508 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



of water to his crop and soil more efficient, should be 

 done. When either flood irrigation or irrigation by fur- 

 rows is practiced, the crop should be drilled with the slope 

 of the land so the water is more rapidly spread by follow- 

 ing the furrows. There is one form of drill that we would 

 recommend irrigation farmers to avoid. This is the single 

 disc drill. The single discs are set opposite ways each side 

 of the center and throw the soil in opposite directions. 

 This makes ridges of soil which interfere with spreading 

 the water in irrigation. In small fields where it is de- 

 sired to avoid back furrows or dead furrows the two-way 

 plow will be found of advantage. This implement is a 

 double plow which swings on a pivot and can be changed 

 at the end of each furrow so the land may be plowed from 

 one side to the other without leaving any ridges and with 

 the least amount of turning and tramping of soil by the 

 team. We recommend the use of the four or eight-horse 

 leveler which may be run over the ground both ways after 

 every plowing. Such leveling of the soil saves much work 

 in the distribution of water. 



On new land where the sub-soil is almost invariably 

 dry. much water will be needed the first two seasons to 

 moisten this sub-soil or fill it with the capillary or film 

 moisture, which surrounds the soil particles. Much of this 



Outlet of Cloud Peak Lake, Wyoming, Big Horn Mountains. Perennial 

 Water Supply. 



moisture will be held from year to year and it will not be 

 necessary to apply such large amounts in irrigation. The 

 total amount of water to give the best results on different 

 soils and different crops, varies greatly. On light sandy 

 bottom soils with gravel underneath, farmers sometimes 

 use from six to eight feet deep of water during the season. 

 A flood irrigation cannot be made with less than four to 

 six inches at a single application. Usually a thorough 

 flood irrigation will require from nine to eleven inches 

 deep of water over the surface. This does not mean that 

 enough water must run onto the land to stand to this depth, 

 but that the amount soaked into the soil or run off as 

 waste will total enough to reach the depth indicated if it 

 all remained on the surface. The irrigation laws of the 

 arid states generally provide that the limit of a water right 

 .shall be o.ne cubic foot per second continuous flow for from 

 seventy acres to one hundred acres of land. As a general 

 rule, it is thought that enough water to cover the land to 

 a depth of two feet is a sufficient average for Western 

 crops. We are learning more all the time about the 

 economic use of water. 



To do effectual irrigating the farmer needs a good 

 sized head of water. A very small stream soaks away too 

 fast and cannot be spread over sufficient land. On land 

 which lies well for irrigation an experienced irrigator can 

 handle a head of from two to three cubic feet per second. 

 If he only has a water right for eighty acres of one cubic 

 foot per second, it usually pays to rotate in the use of 

 water with a neighbor in order to do his irrigating in the 



(Continued on page 532.) 



HAWAII AND IRRIGATION WORK. 



FROM far-off Hawaiian Islands coms a note of en- 

 couragement to the Eighteenth National Irrigation 

 Congress, Pueblo, September 20-30, and the expression of 

 the hope that the event will be a complete success. Not 

 only that, but there is the official word of the governor 

 that the islands will be represented, as usual. 



Writing the secretary of the board of control, Gov- 

 ernor W. F. Frear says: 



"I shall be very glad to appoint delegates to the next 

 National Irrigation Congress if I can find suitable men 

 who can attend at so great a distance, at that time. 



"Two years ago, I appointed one delegate, and last 

 year I appointed five delegates, to the National Irrigation 

 Congress. 



"This is a subject in which the territory is greatly 

 interested, and, indeed, in which it has already accom- 

 plshed a great deal and is now doing a great deal. 



"It is doubtful if any other state or territory is doing 

 as much as this in the various lines in which the con- 

 gress is interested." 



Not only that, but the Hawaiian newspapers are print- 

 ing pieces about the big Pueblo event. The director of 

 publicity of the Eighteenth congress recently received a 

 roll of papers containing the most interesting and flatter- 

 ing reference to the congress here, and also special stories 

 that had been sent from here to persons interested in the 

 islands. 



Ralph S. Hosmer, superintendent of forestry under 

 the territorial board of agriculture and forestry, writes 

 Secretary Faxon of the board of control, that he not only 

 has put out to the leading newspapers information he 

 has received concerning the work of the congress and 

 preparation lor the coming sessions, as well as data touch- 

 ing Colorado and other Western states, but would like 

 some special stories, which have been sent to him. Mr. 

 Hosmer generally attends the sessions of the congress, 

 and expects to do so this year. 



The work in the territory of Hawaii, together with 

 that in Cuba as recently mentioned, and the interest in 

 Porto Rico, certainly attest to the alertness of the insular 

 possessions and neighbors of the United States in the big 

 work of development as typified by the labor of the Na- 

 tional Irrigation Congress. It also is significant from the 

 standpoint of important attendance at the Pueblo sessions 

 next September. 



PITTSBURG'S BIG LAND SHOW. 



L, OLLOWING the example of the Chicago Tribune and 

 " the Chicago Examiner, Pittsburg will give a land 

 show in October under the auspices of the Pittsburg 

 Gazette Times and the Pittsburg Chronicle Telegraph. It 

 will be held at Duquesne Garden, October 17 to 29. 

 It will be educational in the broadest sense and will be of 

 great interest to thousands of people who have a desire 

 to get back to the land. The exposition will give a great 

 deal of valuable information as to where the best and 

 cheapest lands lie, what they will produce and where the 

 most profitable markets may be found. It will provide 

 the farmer, market gardener and city dweller with instruc- 

 tive and graphic information regarding the land if inr 

 country, and to give the people of this section an idea of 

 the rapid colonization and wonderful progress which is 

 being made in the cultivation of the vast lands in the re- 

 mote regions of the South, Southwest, middle and far West 

 and other sections. Incidentally, the home farmer and 

 gardener will have opportunity at the show to study 

 methods that have proved successful elsewhere. 



A wave of land enthusiasm is undoubtedly sweeping 

 over the country and it is a fact that the present area of 

 cultivated ground is inadequate to supply the vast quan- 

 tities of farm products which are required to feed the 

 ever-increasing population of the eastern and central, 

 states. There is in consequence a large and growing de- 

 mand for farm lands and prospective home-seekers, farm- 

 ers and investors, are hungry for authentic information 

 regarding land investments in new and arable sections. 

 The National Land and Irrigation Exposition is organized 

 to supply this demand. 



Inquiries on the subject of the Land Show should be 

 addressed to the Land Show Editor of The Gazette Times, 

 Pittsburg, Pa. 



