2IO IRRIGATION FARMING. 



If the first irrigation is late and there is a good 

 deep compac5l subsoil, one irrigation will usually make 

 a crop, and we would rather have one twelve-inch irri- 

 gation than two six-inch ones. The surface can be 

 covered with six inches if the incline is steep, and on 

 such a surface it is best to irrigate light and often, as 

 by running heavy heads for a considerable time the 

 plants may be washed out. On the upper bench lands 

 of the west, when fairly level, two irrigations are all 

 that is needed, and with only one after three years of 

 cultivation there is no danger of a complete failure 

 of the crop. 



Professor Blount, who is the best authority in the 

 world on wheat growing by irrigation, advocates the 

 cultivation of wheat by the ridge system. He says : 

 ' ' Wheat in ridges with furrows between will pay 

 many times over all the extra cultivation and expense. 

 The ridges should be twenty inches apart, running 

 north and south, so that the sun may get in upon the 

 roots during the later growth. On these ridges, which 

 are two and one-half inches high, choice seledled grain 

 should be planted by hand — if planted early there is 

 generally enough moisture in the soil to germinate 

 every grain. Winter wheat wants but little water 

 after November. Spring wheat- needs the first irriga- 

 tion about the time it is undergoing the process of 

 stooling. The cultivation may be done with one horse 

 and a small plow with guards to keep the dirt from 

 covering the growing grain, or it can be done with a 

 hoe. The furrows between should be kept open and 

 clean so that the water when applied may run below 

 the top of the ridges all the time and do its work 



