10 SUGGESTIONS TO SETTLERS ON BELLE FOURCHE PROJECT. 



if carried on by the flooding system, will leave the surface of the 

 ground in a hard, crusted condition, which permits the rapid escape 

 of moisture from the gTound and keeps the soil cold. 



METHODS OF lERIGATION. 



The Reclamation Service expects to deliver, if required, about 24 

 acre-inches of Avater during the season, but it Avould be harmful 

 both to crops and to soil should the farmers actually apply so much 

 water to their crops in addition to the rainfall. A wheat-grass 

 meadow might tolerate that quantity, but no other crop excepting 

 possibly alfalfa with good underground drainage should be given 

 so much water. Lands susceptible to the accumulation of alkali 

 would be seriously damaged by the excessive use of water. 



It is probable that for some time the flood method of irrigation will 

 be more generally used in the area than any other. Owing, however, 

 to the close texture and heaviness of so much of the soil, the furrow 

 method would undoubtedly be the better one to use so far as the effect 

 on the soil surface is concerned. If the land surface is fairlv smooth 

 the field can be furrowed at a reasonabl}^ small expense. 



A satisfactory furrowing implement can be made by fastening 

 together several pieces of 4 by 6 inch or 6 by 6 inch timbers, parallel 

 to each other, about 18 or 24 inches apart, with the sharp corners down. 

 When drawn over the field this will leave small V-shaped furrows 

 several inches deep in which the water will flow quite readily for some 

 distance. This method of irrigation has the advantage of the flood- 

 ing method in that it leaves the soil surface between the furrows 

 comparatively dry, and this dry surface acts as a mulch, preventing 

 the rapid loss of the moisture which would follow flooding. Land 

 thus furrowed can be irrigated more quickly and less water is neces- 

 sary than when the flood method is used. As the work of applying 

 water to the land is the most expensive item in irrigation the most 

 economical method should be used. 



"WTierever possible, land should be thoroughly irrigated in the fall 

 to insure a good supply of soil moisture for the gi'owth of the crop 

 the following spring. "\Miere this is done there should be no difficulty 

 in getting the crop far advanced the next season before irrigation is 

 necessary. A^liile newly broken sod land can not be put into good 

 condition for irrigation the first summer, it might nevertheless be 

 irrigated after midsummer and seeded to winter wheat. 



MANURING. 



An important factor which should be kept in mind by the farmer 

 who has heavy soil, such as gumbo, is the need of getting organic 

 matter into the soil. All available barnyard manure should be used 



[Cir. 83] 



