Show RELATION OF IRRIGATION TO DRY FARMING I r. r w. w G The lad of or knowledge arnon among Inter Inter- parties of or tho work ork to be he UnI undertaken un un- I and which has already bo bon n II j Initiated at Che Cheyenne Wyoming by tho the Irrigation and drainage o investigation atlon i 3 of tho of of ot experiment st stations of ol I tho h United States department of or agricultUre agri- agri cultUre renders this opportunity to en enlighten enlighten enlighten en- en lighten the people of oC tho the Middle Weal Vest peculiarly favorable and it Is to b be bC hoped that tho tim following may ma make malo maloi j i clear to all all tho purpose of or the various ulous I demonstration farms a as 3 well as the tho thoI I and investigations ns to bo be pur- pur HUed In the year book of or tho the in In 1905 tho subject of or tho the relation oli of ol i liTigation irrigation to dr dry farming is discussed in a most thorough manner mannor by the chief of or tho the irrigation and drainage in investigations In- In Dr Elwood Mead and no paper could be bo written on this subject without drawing to a largo large extent on this tills publication of or tho the department It will therefore bo ho necessary to refer 4 in 10 tho the following to various extracts i from this paper and as the ilia department i hns forwarded a n number of or reprints I f if i this bulletin to Denver Donver which are are now I on tho ho table in tho the adjoining headquarters hea head head- quarters they arc are at the Iho disposal of or all allI I interested parties In ITt Introducing tho subject I cannot I do to bettor than to quote Dr Meads Mead's paI pa- pa 1 I vcr per freely freeh Ho iTo says under tho the caption The Tho Great arid Semi Strip i Between the thc lino IIno of or 20 Inch inches os aver n t annual rainfall that thatis is about the J meridian and tho the mountains mountains mountains moun moun- there thero is a strip of or land Jand reaching from rom Canada to tho Gulf of or Mexico 1 cm- cm bracing about bout acres h for tor agriculture i IH Is debatable ground This semi arid belt bel and and other separated som Th farther west present ono of nr lt tho tim greatest problems of or American ag zig- The Tho area Is 15 great the tho soil eoll is s deep an and exceedingly fertile ferlo an and tho tim healthful and agreeable aside need It for fOl forI from foni lack Jacl of oC moisture Men I homes All Mi AI Inter interests are arc eager cager to soe oe ne the tho setters settlers set set- settled provided these thelo areas area to avert or bo ho supporting self tiers can cn if J settlement is to mean disaster i i From oil nil classes como tho the questions 01 casca most of tho the methods will ml mako What hat mos I to lands How Ho can they be bo made support tho largest number of olvo thorn them the Ole greatest measure of or I human comfort J I assume that these arc aro among the tho th questions which tho tim convention con has 1 called cled to consider Believing that I irrigation on is Js ono one of tho the essential factors lao fac tors In iii making the tho most of lands Jand thorn support tho largest Jin In making thor to sot- sot number of pf and giving ng I tiers the tho greatest measure of or homeI home horm I comfort comfort I wish to explain tho UIO work I which tho the United States oC o of exi ex- ex i stations is not now carrying on onI I to show how tho the limited water ivator supplies sup sup- I plies pIes found in tho the farming dry region r can c bo be utilized in Irrigation and amI the their ir methods methods by which these water supplies can bo be made mudo to render the tho tho largest pos- pos this It is well i service serIce In doing wel to havo have a clear cler understanding of or tho kind of ot irrigation that Is heln being considered Briefly stated it moans mons the tho irrigation of ot from ono one to ten acres on each dry cry farm While it Jt Is believed tho the better bet bot- that the tho te more acres Irrigated bott bot- bot t ter r. r tho the limited water supply of or the where dr dry farming is being I adopted will only permit of tho irrigation irrigation tion ton o of a small smal percentage of tho land but a careful study of ot conditions c extending cx- cx tending over oer several years has lead cad leac to the this belief belef that b by utilizing the te available available avail avail- avat- avat able water ater supply through pump pumping ng rom soil soi water or underground i tre ms through the tho storage of ot stream i In small emal surface reservoirs or 1 through the tho saturation of tho the s subsoil by y the irrigation of ot land land whenever water can en be bo had for this purpose It will wIn bo be possible to irrigate from oneto ono one onoto onoto to ten acres on nearly every ever quarter of f land Jand In the semi arid region 11 It 1 is Js conceded at at the outset that tho the acro aero acre cost of this kind cind of ot Irrigation Is than tho the aero acre cost of ot Irrigation irrigation tion where water can bo taken from gravity canals but it I Is believed that tho the relation of this Irrigation to the tho te successful srul conduct of the dry dr farm fan Is la such as al' al to make mako the acre returns more valuable and to justify the Increased Outlay Even Een if it it Is admitted that through superior tillage methods and tho the s selection lelon of ot drou resistant drouth-resistant re crops the dry farm tarm cart can cn be and that Irrigation la Is not a n necessity it is still un believed that irrigation ought to ho bo Adopted d because It will wi pa pay It I will wi paY pay because higher priced crops can en be he be grown on the tho irrigated areas area beI be- be I Irrigation means mens more fruit more shade and green grcen la grass s and a a 1 I higher price for the farm far when hen sold sold The adv advantages of irrigation Uon to the i farm In Colorado are however of in n more substantial character The Tho dry- dry area arcs arc has ItS moved westward in this state until there Is now no line which I separates the irrigated an and the Ule dry dry- r- r farm tarm territory There Thoro Is no neutral l i zone zono now separating the arid and the tho semi arid regions Granting that in inears years ears of or well distributed or abundant rainfall crops crop can cn bo be grown Iown on lh th tue i I western border bor er of or the semi arid region rc IJ I I without irrigation aton there will bo be years car when oven even with wih tho the host best moho methods s of or tillage tho the failure of or the tho dr dry farm farJ will wilu willbo wH bo be almost complete Furthermore on the tho western bor border el of or the tho semi arid region Irrigation I Is as yet yot a necessity for tho the growing of man many crops Summer Sum Soul 1 mer fallowing and thorough tillage will wiil wi servo to grow wheat whet and resist drouth i ant crops ClOpS but it I will wil not answer for I trees tree and on much land Jand it I will not answer for Cor alfalfa alala The Tile d dry farm alm provides provides pro pro- vides no method of oC protecting proto tho the orchard orchard or or- chard or perennial crops from the tho seaSons sea sea- Sons Eons when a dry ry winter is followed by bya byn a n dr dry spring during which tho the percentage per her centa e of soil moisture falls below helow the lie th needs of or plant plant life If I trees small fruits and alfalfa aUala arc are to be a a feature of ot the tho dry farm arm tho the additional water waters to maintain continuous contin s supply necessary ar growth must bo be furnished by Iri- Iri gation alon Dr Mead cad says sa g further It I l is ono one thing to recognize l e tho the advantage ad vantage of irrigation another to provide pro pro- vide vido for it H. It I is believed however that It I is possible to control enough water to irrigate from Crom one to ten ton acres of land on each cach one ono of oC tho ho thousands of or farms where complete irrigation is 18 not possible and that this can be le done dono by byone b byone one of the three three following plans 1 Pumping from soil water or underground underground under under- ground round streams 2 storage In small surface reservoirs of ot storm waters or orte orthe orthe the Irregular how flow of or streams 3 cn Irrigation ir irrigation Ir- Ir r- r te with wih flood Hool water whenever It Itcan itcan I and antI can cn bo had usually In tho ho winter spring generally spoken of ot as winter I irrigation Time Tho recent developments of Irrigation irrigation tion ton b by pumping in tho the United States Stales are ure sl significant of what is to come ro are arc acres irrigated h from flom wells In California the lift JIt in many instances in instances In- In OO foot feet Including Including stances being over o 00 ing rice irrigation about acres of pC InS land ar are now irrigated in tho time United States by means of pumps In the tho arid region time the greatest development jf f r pumping is Js where tho the water supplies iro aro ample and tho the experience there will wil not servo Sel lot for tho the semi arid district district dis dis- where the time limited underground supplies must restrict both tho lImo capa capacity capao- capao I ty ity of tho the pump and tho ho kind of power used In InIn In India la tho timo area Irrigated ir irrigated 11 Ir- Ir from a a well is less lc s than an acre In this country countr we arc are likely to be bo equally equall restricted l' l For lor or the time lifting of or small smal quantifies of at water tho ho windmill mi has bas many a advantages and with wih improvements im lie- In construction calculated to give it Jt greater strength and amid endurance endur endur- anco ance tho time windmill promises to have havo 1 t great development as us a power agent Gasoline and amid steam engines for large areas aio aro more satisfactory but hut tho timo places 9 where there is enough water hn n the time soil sol to male make tho operation of or a a. gasoline engine profitable are limited l lIn in number and extent and those where steam can cn be used usel still more so 60 Next ext to tho well wel comes the time small surface reservoir storing storm water as a n means of ot irrigating a few acres of the dry farm To irrigate land in th southern half halt of ot time the semi arid region will wil on an nn average require two aero aero- feet of water for tor each ech aero acre and five acres would require the tho storage of or often often ten feet acre for tor irrigation with wih an additional ad additional ad- ad amount for losses b by seepage and evaporation Estimating that that half hal tho the water is so lost a reservoir covering coverIng cov coy ering five acres and having an average depth of ot four feet or covering two acres to an average o depth of oC ten rc fcc fco will provide provida for tor tho the irrigation of or five acres of or land There Thero are aro hundreds of water courses which are aro dry nearl nearly all al tho the year ear but which carry crry largo large quantities of water In spring and after heavy rains rains If I this water should be diverted and allowed to soak into time the subsoil it would servo serves sere the same samo saro purpose as summer fallowing with wih tho ad added ed advantage of tho the production production pro pro- ducton of a 3 crop every ever year car This kind l of or irrigation is commonly designated as winter Irrigation because the most land can be bo watered then but ItIs it itis itis is hero here intended to include Irrigation whenever water ater can be had Tho Iho irrigation of or ono one acre acro on a dry farm will wi make It I possible to grow a wind break of trees around tho farmers farmer's farm farm- I ers ors house and barns which will wil serve Berve as a Q shado shade in summer and and ono one of ot th time the best of protections against winds and storms In winter No range stockman needs argument to convince him of the value of these wind breaks and every everyone everyone one ono who has seen tho tim shimmering waves of or heat which riso from these gray and dusty usty plains in or sumner sumer appreciates appreciates ap ap- ap- ap predates tho the value of shade an and foliage in midsummer It I will Trill Insure a green lawn lan for tho time house the the growing of or a I wide wido range of or fruits and a n still tl Jar larger er l list t of oC the time host best vegetables which can I bo ho produced anywhere anywhere This will wil do doone I Ione one ono or two things tImings for fot tho the farmer It I I will wi save him from an excessive bill bil for Cor canned goods or from living on a mo- mo diet hieL dirt If I five acres of land loud are irrigated and ono one aero acre Is given to trees orchards an and garden loom four will wil bo be left leU for Cor field neld crops Pl Planted to alfalfa this will wil produce fifteen to twenty tons of I ii hay ay enough to support tho the farmers farmer's I much mich cows an and work worle hor horses s What I Ican can be done dono In tho the irrigation of ot four foar COr acres under Intensive cultivation Is shown by bv tho time returns of ot pumping plants That much land will wJ support n a r farmer in dry years If ho grows nothing noth noth- lug ing on time the rest of or his farm farm- Tho rho omco of ot experiment stations la Is es of or th's I now stud studying two 1111 phases question 1 Cost and methods of at providing a water supply and 2 cn tho tools and methods for Cor tho time distribution of or the water and tho the cultivation of or tho the soil to secure s eure its Is economical use Bulletins Bulletins Bul Bul- giving 1 practical advice aIon along ulon these lines will Ill wi be published from time timeto to as experiments and investigations I lons bring definite results 1 the Tho Time rore foregoing ful fully emphasizes reason which led to tho time location of ot if demonstration farms throughout tho time thoI I central district In ot order er to Lo prosecute these studios farms have been established on one oneat oneat in tho the northeastern north north- at Newcastle Wyoming eastern eastorn corner of oC that state sLate ono ommo at I Cheyenne Wyoming In iii limo tho southeastern southeast southeast- I ern era section and antI one ono at Ba Ends s In the tho tit eastern castern central portion porton of Ir Colora Colorado These stations wil will bo ho under practical practically I ly 13 similar con conditions and amid crops a an af wel as general studios will wil bo be tho time same They arc are located as near as HS possible to tho towns and the time railroad lines hues o 0 oas oas as ns to bo be easily accessible and amid over every everyone ono one Interested In tho the development de of or time tho work worl is cor cordially laly Invited to Ins pod t tho the premises These farms aro are not only to bo be maintained for tho time experiments which me are described below lint hut will whit wIl show what can calm be done ono by hy small smal ox- ox ponso and with wih a n little labor Jabol to make maken an n and amid pleasant plesant homo home hOle Now as to tho time problems which are aio to h toO ho bo O Invest Investigated First list and foremost Is the tho question o of securing adequate water supplies an and l ono MIO of tho special Mr J. J 15 E. Payne was sas delegated last Jast summer to cover over Eastern Eastorn Colorado with this o ob- ob In iii 1 ow Ho lie found Cound that thai und under under- r- r ground wat water r could be reached at a depth of from rom 10 to 00 feet feat below tho time of oC this surface over R n large portion porton area also that water could be stored on oil numerous miry dry dr creeks during certain portions of tho timo year The next question is the pumping or storing storIng of or sufficient water sater for use oi oa a small smal area area- area As pumping will wil bo ho the means resorted to in most instances this tins phase of ot the timo question queston Is naturally |