OCR Text |
Show GIVE SIMPLE ROLES FOR PROPER APPLICA TION OF-IRRIGATION WA TER Proper application of Irrigation water can do more than anything ' else to Increase crop yields and farm Income, conserve water, prsvent erosion, and check the loss cf valuable val-uable minerals, according to W. M. Hasfurther, representative of the Soil Conservation Service who Is working wlth cooperators of the Iron County Soil Conservation District Dist-rict "There Is only one right way to Irrigate and that is to put water into the soil to the depths of plant roots and no deeper," said Mr. Hasfurther. Has-further. He adds that fanners can do an efficient job of Irrigating If they will follow a few basic rules. First of all, the Irrigation farmer farm-er should know where the water Is going, how deeply It Is percolating throughout the length of the run and how much Is running off the lower end of the field as waste. In an Ideal Irrigation system there should be no waste water running off the lower end the field or border. bor-der. Water running off the field into the roadways, borrow-dltches or onto fields where it doesn't belong be-long Is (not only a waste of water but Is actually money out of the farmer's poekets In more ways than one. The first thing needed for good Irrigation Is proper leveling of the land, because water cannot be controlled con-trolled properly on lar.l that is too sloping or uneven. With a properly pro-perly leveled field there Is no excuse ex-cuse for water running off the field, except poor management. However, even with proper leveling level-ing It Is still possible to waste water wa-ter or to do an Inefficient job of Irrigation. This comes about by the irrigator putting on more water than crops can use. If too much water wa-ter is put on, he explained, It dees not Btay in the root lone for use by the crop, but percolates deeper and is wasted. Plants will not send their roots any deeper because of extra water, as all plants have definite def-inite rooting habits in (different kinds of soils which Is the real factor fac-tor In determining root growth. Besides wasting water, over -Irrigation usually cuts crop yields and washes plant food, such as nitrates out of the soli, Mr. Hasfurther pointed out. Many farmers put on expensive fertilizer and then turn right around and wash ft away with the Irrigation water, Another way to waste water and goll fertility Is by the practice of Irrigating by the calendar Instead of only when the crop needs It, the soli conservationist said. A shovel or soil auger should be used to find out how far down the plants have used up available moisture, and then only enough water should be put on to wet the ground to this depth and no deeper. Putting more water down to where there Is already al-ready plenty of moisture Just does n't make sense. That's why It's so important to know where the moisture mois-ture level Is before you start to Irrigate. Ir-rigate. ! Having control of your water at all times Is also very necessary to do a good Job of Irrigating. Just as valves and other control devices are needed In a plumbing system In a house cr In a city water system, so are headgates, turnouts, drops, or other structures needed In an Irrigation Irriga-tion system if it Is to work at its highest efficiency. N Several Iron county farmers have Improved their irrigation systems under the technical guidance of soil conservation technicians, and report re-port that thoy have cut their Irrigating Irri-gating time In half, have Increased Increas-ed their yields by 25 to 50 per cent and are using from 25 to 50 per cent less water than before. "This kind' of work doesn't cost the farmer, It actually pays him to do it. In fact, the farmer who intends in-tends to stay In the business of farming through poor times as well as good, cannot afford to go on using Inefficient methods of irrigation", irri-gation", the conservationist-concluded. |