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Show IRRIGATION OLD AS HILLS Nature of Crops to Varied That Amount of Mnlsture Needed Muit Ba First Ascertained (By R. L. PARRHAM, Colorado AfrlruU . , tural CoIIck i Irrigation la as old as the hills, and Is artificially supplying moisture to tha soil for tha growth of plants. In all these years the science of irrigation ir-rigation has not been made exact Nature Is ao varied that Irrigation must be made to meet the existing conditions. Soil ts composed of minute parti, clea, Irregular In appearance, and, when collected Into a mass, there Is a certain part of this that la space, and In this apace water may be stored. It la this water ao held In the soil that Is useful to the growth of plants. A certain crop muat have a certain amount of moisture for Its needs; too much may be detrimental; detri-mental; not enough may cause the loss of the cr6p, but fortunately the llmlta are wide. The particular quea-tlon quea-tlon always arises: What Is tho required re-quired ainouut of water for a maximum maxi-mum yield? We nrst find that soils differ In their make up; different subsoils; the slope of the ground varlea in different differ-ent localltlea, and general climatic condltlona may be different All these considered, It may be said that what would be the proper amount to supply in one caae may be too much or not enough in other cases. Efficient Effi-cient Irrigation consists In supplying the requisite amount of moisture to tbe soil, and this may be accomplished by adding water to the ground, or regulating the drainage. It has been said that good plant growth will result re-sult If we have one pound of free moisture In the soil to about ten pounda of soil. This, of course, Is general, and depends upon the kind of soil and the kind of crop. You might make a test and determine deter-mine for yourself the right amount for your farm and particular crop. First, select a place In your field where the plant growth seems to be best. Take from the roots of the planta a sample of the soli, which hould be an average from the top root to the lower roots. Place this ample Immediately Into sealed jars A known weight. Weigh the Jars and contents and the Increase wilt i the true weight of soli and moisture. moist-ure. Put the soli In a pan and place In an oven of moderate tern- ' ?erature for aeveral houra. When :ooled to the temperature of the oom, weigh again. The difference etweea the weights of the damp aoll in' the dry aoll will give the weight )f free water, or moisture that Is ivallable for the growth tof plant. |
