780 



THE IRRIGATION A G K . 



Finally, a well arranged system of sub-irrigation oper- 

 ates as a drainage system as well as for irrigation. 



It is maintained by some writers that the nature of 

 the soil is more important than the configuration of the 

 ground in sub-irrigation. In this respect hard, inpene- 

 trable soils should be avoided for irrigation by infiltra- 

 tion. Experience alone can guide the irrigator in estab- 

 lishing his system of ditches, the main point being always 

 to provide for moistening the ground uniformly. 



Under a system of sub-irrigation, where the roots of 

 the plants reach downward toward the source of moisture, 

 cultivation of the field is much more easy and satisfac- 

 tory, while frequently from surface irrigation, whether by 

 the furrow or flooding process, the plant roots are in- 

 clined to come too near the surface of the soil and are 

 thereby injured in deep cultivation. 



Nearly one hundred years ago the scientist, Fellen- 

 burg, put into the agricultural establishment of Hofwyl. 

 near the city of Berne, a system of sub-irrigation through 

 subterranean conduits, for the purpose of moistening the 

 ground in dry periods when the spongy soil of the gar- 

 dens commenced to dry and crack, and the turf was not 

 sufficiently packed to permit surface irrigation. 



These conduits were arranged so as to serve two pur- 

 poses: to carry off drainage water or to retain it for 

 moistening the soil. To accomplish this end the pipes 

 were cut at fixed points by a mass of clay which was 

 traversed by a drain which served as a communication 

 between the ends of the conduits, and which could be 

 closed by a movable plug or valve. To cause the wate 1 - 

 to ascend or flow into the soil, it sufficed to stop or 

 plug up the tubing below the point to be irrigated and 

 the water flowing through the drain rose to its level and 

 flowed into the ground by infiltration. 



This idea was approved in England and in 1839 Fel- 

 lenburg's system was adopted and irrigation by infiltra- 

 tion came into common use, largely, however, for the 

 purpose of flowing liquid manures through pipes to fer- 

 tilize the sub-soil of arable lands. The system was after- 

 ward enlarged and developed into a plan of sub-irrigation 

 where surface irrigation could not be practiced. It was 

 carried to the United States and is now quite common 

 where water is scarce, and in orchards, vineyards, and 

 for deep rooted plants generally. 



Frequently farmers in the west, who have small irri- 

 gation plants and raise the water from wells by wind or 

 gas power, use part of the water for surface and part for 

 sub-irrigation. 



One case with which I am familiar is that of a Mr. 

 Hammant of Colorado, who uses for sub-irrigation a three- 

 inch tile laid fourteen to sixteen inches below the surface 

 in rows five and one-half feet apart, the rows connected 

 by a head row in which is laid one T-joint for each lateral 

 row. 



Mr. Hammant says that the rows must be absolutely 

 level and not follow the inequality of the surface in order 

 that the low places may not get more water than the 

 higher ones, and the ends of the rows must be closed with 

 brick or stones so that moles, rats and other vermin 

 cannot get in. A square box set in the ground at one 

 end of the head row gives access to it and thence to all 

 other rows and should have a wire net over the top to 

 keep out trash as well as vermin. He states, furthermore, 

 that the porous tiling and the uncemented joints allow 

 the water to pass through freely. 



This mode of irrigation has several points to recom- 

 mend it, one of which he specified; that one could turn 

 on the water and not find it necessary to watch it, as is 

 imperative in surface irrigation; second, the ground does 

 not begin to bake in a few minutes after the flow of water 

 has stopped, as in the case of cultivated ground under 

 surface irrigation; third, most of the moisture being sev- 

 eral inches below the surface, the rootlets go down in- 

 stead of spreading out near the top of the ground, as in 

 surface irrigation, where they are likely to be burned by 

 the hot sun or torn by the cultivator. 



. I have not given sufficient study to the subject to 

 know about the cost of tiling for sub-irrigation. This is 

 a matter that should be determined hy competent engin- 

 eers, who are in contact with manufacturers, as well as 

 the ranchman. I fully believe, however, that there is a 

 great field for tile manufacturers in tl e arid west and this 

 statement would apply also to all other sections of this 



country where supplemental irrigation may be practiced 

 advantageously by every farmer or truck grower. 



This brings to mind the subject of supplemental irri- 

 gation as applied to our farms throughout the central and 

 eastern states. Everyone who has made a study of cli- 

 matic conditions in his particular section will admit that 

 there is always what is known as a "dry spell" during the 

 crop growing season. 



I have stated repeatedly through the columns of my 

 journal that supplemental irrigation, either in the form 

 of a sprinkling system in connection with truck garden- 

 ing, surface irrigation for grains and sub-irrigation for 

 general crops, if practiced intelligently during thi^ dry 

 spell (on a given acreage on any farm, say 10 or 20 per 

 : cent of the total area), would save that inevitable dry 

 season loss which every farmer encounters, which often 

 .goes to 15 and sometimes 25 per cent or even higher. 



If our farmers in the central and eastern states would 

 adopt a well defined system of irrigation on, say, 20 acres 

 out of a tract of 100 acres, and would properly irrigate 

 it through tile, or otherwise during the "dry spell," he 

 would bring the yield per acre up to what would be a 

 normal average, that is to say, about what the average 

 would he with sufficient rainfall to take care of the crops. 

 If by careful cultivation and irrigation of 20 acres during 

 this dry season he could treble or quadruple the crop, 

 this increase would go far to take the place of the loss 

 on the balance of his land. 



A reasonable study of this subject, with a moderate 

 expenditure on even so small a tract as one acre, would 

 soon teach him that a system of irrigation over his entire 



New Comers on Htmtley, Montana, Project. "They were from 

 Missouri." 



farm would be a very good investment, and I do not know 

 of a better plan than could be developed by careful study 

 of sub-irrigation through drain tile. 



There are points that crop out in connection with 

 this particular system of irrigation which may be raised 

 as an objection by careful farmers. Among them is that 

 of the roots growing into the tile joints and eventually 

 filling up the entire space, which would destroy their use- 

 fulness. 



It may be possible that this could be easily corrected 

 by the use of a very porous tile with the joints cemented. 



Some years ago in Sanford, Florida, a Rev. T. W. 

 Moore put in practice a system of sub-irrigation on the 

 streets of that city to lay the dust. He used an inverted 

 V-shaped trough, under which a stream of water from an 

 artesian well was allowed to run. The water saturated 

 the ground below and was brought to the surface by capil- 

 lary attraction, perfectly accomplishing his purpose of 

 keeping the street damp but not too wet. 



The plan was finally adopted by some of the intel- 

 ligent .truck farmers in that vicinitv to irrigate celery and 

 other vegetables. Tile was substituted for wooden 

 troughs, drain ditches were cut, into which the tile emptied, 

 furnishing a perfect system of drainage as well as irri- 

 gation. 



Mr. J. N. Whitner, of that city, says that to enable one 

 (Continued on Page 797.) 



