14 



NORTHAMPTON COUNTY. 



W. V. Schweitzer irrigates 15 acres, which have been irrigated 45 

 years. The first crop is cut early in June and yields 1 J tons per acre; 

 the second crop yields 1 ton, the third crop § of a ton. After the 

 third crop is cut the land is irrigated when necessary and then pas- 

 tured. The water supply is obtained from the stream which supplies 

 the mill and is used when the mill is not in operation. One tract of 

 meadow land was fertilized by the addition of 300 pounds of fertilizer 

 and ashes to the acre, increasing the yield materially. On the average 

 irrigation increases the yield of the land threefold. Every third year 

 the meadow is cut only twice in order to allow the grass to reseed itself, 

 the first cutting being made about June 24. In the early spring when 

 water is plentiful the land is thoroughly fertilized by opening a large 

 drainpipe in the headrace and washing over the land the mud and 

 sediment gathered there. 



A. H. Skinner has two 4-acre pastures; while one is being irrigated 

 the other serves as pasture. One irrigation lasts for six weeks, and 

 one irrigated pasture will support 8 head of cattle, whereas nonirri- 

 gated land will support only half as many. 



The data given are enough to show that the crude methods used for 

 meadow irrigation are successfid, and on the small scale at present 

 practiced are cheap to install and operate. They suggest but do not 

 demonstrate w^hat could be done with a well-built system on a large 

 tract. Many of the meadows have suffered from overirrigation, 

 shown by a growth of sour grass in spots. This usually indicates 

 uneven watering rather than an excess of water on the whole tract, 

 and in many cases could be remedied by running small furrows down 

 through the field, 4 or 5 feet apart, with a single shovel or a special 

 cultivator attachment cutting through the turf. They should have 

 grade enough to carry the water easily and may often be run from the 

 head ditch in the direction of the greatest slope. This method is very 

 common in Utah and Nevada for all field crops, where the inconven- 

 ience in mowing across the furrows and the loss of grass or alfalfa in 

 the furrows is found to be ver}" small. 



