112 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



Second That such streams need not be nearer 

 than three feet apart on soils that are really suitable 

 for fruit. 



Third That such streams cannot be run in any 

 number without artificial regulators at the heads and 

 that in the end the very best regulators are the cheap- 

 est in time and labor. 



Fourth^That cultivation is almost as important 

 as the water and should be incessant without regard to 

 the amount of moisture in the soil or the entire absence 

 of seeds or grass. Aeration of the ground is now 

 proved one of the advantages and such a great one that 

 for that alone cultivation should be continuous. 



This method can be used for anything, but alfalfa, 

 grain and some other things so choke the furrows after 

 getting a good growth that the water breaks out of 

 them and a larger head must be forced on so as to get 

 through quickly enough. This is practically flooding, 

 but has the advantage of starting crops without flood- 

 ing and keeping them going to the point where they 

 are strong enough to endure it. Where the formation 

 of the air spaces in dry air and hot sun. or heavy winds 

 does not require the sealing of the surface, as before 

 explained, or where it is not a question of immediate 

 economy, almost everything is better started this way. 

 Especially is this true of all orchard and garden work. 

 But where vegetation clogs the furrows the ground 

 should be laid out in narrow lands, say ten feet wide. 

 In these two, three or four furrows, according to the 

 crop, should be run and the seed planted in the dry 

 ground several inches from the furrow. The water 

 should then be run long enough to wet them until they 

 sprout, when there is little more trouble. In this way 

 crops can be started on a slope so steep that the ground 

 would cut if a sheet of water were run down the land 

 while it was bare of vegetation. Cultivation with the 

 wheel hoe, cultivator, or corn plow, can be carried on 

 without difficulty for most crops. But for stuff like 

 melons that will cover the ground and clog the fur- 

 rows with the fruit a larger head must be forced 

 through and if not held in place by levees on the sides 

 the water may split and part go where it already has 

 enough and another part go where it is not needed: 

 With a little care stuff like corn, potatoes, etc., can be 

 irrigated to maturity by the furrows and well culti- 

 vated all the time. 



This small furrow system has now been tried so 

 long that it is entirely too late to question it and it is 

 doubtful if it can be improved any further. It is prac- 

 tically gentle rain on tap. This combined with sun- 

 shine on top, as in the arid lands, makes the finest cul- 

 tivation on earth. Any one intending to go into irri- 

 gation on any considerable scale should come first of 

 all to Southern California and see what poverty in 

 water has compelled wealth to discover. 



IRRIGATION IN WASHINGTON. 



AUGUST WOLF. 



Crop returns ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 an acre in a 

 number of instances in the Sunnyside irrigated district are 

 reported by Frederick H. Newell, director of the United States 

 reclamation service, in his report dealing with the development 

 of the various government projects in the State of Wash- 

 ington. 



The main canal and diversion dam of the Sunnyside proj- 

 ect, southwest of Spokane, were completed early in 1907, and 

 satisfactory progress has been made with the less important 



work. In addition to providing for the adequate irrigation of 

 this land steps have been taken to install a drainage system to 

 counteract the effects of over-irrigation in the low lands. 



In January surveys were made of the Mabton division of 

 this project, which contemplates irrigating 9,000 acres of land 

 on the south side of Yakima river, and this work is now being 

 pushed by the government under force account. 



Regarding the development under the Sunnyside canal, 

 Mr. Newell writes as follows : 



"The major portion of the settlement and development of 

 the Sunnyside project has occurred within the past eight years, 

 and more particularly since the property was purchased by the 

 United States. There are on the project now over 17,000 

 people, five prosperous towns, four flourishing banking institu- 

 tions, many substantial business houses and numerous schools 

 and churches. During the past year there has been an increase 

 of about 3,000 in the population. The size of the average farm 

 is about 30 acres, with a tendency toward a smaller unit. The 

 project produces livestock and dairy products and a large 

 range of crops, such as fruits, alfalfa, timothy, clover, potatoes 

 and other vegetables. Canning factories were built at Granger 

 and Sunnyside during the past year, and others are projected 

 at Zillah, Parker, Grandview, the soil being well adapted to 

 the production of asparagus, tomatoes, sweet corn and other 

 vegetables suitable for canning. 



"The Sunnyside canal and the lateral system have been 

 successfully operated during the irrigation seasons of the fiscal 

 year, without breaks or serious mishaps of any kind and with 

 satisfactory delivery of water to the water users. The area of 

 land receiving water during 1907 was approximately 40,000 

 acres, and the irrigated area on June 30, 1908, was approxi- 

 mately 43,000 acres. 



"When the Sunnyside property was taken over by the 

 United States it was found to be in a very poor state of 

 repair, nothing having been done along betterment lines by 

 the irrigation company for several years previously. The 

 property is now in a good state of repair and in a serviceable 

 operating condition. 



"Some of the crop returns of the Sunnyside district were 

 phenomenal during 1907, ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 an 

 acre in a number of instances. It should be stated, however, 

 that these returns are exceptional. The total irrigated area, 

 aggregating 40,000 acres, produced crops of a value of more 

 than $2,000,000, an average of over $50 an acre. It might be 

 said in explanation that the average return yield per acre of 

 the land was considerably more than the figure named, as a 

 large portion of the irrigated area was planted in new 

 orchards and grasses, such as alfalfa, timothy and clover." 



The Tieton project was 34 per cent completed on June 30. 

 As on the Sunnyside, the government was compelled to do 

 much of the work by day labor because of the inability to 

 secure satisfactory bids. Three tunnels are being built in 

 connection with this project, with a total length of 9,662 feet; 

 and these tunnels form one of the most expensive features of 

 the system, as they are being lined with concrete to prevent 

 erosion. The delays that have occurred because of the failure 

 to make satisfactory contracts will probably make it necessary 

 to postpone the delivery of water under the Tieton project 

 until 1910. 



To further the irrigation of lands in Yakima valley the 

 reclamation service has built temporary dams at the outlets of 

 Lake Cle Elum, Keechelus and Kachess. -Permanent dams 

 are to be built in the future, but the temporary dams will per- 

 mit of the emptying of sufficient water to keep up a continuous 

 supply sufficient to meet present demands. 



The Okanogan project was 35 per cent completed on Joly 

 1, 1908. The report adds: 



"The delivery of flood water during the season of 1908 

 has gone far toward showing that the project will be a success. 

 Flood waters were delivered during June and a few days in 

 July. A great number of young orchards have been planted 

 and are doing splendidly on the flood waters. The lands 

 under this project are first-class fruit lands and will undoubt- 

 edly pay a handsome profit after paying the cost of the irri- 

 gation works. 



"Plans have been considered by the Office of Indian Af- 

 fairs for the incorporation of the present irrigation system 

 on the Yakima Indian reservation, on the Yakima river, near 

 North Yakima, Washington, into the Wapato project of the 

 present system in use by the Indians, authorized by the act of 

 Congress, approved March 6, 1906, providing for repayment 

 from Indian funds of proportionate reclamation service. 



