THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



55 



few days. An engineer is expected soon to look over the 

 ground and the work of putting in ten miles of canal will 

 begin at once. A pumping plant of large capacity will be in- 

 stalled and the land put in first-class shape for agricultural 

 purposes. 



ALAMOSA, COLO., November 15. 

 Editor Irrigation Age: 



A big mass meeting of residents of the San Luis Valley 

 is being held here today for the purpose of forming some 

 plan whereby the order of the Secretary of the Interior may 

 be so changed as to permit the building of reservoirs and 

 using the waters that can be stored in them for irrigation pur- 

 poses. It is claimed that if the obnoxious ruling can be re- 

 scinded or materially modified a vast empire that is now bar- 

 ren can be made productive and rich. 



The question to be debated is whether or not the Inte- 

 rior Department's order shall be fought in the courts or an 

 appeal made to President Roosevelt. The latter plan is fa- 

 vored and will probably be 'adopted, but in case this fails then 

 the fight in the courts will begin. 



F. H. Newell, head of the Government Reclamation Serv- 

 ice in the semi-arid regions of the West, is blamed for the 

 continuance of the anti-reservoir order. He is accused of 

 prejudice against the temperate regions in the matter of irri- 

 gation in favor of the semi-tropical sections. 



It is affirmed that 100,000 acres of the finest land in 

 Colorado were being held back from development by the rul- 

 ing of the head of the Reclamation Service to allow a 

 nebular scheme for the reclamation of the same amount of 

 land near El Paso to be reclaimed at some indefinite future 

 date. Mr. Newell holds that it takes from eighty to 160 

 acres to support a man in the temperate regions, while in the 

 semi-tropical sections ten acres is plenty. On this theory 

 he had continually refused to consider the construction of any 

 - large reservoir in Colorado, except the one at Gore Canon, 

 the waters from which will be used on the lands of Arizona 

 and California. 



The ruling against reservoirs in the San Luis Valley was 

 made in 1896 and since that time over twenty-five different 

 companies have tried in vain to secure rights of way to build 

 dams that would furnish water for 100,000 acres of rich land 

 in the San Luis Valley. 



Mr. Newell has refused the rights of way on the grounds 

 that the Mexican Government objects to the diversion of the 

 waters of the Rio Grande River and its tributaries, but no 

 effort has been made to adjust this difference. Certain El 

 Paso politicians had a scheme to build a large dam near 

 El Paso and wished to use the water that should go to irri- 

 gate the land in Colorado. They are trying to interest the 

 Reclamation Service in this scheme and are preventing the 

 water from being used on Colorado lands. 



The creation of a forest reserve in Archuleta, Mineral, 

 Rio Grande, Conejos and Hinsdale Counties, as outlined by 

 the Government, is being advocated by the settlers of those 

 sections, but they ask that the usual restrictions be removed 

 in this instance. They claim that the land is not suitable 

 for cattle grazing and that if the sheep are barred it will re- 

 sult in killing the sheep industry of that section. 



APPLYING WATER. 



When making the first irrigation in the spring 

 more time is required for the water to cover the ground 

 thoroughly than for any of the succeeding irrigations. 

 In a general way for alfalfa it requires twice as long 

 and for plowed land about three times as long. Frost 

 seems to open up the ground and the first irrigation 

 packs it and makes it more solid, so that subsequently 

 the water goes over it much faster. The time required 

 depends upon the slope of the ground as well as upon 

 the nature of the soil, but under similar conditions as 

 to slope, gravelly land requires more time than any 

 other. In irrigating such land the best way is to water 

 only a portion .of it and then change the water to some 

 other piece of land, allowing the watered portion of the 

 gravelly soil time to pack. Then turn the water on 

 again and it will travel quickly over ' the part first 



watered, reaching the unwatered land before much water 

 is absorbed. 



Farmers "claim in a general way that light clay, 

 very sandy and gravelly land should be irrigated three 

 times as compared with twice for loam. If plowed deep 

 in the fall any kind of land will require less water than 

 if it is merely scratched. Sandy land gradually im- 

 proves with irrigation, changing to a sandy loam in 

 seven or eight years. Sandy loam, with a flat slope and 

 a clay subsoil, when irrigated late in the winter or early 

 in the spring in non-freezing weather, will produce one 

 or two good crops of alfalfa without further watering. 

 In hot weather it is best to irrigate sandy land at night, 

 for if the water is put on in the daytime it is likely 

 to scald the crop. 



Comparatively flat light clay land will produce the 

 most alfalfa. The first crop is generally cut late in May 

 on bench lands and early in June on bottom land. The 

 second crop comes on about the middle of July on bench 

 land and before the first of August on bottom land. The 

 third crop is allowed to grow as long as it is safe from 

 frost, being generally cut about the middle of Septem- 

 ber, although sometimes it is not taken until October. 

 Alfalfa should be plowed under every few years and the 

 land put in grain or sugar beets. For two years after 

 alfalfa has been plowed under wheat will make nearly 

 twice the usual crop. As a general thing, it is custom- 

 ary to irrigate grain three times, although frequently 

 four irrigations are required on bench lands, while some- 

 times only two are needed on bottom lands. 



Grain should be irrigated when it is necessary only. 

 If irrigated often it makes too much straw and is likely 

 to fall down. When wheat is irrigated three times, it is 

 usual to water it first in the boot, generally from the 

 15th to 20th of May; the second time, when it heads 

 out, and the third time when it is in the dough, just 

 before it begins to ripen. It is customary to irrigate 

 oats three times to make a crop, although sometimes 

 four waterings are necessary on bench lands. The first 

 irrigation is generally about May 15th. Barley requires 

 about the same treatment as wheat and oats, but ripens 

 a little earlier than wheat. On sandy loam, thoroughly 

 cultivated, corn will not need any water until it tassels 

 out. Comparatively flat light clay land and black loam 

 produce the best grain. 



THE NORTHERN HOTEL, Billings, Montana 



The leading hotel af the Queen City of ^he Yellowstone Country. 

 Steam heated, electric lighted; headquarters for tourists, irrigation men 

 and all who enjoy good service. A. F. McNABB, Manager. 



