228 IRRIGATION PRACTICE 



per cent. Similar variations were found in all the essen- 

 tial characters of the flour. Unquestionably, since millers 

 demand hard and high protein wheat, the time is near 

 when grain grown with much irrigation water will not be 

 considered for flour-production on the markets of the 

 world. Irrigated sections that still produce grain for 

 flour should govern their irrigation practices in accord- 

 ance with the needs of millers. 



138. Cooking value. While very little definite infor- 

 mation on the subject exists, it is fairly certain that the 

 cooking value of fruits, vegetables and other crops is 

 affected by the quantity of water used in irrigation. In 

 one reported experiment, it seemed that potatoes grown 

 with a medium quantity of water were whiter and mealier 

 than were those grown with more water. Similarly, the 

 flavor of vegetables is changed by the quantity of water 

 used in irrigation. This is a very interesting field for 

 investigation, especially by those interested in the food 

 branch of home economics. 



139. Effect of cultural treatment. It is evident from 

 this discussion that the more moisture there is in the soil 

 the higher the percentage of ash, carbohydrates and 

 crude fiber, and the lower the percentage of protein. Any 

 cultural treatment which results in maintaining more 

 moisture in the soil during the growing period would, 

 therefore, have the same effect as if more water had been 

 added to the soil. The thorough cultivation of the soil 

 to prevent evaporation conserves the moisture in the soil. 

 In the Utah work, it was found that the percentage of 

 protein was lower in crops grown on well-cultivated soils 

 than in those grown on soils receiving little or no cultiva- 

 tion. Under the furrow method of irrigation, the per- 

 centage of protein in the resulting crop was somewhat 



