Show tl lIME E OF IRRIGATION Character of Soil and Subsoil Has Much Influence Sufficient Water Should Be Applied to Saturate Land to Depth of Four to Six Feet Irrigation Feet Irrigation Should Be Followed by Harrow By WALTER W. W Irrigation Irrigation Irrigation gation Engineer Department of or Agriculture Agriculture Agriculture Agri Agri- culture The character of the soil son and subsoil subsoil sub sub- soil soU has a large Influence upon the time Ume of Irrigating Ung A heavy soil soU with tight subsoil will receive large quantities quantities ties lies of moisture and hold It for a long longtime longtime time making It possible to Irrigate heavily y yand and at long intervals If It such sucha a t tsoU soil soU Is with gravel the water will drain out and more frequent frequent fre fre- quent Irrigation will be necessary The same principle holds with lighter soils The lighter the soils and the themore themore themore more open the the more frequently frequently fre fre- fre- fre It will be necessary to Irrl gato gate The lighter soils have less Water water wa Wa- ter capacity so that the Irrigations should be light and frequent The Ideal condition seems to be to have sufficient moisture In the soil at atthe atthe atthe the time Ume of seeding to germinate the seed and keep the plants growing until until until un un- un- un til they are large enough to to- shade the ground when the crop Is Irrigated It ItIs ItIs Itis Is Irrigated again when the grain Is In Inthe Inthe inthe the boot that boot that Is when the heads are Just beginning to show show and and sometimes sometimes sometimes some some- times again gain when the heads are till fill ing In localities having a small water precipitation or where the evaporation evaporation tion Is excessive during the winter months as Is the case along part of the Pacific coast In New Mexico Arizona Arizona Arizona Ari Ari- zona and a few ew other localities the utility of Irrigation during the non- non growing season has been ed Where the water supply Is deficient deficient defier ent Irrigation at a time when the water water water wa wa- ter can be obtained either In the winter winter win win- ter or the spring before planting Is of service to store moisture In the soil for the plants plant's use later In the sea sea- son Winter Is not well understood understood un un- un or Its benefits realized as would be the case were the more extensive Irrigation prior to planting Is la of great service In localities localities ties ies with a limited water supply where here such supply Is required by other other oth er and more profitable crops later In Inthe Inthe inthe the season In winter Irrigation the land Is irrigated irrigated irrigated gated once or twice before heavy freezing we weather ther the first Irrigation two wo weeks to a month prior to the thelast thelast last ast one which should occur Just beor be- be for or heavy frost The better method of winter Irrigating Is by the furrow method method unless the land can can be hare harrowed bar bar- rowed owed after the last irrigation as as a mulched surface during the winter Is desired that t tie the e winter precipitation may enter the soil soU readily Sufficient water should be applied to saturate the he soil soU to a depth of four our to six feet provided the soil Is rather deep and not near the surface with porous material su such h as sand and gravel Some difficulty Is experienced upon pon the heavy lands In irrigating In Inthe inthe the he spring prior to planting as the soil oil dries out very slowly and the grain cannot be planted until late Better results are obtained in 10 such cases ases by watering just art after r the crop cropas has as been planted The furrow method meth meth- od d is to be preferred upon medium to heavy eavy soils If irrigation is required at t any time before the pl plants have attained attained at- at sufficient growth to to shade the ground round In case water is s applied In Inthe inthe the le spring before planting the land should be plowed ban harrowed owed furrowed and nd Irrigated fhe The he irrigation should be je followed as s soon as possible by byle bythe bythe the le disk harrow and the float then by seeding ceding If the land has been plowed plow- plow ed d the previous fall the disk harrow burrow should take the place of the plow Furrowing Burrowing should follow planting for forthe forthe the le purpose of subsequent irrigations If the land is not to be Irrigated until un- un til 1 after the grain Is planted the land should hould be plowed if not plowed the theaU theall fall all previous double disked harrowed harrow- harrow ed dr floated planted and furrowed In Inthe inthe the le order name named d. d In case the ground grounds is s cloddy the roller MIler may be used eith er r before or after the disk Late Lale summer or early fall irrigation I Is s proving very satisfactory for destroying de de- de weeds upon foul land |