394 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



2 or 3 irrigations for most crops. The yields of potatoes at Corvallis, given 

 In the subjoined table, were cut sliort by frost. 



In a comparative test, near Hillsboro, of Utah alfalfa and an Arabian vari- 

 ety secured from the Bureau of Plant Industry of this Department, the latter 

 made a much stronger start during the first season. After being clipped 

 twice, it went into the winter season with a growth of 8 in., while the Utah 

 alfalfa required the whole season to grow high enough to be clipi^ed. An 

 unusually severe winter completely Ivilled the Arabian alfalfa and injured the 

 Utah variety to some extent. The general failures of alfalfa in the Willamette 

 Valley are attributed to lack of moisture, absence of nitrifying bacteria, and 

 favorable soils and treatment. A crop of clover was secured the first year after 

 sowing, an event that had not previously occurred in the community to the 

 IvHowIedge of any of the local farmers. A crop was also secured the third year, 

 altliough without irrigation, the land usually becomes so foul with gra.ss and 

 weeds as to prevent this. 



Cooperative exi)eriments near Albany gave results from a soil in poor physical 

 and chemical condition resulting from inadequate drainage and long continued 

 shallow cultivation. At a cost of approximately $20 per acre GO acres were 

 tile drained. On land of this character, irrigation seems unlikely to be bene- 

 ficial to clover unless the crop is in sufficiently good growing condition to resist 

 the baking that is likely to result. All cultivated crops were irrigated July 30, 

 1908, with approximately 6 in. of water. 



The author discusses the feasibility of irrigation in western Oregon and the 

 part that it will i)lay in the development of the region. The yields secured with 

 and without irrigation at the various points are stated in the following table: 



SioniiKiri/ of results from irrigation experiments in Willamette Tallej/, 1907-1909. 



Crop. 



Corn 



Corvallis.. 



Potatoes do . 



Corn (\o . 



Potatoes do . 



Beets do. 



.do. 



.do. 



Clover 



Corn (thick 



planted. 

 Corn(tliinplanted) 

 Potatoes 



Sweet corn 



Clover 



Corn 



Kale 



Beets 



Clover 



.do. 

 .do. 



-do. 



do 



HilLsboro.. 



do 



do 



do 



Corn do . 



Potatoes ' do . 



Corn Albany 



Pumpkins do. 



Potatoes ' do . 



Beans do . 



Pumpkins do . 



Potatoes 

 Squash.. 



Hops . . . 

 Onions. 



-do. 

 .do. 



Corvallis... 

 Philomath. 



Date'of irrigation. 



June 29-Julv 29, 



1907. 



August 1, 1908 



do 



do 



July 23, 1908.. 

 July 22, 1909 .. 



do 



July 23,1909 



July 22, 1909 



July 24,1909 



August 9, 1908 



do 



do 



July 14-Sept. 1, 



1908. 

 August 2, 1909.... 

 July31-Augustl6, 



1909. 



July 30,1908 



do 



do 



June 17, 1909 



Julv 18- August 4, 



1909. 

 June 19-August C, 



1909. 

 June 23-August 7, 



1909. 

 August 1,1908 .... 

 June 20-July 26, 



1907. 



Amount 

 of irriga- 

 tion. 



W 



(«) 



C) 

 C) 

 C) 



i") 



0. 65 It . , 



...do... 

 . 54 f t . 



.65 ft . 



. 69 f t . 



.67 ft . 



...do... 



...do. 

 1ft .. 



Yield per acre. 



Unirrigated. 



5,647 lbs. 



2, 604 lbs ... . 



7, 280 lbs.... 

 3,626 lbs.... 

 2, 725 lbs.... 



5.07 tons 



11,125 lbs... 



11,000 lbs... 



150 bu 



I 7,000 lbs... 

 \10,9361bs... 



3. .'0 tons... 



{5!::::::1- 



6 in. 

 6 in . 

 6 in. 



Irrigated. 



f 7,0001bs .. 

 1 9, 666 lbs .. 

 I 6, 760 lbs .. 

 ^67,500 lbs.. 



9,640 lbs.. 



5,041 lbs.. 



4,309 lbs.. 

 6.46 tons... 

 14, 153 lbs. . 



11, 895 lbs.. 



215 bu 



13, 750 lbs.. 

 10,726 lbs.. 

 1,333 lbs. _. 

 8,000 lbs... 



30 tons 



12 tons 



7. 03 tons . . . 



12, 600 lbs. 



244 bu . . . . 



17,000 lbs. 

 37,. 500 lbs. 

 68 Iju 



6 in \ 625 lbs. 



6 in 1 10 tons. 



6 in.. 

 42 in . 



750 lbs 



]0,.5^7 lbs. 



159 bu 



1,500 lbs. 

 25, 700 lbs. 



Increa.se 

 after irri- 

 gation. 



Per 



crnt. 

 24.0 

 71.0 

 160.0 

 180.0 

 32.4 

 39.0 

 58.1 

 27.4 

 26.0 



8.0 

 43.0 

 96.0 



2.0 



70.0 



100 



o Not stated. 



6 Two irrigations. 



