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Show Farmers Urged To Plan For Modernization Of Irrigation Systems Now is the time to plan for the modernization of farm irrigation systems, according to W. W. Has-further, Has-further, district conservationist. "While war-time shortages of equipment and labor make it impossible im-possible to meet all the demands for irrigation improvement work, needs will be better met if jobs are planned early in the season," he said. "The experience of farmers throughout the state has demonstrated demon-strated that modernization of irrigation irri-gation layouts is a paying proposition propo-sition leveling of uneven fields has usually resulted in increases of from one-third to more than one-half in crop production . . . "Better distribution of water is the explanation of this yield increase. Of equal importance are properly-placed irrigation runs, and efficient turn-outs, which make it possible to maintain absolute ab-solute control over the flow in each irrigation furrow, so that plants at the far end of the field get as much moisture as those near the ditch. Prevents Water Wastage "These structures also prevent . the wasting of precious water and topsoil and the invisible but even more costly 'leaching out' of plant nutrients from the soil by excess water, which dissolves vital minerals min-erals and carries them far below the root level of the crop. "Many Utah farmers have cut their water bills 20 per cent, raised better crops, and kept their soil from wasting away by applying apply-ing irrigation water more efficiently." ef-ficiently." Members of the Lower Virgin-Santa Virgin-Santa Clara Soil Conservation district dis-trict are also enthusiastic over improving work on their irrigation irriga-tion systems because it is enabling them to get along without the extra "hands", unobtainable during dur-ing war-time, who formerly regulated regu-lated water flow by shoveling dirt, Mr. Hasfurther says. Whereas it took Woodrow Staheli 16 hours to irrigate 10 acres under the old system, he is doing the same job in only 10 hours, since he has modernized his irrigation layout, he reports. George Seegmiller has installed 25 turn-out boxes. By the use of these he is able to handle his irrigation water much easier. In order the facilitate the improvement im-provement of irrigation systems, the district has made arrangements arrange-ments with a private firm for the manufacture of standardized, precast pre-cast turn-out boxes, which are be-in be-in sold to members at cost. The boxes can be installed and moved easily by one man. They were designed by local Soil Conservation Conserva-tion technicians. The most common error in field layouts in this area is the use of runs that are too long, according ac-cording to Mr. Hasfurther. Run length frequently are as high as 1320 feet, where 400 feet should be the average to save water and allow penetration in the local soils. Should Use Spiles Farmers here, he believes, should also pay more attention to the use of spiles. These tubes, which lead from a ditch or stilling still-ing basin into irrigation furrows, and insure delivery of an even stream can be constructed by nailing nail-ing four laths together. The flow in each spile may be regulated easily by moving shingles stuck in the soil at the intake side. Irrigators also could save water if they would check penetration of moisture throughout their field by means of a moisture probe, he said. This probe is merely a thin rod with a "T" shaped handle. By thrusting it into the soil, the farmer soon learns to determine by "feel" just how deep the water is going. If the moisture penetration is below the root level of the crop, the farmer knows that he is wasting wast-ing water, since the old idea that "you jean make plants send roots just as deep as the water goes," has been definitely disproved, he declared. |