994 



THE IRKIGATION AGE. 



METHOD OF IRRIGATION FOR ALFALFA. 



More and more is alfalfa coming to be recognized as one 

 of the most important of farm crops, especially in the arid 

 and semi-arid sections of the West. 



These sections begin with Nebraska and sweep westward 

 to the Pacific Coast. Colorado is probably the leading alfalfa 

 growing state of the Union; California comes next; and not 

 only in these states, but in all others within the boundaries of 

 the sections named the acreage of alfalfa is being rapidly 

 increased. 



And alfalfa, being a product of the arid and semi-arid 

 sections, its production implies the process of irrigation, 

 and in this connection Prof. Samuel Fortier, chief of irriga- 

 tion investigations of the United States experiment Station, 

 has just issued an important bulletin on "Irrigation of Al- 

 falfa." Prof. Fortier groups the prevailing methods as the 

 border method, the check method, flooding from field laterals, 

 furrow irrigation, etc., and says : 



"Hssentially the border method consists of the division 

 of a field or tract into long, narrow strips or lands by low, 

 flat levees which usually extend in the direction of the steep- 

 est slope and confine the water to a single strip. The bed 

 of each strip is carefully graded to a uniform slope, although 

 the slope may change to conform to the contour of the natu- 

 ral surface. 



"The water to irrigate each strip is taken from the head 

 ditch extending across the upper edge of the field and is 

 controlled by an outlet box or border gate, although the gates 

 are sometimes omitted to save in first cost of preparing for 



SOTA J 



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 vegetables, grains, grasses, alfalfa, cattle 

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CMinnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, 



Oregon here lies your chance along the Scenic Highway 



in the Land of Fortune. Don't delay write today. 



A. M. CLELAND, Gen'l Pass'r Agent 



61 Broadway, St. Paul, Minn. 



Northern Pacific Ry 



irrigation. Check gates, canvas dams or metal tappons are 

 used to hold up the water in the head ditch to cause it to 

 flow into the borders. 



"This method is confined chiefly to the irrigation of al- 

 falfa and grain and in its various modifications is used 

 extensively in Arizona, California and to a less extent in 

 Idaho, Montana and other Rocky Mountain States. 



"The essential features of the check method of irriga-; 

 tion consist in surrounding nearly level plats of ground 

 with low levels and in making provision to flood each by 

 means of a ditch and check box or gate. The inclosed 

 spaces may be laid " out in straight lines in both direction;-, 

 thus forming with their level borders a series of rectangles, 

 or the levels may follow more or less closely the contour 

 lines of the natural surface of the ground, thus forming 

 contour checks. This method is used on heavy soils where 

 it is necessary to" hold the water on the soil to secure its 

 perculation to the desired depth. 



"Flooding from field ditches or laterals is still the most 

 common method of applying water to arid lands of west- 

 ern America. In the States of Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, 

 Utah and to a large extent in Idaho alfalfa, clover, native 

 meadows and grain are irrigated in this way. 



"This manner of wetting dry soil originated, it is be- 

 lieved, in the mountain states and the last half century has 

 witnessed a gradual evolution of this plan so that now it 

 has not only become firmly established, but is regarded as the 

 best suited to the conditions under which it is practiced. 



"It can profitably be used on slopes that are too steep 

 for other methods. Fields having a firm soil and a fall of 

 : from 2.5 feet to 100 feet have been flood- 

 ed successfully. From this extreme the 

 slope may diminish to less than 0.1 in 

 100. 



"Its cheapness is another feature which 

 < recommends it to the farmer of limited 

 means. Ordinary raw land can be pre- 

 pared for flooding at an expense of from 

 $2 to $5 an acre. Again, it is adapted to 

 the use of small water supplies. 



"Alfalfa, native meadow and grain are 

 most commonly irrigated by one of the 

 methods previously described rather than 

 by the furrow method, which is the 

 usual method of irrigating orchards, gar- 

 dens, root crops and vegetables. The 

 irrigating of alfalfa from furrows is at 

 present confined to the Yakima Valley, 

 Washington, to portions of the Snake 

 River Valley, in southern Idaho, and to 

 comparatively small areas in other states. 

 "In the localities named, the soil is a 

 fine clay loam which runs together, pud- 

 dles when wet and bakes and cracks 

 when dry. Flooding methods tend to 

 puddle the top layer of soil, which be- 

 comes quite hard when the moisture is 

 evaporated. 



"The puddling and baking processes 

 injure alfalfa and it was with the object 

 of keeping as much as possible of the 

 surface dry that furrows were intro-, 

 duced. When a small stream is permit- 

 ted to run in the bottom of a furrow 

 for several hours the soil beneath, and 

 for some distance on eacli side, becomes 

 wet, while the surface may remain 

 nearly dry." Orchard and Farm. 



The Secretary of the Interior has rati- 

 fied the award and execution of a con- 

 tract on behalf of the United States with 

 Mr. Jesse Hinds of Bayard, Nebraska, 

 by which the latter agrees to construct 

 high line lateral in connection with the 

 Xorth Platte irrigation project, Ne- 

 braska-Wyoming. The work involves 

 the excavation of approximately 107..~>00 

 cubic yards of material, and the contract 

 price is $12,315. The location of this 

 canal is about thirteen miles northeast 

 of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. 



When writing to advertisers please mention The Irrigation Age. 



