrigation is, therefore, that the farm
c. who, at considerable cost, has Sc
cured water for irrigation purposes re-
ceives less plant substance for the
water he uses than If he irrigated
more wisely, moro economically, and
that, In fact, by the persistent and
constant misuse Of irrigation water 1t
Is possible to make The plant growth
so small as to make tho whole hus-
bandry Improbable.
EFFECT OF sEEPAGE
There is an equally dclctcrious effect
of excessive irrigation upon the soil.
Naturally. water disIolvcs more or less
rapidly almost anything with which 1T
comes In contact. Few substances
known to man arc wholly insoluble in
water. The soil constituents are all
slowly soluble in water. Continuous
occur when water Is continue
ally passing thru soils When water
is applied excessively in Irrigation,