Show UTILITY OF FALL IRRIGATION All Surplus Reservoir Water Should Be Turned On to Land In Inthe inthe the tho Autumn 1 Many are so situated that they cannot can can- not do any winter Irrigation because tho the water Is turned off aU from the canal after the gr growing season and not t turned on again until irrigation Is to begin In the spring Natures Nature's way of ot breaking up and disintegrating the solids in the tho soil soU is by freezing and thawing and dry soil solI does not freeze very much Every farmer knows how loose and easily worked Is the soil soli after the ground thaws out In the spring and how often they wish they could keep it that way a all summer But is everybody doing all an possible to promote this condition Winter irrigation will help very materially ma ma- The effect of late fall Irrigation irrigation irrigation gation on alfalfa is very noticeable Ground Irrigated in the winter often prod produces uces on half haIr to three-fourths three of a ton more hay at the first cutting and during the past summer the first cutting cut cut- ting of at alfalfa from winter irrigated land ran as high as 3 tons the acre The effect on all other ground is quite noticeable in dr dry springs With the usual long dry winter and spring up to the first of May with but little moisture one would suppose that ther would be no difference between the ground Irrigated and that not irrigated irrigated irritated gated but the crops on Irrigated ground bround come up much quicker and make at least one-half one more growth during the summer One reason perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps is because they get the start of the weeds and keep the them choked I i down Many springs there is an abundance abundance I dance of moisture and every old range man knows that the best grass follows I Ia a soggy winter Some farmers have no water with which to irrigate in wintel winter winter win win- I ter tel but those who have should use it by all means All the surplus reservoir reservoir reservoir reser reser- voir water should be turned on to the theland theland theland land in the fall and run the risk ol oi entirely refilling during the winter Saving the moisture by tillage is almost as important in the growing of ofa ofa ofa a banner crop under Irrigation as itis it itis itis is for the dry farmer The condition of the soil soU during the growing season in regard to the amount of ot water its freedom from clods its mechanical condition on most of our soils have as much to do In making the crop as the fertility of the soil solI Of course we must have both to grow big crops year after year The soil solI must be loosened to good depth to allow the water from heavy rains to settle quickly and not stand on the top to form a crust to take in more water when Irrigated and so make less in number the irrigations with less leRs chance for the ground to bake |