THE IERIGATION AGE. 



753 



(Continued from page 748.) 



irrigation in the summer season, the number of pasture 

 grasses from which to choose is much larger. In moun- 

 tain meadows, or where there is abundance of water, 

 timothy, redtop, Kentucky bluegrass, and orchard grass all 

 find a place. In many parts of the West, Alsike clover and 

 sainfoin or French clover do well, and they are said not 

 to be dangerous to stock from causing bloat. Brome 

 grass is proving of great value. 



Grass Mixtures. 



As a rule, if land is to be seceded down to pasture, a 

 mixture of suitable grasses will give better results than 

 planting a single variety. Where a moderate amount of 

 irrigation can be given the land, we suggest a mixture of 

 Slender Wheat-Grass, six pounds; Tall Meadow Fescue, 

 six pounds; Brome-Grass, the Awnless Brome-Grass, or 

 the Western Brome-Grass, six pounds; Kentucky blue- 

 grass, four pounds; and to this may be added of Sand or 

 Hairy Vetch, eight pounds. This makes a total of thirty 

 pounds of seed per acre, and we suggest trying the Vetch 

 on a part of the land until its merit may be tested. An 

 irrigated meadow planted to these grasses may become 

 sod-bound after a few years, but this can be avoided by 

 properly discing or harrowing the sod. 



There are few western ranches where the facilities for 

 weighing hay are present or convenient. On our larger 

 ranches where wagon scales have been purchased, the 

 owners seldom go to the trouble of weighing the hay 

 which they sell from the stack. It is probable that the 

 usual method of measuring hay seldom gives accurate re- 

 sults. In the first place, the measurement itself is only an 

 estimate of the number of cubic feet of hay in the mow 

 or stack; in the second place, the number of cubic feet of 

 hay which is required to weigh a ton varies greatly. It 

 a mow is full of hay, it may be squared up. Simply mul- 

 tiply the height by the width, and this by the length, 

 which will give the total number of cubic feet. Stacks in 

 the field, however, have no square sides or peaked top. 

 There are five methods in general use for measuring 

 stacks: 



First, the one known to most farmers is to measure 

 the distance over the stack by throwing a rope or a tape 

 over from one side to the other, letting it come to the 

 ground. To this distance add the width of the stack, in 

 feet; divide by four to get the square of the end of the 

 stack; square this number to get the square feet, and mul- 

 tiply by the length to determine the total number of cubic 

 feet. 



Second, take one-third of the over and multiply by 

 the width for the end surface, and multiply this result by 

 the length. 



Third, subtract the width from the distance over; 

 divide by two for the height; multiply this by the width, 

 and this product by the length. 



Fourth, multiply the width of the stack by the distance 

 over, and this product by the length and divide by four. 

 This method has been found to give results too small, 

 sometimes as much as thirty per cent. 



The formula worked out by the Bureau of Plant In- 

 dustry of the U. S. Department of Agriculture is given as 

 follows: 



O.225 (O W) OWL -+ H. O is the distance over the 

 stack; W is the width; L the length, and H the height. 

 F'irst, subtract the width from the distance over; then 

 multiply by the distance over; this by the width, and this 

 product by the length, and this whole product by the 

 fraction 0.225, and divide the result by the height of the 

 stack. All the measurements must be in feet and fractions 

 of a foot. Working out the problem in this way gives the 

 total number of cubic feet in the stack. 



It is claimed that this rule gives results with not more 

 than from two to four percent error. The number of 

 cubic feet making a ton of hay is divided into the total 

 number of cubic feet in the stack to determine the number 

 of tons. 



The cubic feet of hay making a ton will vary with the 

 amount of time the hay has settled, with the kind of hay, 

 with the amount of moisture it contains, with the weather 

 and various other factors. It is generally conceded that 

 500 cubic feet of well pressed timothy hay is required to 

 make a ton. 



Reclamation Notes 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Fanners in Reno and Stafford counties, Western Kan- 

 sas, are interested in experiments conducted by S. Askew 

 near Maxville. At a depth of fourteen feet he struck water 

 which rose within a few inches of the surface. This sec- 

 tion has suffered from drought and it is believed that other 

 farmers will adopt the pumping system for irrigating their 

 crops. 



Fruit growers near Pawpaw, Mich., are planning a 

 comprehensive irrigation system. A supply of water will 

 be secured by pumping. This section of the state has suf- 

 fered from drought and it is believed that an irrigation 

 system will increase prices on farm lands. 



The statement is made at the office of the Texas State 

 Agricultural Board that prospect for irrigating large tracts 

 of land in the Pan Handle counties of Oklahoma by ar- 

 tesian wells seems encouraging. It is believed that this 

 district can adopt plans similar to those in use at Garden 

 City, Kan. Preliminary experiments are said to have been 

 satisfactory. 



Plans are developing for an immense Irrigation project 

 on the Medina River about eight miles from Castroville, in 

 Texas. San Antonio and eastern men are said to have 

 ordered surveys for a system to water 20,OQO acres. It is 

 planned to build a dam across the Medina River to catch 

 flood water. 



Landowners in the vicinity of Del Rio. Tex., are said 

 to be interesting themselves in pumping from underflow. 

 Reports of geologists and experts on the available supply 

 are -aid to be satisfactory. All practical experiments thus 

 far conducted have been successful. 



Irrigation by pumping is receiving attention at Tulia, 

 Swisher County, Texas. A test well was sunk on the farm 

 of J. C. Fry and water was found at sixty feet. The well 

 will be sunk lower. 



The Leon Springs Irrigation Company of Phoenix, 

 Ariz., capital stock $40,000, has been authorized to do busi- 

 ness in Texas. Headquarters will be established in Dallas. 



CALIFORNIA. 



The Warmoth-Kreling Company has filed on 100,000 

 inches of the flood waters of Thomas Creek in Tehama 

 County. Water is to be conveyed to a reservoir in Glen 

 County, where it will be used for irrigation purposes. 



Reports during December stated that the Sacramento 

 Valley Irrigating Company had discontinued work on its 

 sy.-tem near Maxwell. This report is now denied, and it 

 is stated that the Sacramento Company will proceed with 

 construction work without interruption. 



The ancient suit of the North Fork Water Company 

 Against the Bear Valley Irrigation Company is being tried 

 in the United States District Court at Los Angeles. The 

 original complaint was filed in 1899. The plaintiffs allege 

 damages on account of lack of the defendant to furnish 

 certain water under contract. 



Reports from Frenso, dated December 15, stated that 

 suits were being tried in the case of Laguna Reclamation 

 District No. 799 against William M. Atkinson and three 

 other land owners. The suits were started in March, 1909, 

 and involved the legality of a $40,000 district assessment. 

 The organization of the district is also attacked on legal 

 grounds. 



Capitalized at $2,000,000, the Tehama Land and Irriga- 

 tion Company has recently filed articles of incorporation 

 at Red Bluff. The principal places of business are Phoe- 

 nix, Ariz., and San Francisco. Directors and principal 

 stockholders are: Guy C. Calven, W. H. Underwood. 

 William P. Snyder, F. A. Smith & Co. and C. E. Todd. 

 Facts concerning the projected operations of the company 

 over the land to be reclaimed are not given. 



The initial steps toward forming an immense irriga- 

 tion district have been taken by owners on the west side 

 of Stockton. It is estimated that there will be 1,500,000 

 acres included in this district and that the cost of the 



