Show Early Spring Irrigation and the Use of Flood Waters i j v By L. L M. M Winsor Id In the tho crisis which confronts America today there are arCS at least le st two Important things that must be dono done First the of gigantic active military ar army ny and navy for tor service vice and second the increasing of the nations nation's food and munitions supply supply sup sup- needs of th the meet the urgent 1 ply 11 to country Of ot these two tasks it I Is probable that the latter will be bo m nos mast difficult to accomplish There Is a 1 I duty for every every- loyal citizen to per per- orm and a great responsibility rests Dp upon n the tiller of ot the soil soU To him th nation must turn for those pro- pro products 4 ducts darts required for tor the maintenance of f a food tood supply not only for Americans Ameri Amerl of ot our allies cans ans but also for tor many In In Increasing to the fullest ext extent exten the he resources of at the state many thousands thou thou- sands Minds of acres of ot undeveloped lands lani must be brought under cultivation and more than this the water available avail avail- able for Irrigation must be tally cally llY utilized I Iri Utah moisture Is the limiting factor in operation co production and evel every available supply should be developed to the f fRest lest extent 1 if pro- pro du n Is to be Increased to the the One source of ot moisture supply ply hitherto given but me meager ger attention Js is that that furnished by mountain streams during flood time fu In early eally In many sections of ot the state states the flood wat wat- waters waters s a ai large percentage of ers ers is allowed to run to waste or atthe at atthe atthe the best Is used In an indifferent manner J The loss Ions to farmers in this Is enormous enormous enormous enor enor- when considered as a whole Ono One e of the main troubles Is traceable to imperfect canal systems And the lack of pr proper proper per diversion dams and control gates Every stream should be with adequate adequate ade ade- qu quate te diversions and canals for 1 handling the entire surplus on lands which are without a water right or which have only a partial r right These canals should be clean arid and In rea readiness ness when the floods come on so BO that thet that no water will be allowed to 4 1 alte fe Utah has an abundance o oland of land Hand ta d but a very limited water supply arid and many large tracts are still sun in brush oy or or In farm dry-farm crops when they might ni ht be i Irrigated by the surplus surplus sur sur- plus flood water Other sections co covered red by a limited supply of oJ norm normal normal nor nor- m mal l fio ao flow might u utilize Uze the high water in early early spring awing irrigation with decided decided ed benefit i The he early spring water in the case o of 1 already under Irrigation may maybe maybe maybe be applied with benefit on 1 Alfalfa lands where the ground groundwater groundwater groundwater water is fa far f r re removed h ved from the sur sur- fac face 2 2 On ull wel drained ln d lands which are ar are to be pl planted te later in the season 3 On Op grain grain lands before planting where the normal moisture content content 1 of the land is ins insufficient to mature th the Crop op without further irrigation One sit such h Irrigation before planting JB usually worth two after arter planting Over Irrigation of ot any soil is harmful harmful harmful harm harm- ful but u under der irrigation when ben water ater is available tor for use and when tho the farmer claims a right to its its use user should be a misdemeanor punishable by revo revoking ing the right Jo o. o such use T The e early rl w wat wars l eis rs should d be used with with just rust justas as as s' s n much much much- u h. h care care as is exercised exer xer- exercised in hi i mid s season season son in order that none will be e. e wasted v s Wat Water r prop prop- erl erly s stored o red in t the e soil oil means m ful tul crops crops The he It t i is stored Int in n t- t Lie tle e arid and s soils t IJ-t the more ing power It has when brought Into action ac ae- action tion Uon In Ji the Igro 1 i Therefore There fore the soILa considered b be e a storage reservoir more valuable t constructed d f for r tb the pending pending- of llo flood Caters in s or k i I i In n ay normal U Utah h soil li of ot aver average aver v vage age depth plowed in t the e fall or early early- spring then d and thoroughly cultivated i d bet before ro planting of gra gram grain corn beans beans e or 01 1 be assured without further tion Af After er Irrigating an an alfalfa lt Bold early tie spring tooth harrow should be applied freely treely in order to loosen the surface and insure tho the fre free cir air circulation clr- clr of air and tho conservation of ot tho the moisture thus stored Wha Wh Wh- n na a field of ot plowed 1 land nd has been Irrigated iiri Irrigated gated before It should should-be should be followed by by a thorough harrowing cf the s surface surface in order that a blanket mulch may may Jj prevent v nt evaporation and Insure plenty of ot moisture for tor germination germ germi nation atlon of crop gr growth If Il the cultivated area is Js is to be ph Planted to potatoes the surface mulch may be made two or three Jn Inches hes de p but if alfalfa grain or or other otner small seeds are to b be planted this sur surface mulch ulc should uld ace sh be but on onor one or not over one one and one-half one Inches deep Failures in the uniform germ nation of small email seeds needs on lana lane irrigated Irrl- Irrl irrigated gated rated before planting are arc usually traceable seeable to the fact that the soil eon has been stirred too deep after irrigation In the spring the soil will dry out Just as deep as it has been disturbed These are a few tew of ot the points which may well be considered If Utah IB Js toI to todo todo do her par part pare In the great task of feedIng feeding feed feed- Ing a nation or nations In this great I world conflict |