| Show APPLYING WATER TO CROPS irrigation supply and its use should demand most moist thoughtful consideration elder atlon of dest best minds minde every day the question arises arisen to the irrigator how am I 1 to know how much water to apply to my crops there aro are hayfi by which this can bo be done and the time almo will vill come coma when every irrigator will avail himself of these means water to 1 tho the most moat valuable thing in the arid region moro more valuable than gold or silver oliver or any other of our resources or products therefore the water supply and its use should demand the most thoughtful consideration of of tho the best beat minds writes alex mcdonald in tho the denver field and farm I 1 have found by actual experience that 16 inches of water including rainfall supplied during the growing season will produce 76 75 bushels of wheat and bushels bushel tt of oatsie oats oat sIf lt properly distributed and conserved more water added to tho the soil did not increase its production but rather decreased it lessiter Lee sAter than t thle produced nearly as much as tho the amount given hence the water that Is added to the soil in excess of the needs of tho the plant Is wasting wealth and it behooves tho the irrigator or he men who are using water to study this his question well so BO that they may ma ma make ko water do its ito whole duty and thus increase the area of tillable landi land many who are not used to irrigating often look upon it as aa a mysterious work I 1 invariably say to these cheso me if they pose as farmers tar mera do you know when soil eoll Is in good condition if they answer yes then I 1 tell them to keep it that way they do not have to wilt wait for rain they can supply water themselves and hence there Is no excuse for not keeping it in good condition so far as moisture Is ii coni con berned next how are we to find fina out how much water to apply in the soil coil 1 have used the following plan take a ship auger with a shank tree three toot feet long or more bore into the ahe ground before the crops are planted take alt of the soil and put it in a ro bep bacle properly cover to prevent loss of moisture and take it to a drug I 1 store and wet weigh gh it then take this same soil and place it in an oven or anywhere a temperature of about degrees may be obtained until thor hughly dried then weigh the soil boll again from this the water in tho the ground can bo be computed then after iri irrigating do this again and li it will tell you it you do it immediately after irrigating how much water the soil contains when saturated and if it you wait 24 libers and tako take a sample in like manner it will tell tall approximately how much water the soil eoll holds in a form that plants can use in fact successful dry farn farmers lers in tho the northwest follow this plan every year ot of course precipitation there comas cornea in tho the late fall winter and early spring and thoy they find that it if they have equal to 12 to 16 15 inches ot of water available for planta that they can count on a crop if not they must conserve this moisture by summer hummer lowing fallowing fal and await more precipitation then again other tests testa may be used dig into the ground 3 or 4 inches and talin a handful of the soil and squeeze alf f it remains in a ball then it to Is unnecessary to supply moisture of course this pro lire supposes that there Is moisture down below and that the ground Is not too sandy some borne may say this Is too much trou brou blo but they should bo be willing to trouble themselves when there Is money in it tho the compost heap every garden should have its compost heap where rotted sods waste vegetables from the kitchen fallen leaves lawn trimmings and all varieties of vegetable matter mixed with soil Is piled to decay turn it over occasionally it if it smokes or steams turn it over lit at once and wet it slow decay la Is what Is wanted not for ment atlon D disease breeding 0 reed ing houses in closely built houses w where here there thera Is poor ventilation the air becomes contaminated by gases arising from falth and the accumulation of droppings As the heris hens are exposed to to these gases during burins the night it Is ig no wonder that the system becomes poisoned by them and disease results irrigation in the east irr irrigation ignation Is fast becoming more and more popular in the east market gar doners donera find it especially valuable in forcing crops thus being enabled to get them on the market ahead of their competitors irrigated pumpkins the yield of pumpkins under arrisa flon Is marvelous so BO that a small email patch even will yield on an enormous enor moui amount 0 of I 1 succulent food which corn com banos well with alfalfa pasture or al falfa hay siberian eggs imported four thousand pounds of siberian eggs were imported from russia by way of liverpool wid aud placed in bond in philadelphia they are reported tr bein be in excellent condition |
