237 



from ditches or clouds, he can be wasteful and still pros- 

 per. We do not wish to be understood as saying that a 

 farmer may not get a better crop with plenty of water to 

 turn loose at will upon a piece of ground poorly fitted 

 than he could with the same reckless fitting and be obliged 

 to depend upon replenishing his soil with moisture from 

 the heavens. But that is not the question today with 

 the progressive farmer. 



How can we get the greatest results from our soil, the 

 labor and expense being considered? That is the question 

 of today, whether in irrigation districts or elsewhere. And 

 in fact, nowhere is it more essential to guard against waste 

 than in applying irrigation. The expensive thing is water. 

 Seldom is there as much water as there is land. The irri- 

 gation area is limited by the quantity of available water. 

 By following methods that will reduce the amount of water 

 needed per acre, the number of acres that may be supplied 

 from a given ditch or reservoir can be increased. 



The ideal condition for the most healthful and success- 

 ful growth of all cultivated -crops is a good depth of root 

 bed made thoroughly fine and firm. There is little danger 

 in getting the average sand loam soils, so common in the 

 arid and semi-arid sections, too firm, while some of our 

 heavy clay soils if not properly handled might become too 

 closely compacted, but this kind of soil is not at all com- 

 mon. Previous to the thorough fitting of the seed and root 

 bed see to it that ample moisture is stored below where 

 nature can do her part by bringing it up to the roots of the 

 growing plants by capillary attraction, then keep your sur- 

 face always cultivated in such manner as to provide as near 

 us possible a fine, loose mulch of soil (not dust), stirring it 

 often enough to keep the moisture up to the top of the firm 

 soil nist beneath the mulch. The moment the top of this 



