OCR Text |
Show REDEEMING LAND BY DRAINAGE. Our department of agriculture sends out a warning to irrigators in which the statement It. njade that 10 per cent of the irrigated lands of the United Uni-ted States are either absolutely unproductive un-productive or given over to poor pas lures because they have become waterlogged wa-terlogged or encrusted with mineral salt. The agricultural department estimates esti-mates that to properly drain areas of his character will cost on the average I farm from $10 to $20 an acre At I Corinne, in this state, large acreage has been redeemed at a cost of $15 I an acre. Both open canals and covered conduits con-duits are in general U6e. The open canals, however, are intended prima ril for the main outlet systems in which provision must be made for a considerable flow of water The covered drains are for farm drainage proper, although, except for the additional ad-ditional expense, they could be used equally well for the main outlets. As a matter of fact, although they cost more than the open canals, the main tenanco charges are usually lower, much vahifible space is saved, and cultivation cul-tivation and irrigation are much easier with them than with open canals. In properly drained land bacterial activity is increased and more plant food provided by tho admission of air into the soil to take the place of the excess water which has been removed. The downward movement of water through the soil also leaches out the excess of harmful salts, and this is one of the most important functions of drainage In the irrigated sections The-water removed by the drainage system may be employed for the irrigation irri-gation of other areas, thereby increasing in-creasing the available Irrigated area Furthermore, drained land may be ployed earlier than undralned and in consequence may be Irrigated earlier. This Is an obvious advantage in that it makes It possible for tho land to be Irrigated beforo the supply of wa ler becomes reduced. The last session of the legislature pnssod a bill making possible the forming of a drainage district for bonding purposos, and this measure which Is now law, could be made to apply to parts of the northwest area of Weber county where much land has been made unproductive by excessive irrigation. |