1 32 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



By this it is seen that the yield of 

 Kaffir corn was very much larger than 

 that of corn in five out of the six 

 years, and the same as to the Kaffir 

 corn forage every year. In fact the 

 Kaffir corn yielded about 41 per cent 

 more grain and nearly 95 per cent more 

 fodder than the corn. The poor showing 

 for both varieties in 1890 was due to a 

 destructive frost September 12. In 1894 

 the failure of grain in both varieties was 

 due to there being no appreciable rain 

 from the middle of July to September 1, 

 and the fact that the crops side by side on 

 alternate plats were in a poor upland prai- 

 rie soil underlaid with hardpan. Yet, under 

 these adverse circumstances, the Kaffir 

 corn yielded double the quantity of fodder 

 that was obtained from the corn. As Mr. 

 Burtis says, "Such dry weather kills the 

 corn and it must then be cut, but the 

 sorghums live on; although the growth 

 may be checked the crop matures. ' ' 



Mr. Burtis presents the further conclu- 

 sions from his experience up to the present 

 time: "For the combined purpose of rais- 

 ing the largest yield of grain and a fair 

 quantity of stover, it is a fact beyond 

 doubt that the red and white Kaffir corns 

 are superior to any of the non saccharine 

 sorghums and the sugar (sorghum) canes. 

 The latter will produce more hay or fodder, 

 and of a little more palatable quality, than 

 the Kaffir corns, and are preferred by 

 many on account of this fact when hay or 

 fodder is the sole object. Although there 

 is a great deal said about which is the 

 best, the red or the white, I believe when 

 the proper comparison is made, the con- 

 clusion will show but very little difference, 

 at least not as much as was first supposed. 

 Aside from the color, there is a much 

 greater difference between the different 

 strains of the same variety than there is 

 between the red and white varieties. A 

 few who have kept their seed pure and 

 carefully selected can testify to this when 

 they have been, for some reason, forced to 

 buy seed outside and got hold of some 

 poor stuff. These sorghums are very sus- 

 ceptible to cross fertilization and modifi- 

 cation, and there will be a rapid improve- 

 ment or deterioration, according to the 

 care that is exercised in selection of seed. 

 Much of the Kaffir corn seed that is offered 

 for sale is not the best. One may get as 

 much difference in results from Kaffir 



corn seed procured from two sources as 

 between a very good variety of corn and a 

 poor one." 



IRRIGATING GRAIN. 



IN irrigating grain experiment has shown 

 that by proper care in the application 

 of a sufficiency of water prior to the plant- 

 ing of the seed, enough moisture can be 

 deposited in the soil to mature a crop in 

 any ordinary season, supplemented as it is 

 certain to be by more or less rainfall at 

 intervals. Thus, while twelve inches of 

 rain are considered the minimum sufficient 

 to produce a normal crop, and fifteen 

 inches are better, yet with thorough satu- 

 ration beforehand, and a subsequent pre- 

 cipitation of no more than six to ten inches, 

 an abundant yield may be relied upon. 



In preparing land for economically irri- 

 gating wheat or other grain, the land must 

 be so situated that it has a slight slope 

 and water from a given source conducted 

 over all portions of it at a moderate outlay. 

 Suppose that the field to be irrigated be 

 supplied from the northern side and that 

 it has a slope both to the south and east. 



From the ditch on the north plow shal- 

 low furrows running toward the south, at 

 distances which must be determined en- 

 tirely by the nature of the soil. There 

 are soils where water will seep from fifty 

 to two hundred feet and there are others 

 where streams are required every fifteen 

 to twenty feet. After plowing the leading 

 furrows at right angles to the main ditch, 

 plow another set parallel to it and at the 

 same distance from each other as the first 

 ones. This will have the effect of cutting 

 up the field into a number of small squares. 

 The furrows should be shallow. 



Now turn the water into them and let 

 it run, not in a flood, but in a steady flow- 

 ing stream, tilling all the furrows gradu- 

 ally, and overflowing over the soil into the 

 next series. Let the water run a day or 

 perhaps two days, depending entirely upon 

 the nature of the soil. But keep it run- 

 ning steadily until the soil is softened to a 

 depth of two feet or more and it is impos- 

 sible to walk about without miring. Then 

 shut off the water, let the saturated soil 

 dry until it will hold up a team (this may 

 take one or two days) and then begin 

 plowing. Set the plows so that they will 

 go in beam deep and do not be afraid of 



