controlled experiments in the Northeastern states reveals a wide range in 

 results. They show a range from decreased yields to an excess of a ton 

 and a half of dry matter per acre.^ The average appears to center between 

 800 and 1200 pounds of dry matter per acre. These statements are based 

 upon the summarization of the results of a series of experiments conducted 

 in Delaware. New York. Pennsylvania and Rhode Island during the period 

 1947-48. 



Few of the controlled experiments were exactly alike in terms of the 

 species of crop grown, amount of rainfall, amount of fertilizer applied and 

 type of soil. This accounts, in part, for the wide range in results and, there- 

 fore, the suggested average of about 1,000 pounds per acre increase in 

 yield must be looked upon as only a rough indication of what irrigation 

 will do. It is recommended that farmers obtain yield information from their 

 own Experiment Stations and other sources within their own areas. If 

 possible, farmers should obtain yield information from sources that have 

 similar conditions to those of their own farms. 



With regard to kinds of crops irrigated it was noted that orchard grass 

 responded more vigorously to irrigation and held stands more effectively 

 than did the other grasses. Brome grass, except when accompanied by 

 alfalfa, did not respond as well as the average of all species. Alfalfa and 

 the alfalfa mixtures were perhaps the most variable respondents to irrigation. 



Budgeting Irrigation's Effect on Income for a 

 Particular Farm Situation 



Once a person has collected information on what is needed and what irri- 

 gation will do, then he is in a position to make an estimate of how his 

 income will be affected if he decides to adopt the practice. Making such 

 an estimate is called partial budgeting. It is a method of checking the profit- 

 ability of a new practice before committing oneself to making the change. 



To illustrate this method a particular farm situation is chosen. It is a 

 typical Northeast dairy farm. Many farmers have similar situations and 

 probably are facing a similar problem to one discussed here. This illus- 

 tration will not give an answer for all cases, but it will demonstrate the 

 manner in which individuals can make evaluations of their own particular 

 situations. 



Basic Farm Situation 



The farm consists of 150 acres of land, including 75 acres of cropland, 

 70 acres of forest land and five acres of farmstead. The cropland is of mod- 

 erate fertility and depth, medium textured, well-drained and suitable for 

 irrigation. A stream bordering the farm would supply an adequate amount 

 of water for irrigating up to 45 acres of forage crops. 



1 Weic^hts were in oven-dried matter. When converted to field cured weight, one ton of 

 oven-dried matter equals about 1.2 tons of field cured weight with 17 percent moisture. 



