1108 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



CORRESPONDENCE 



WANTS INFORMATION. 



Stevensville, Mont., September 24, 1911. 

 THE IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago, 111.: 



As you seem to be assailed with all kinds of queries and 

 troubles I take the liberty to address you, thinking the 

 editors or some reader of the AGE may have had some 

 experience or have some suggestion to offer in regard to 

 the trouble I will attempt to describe. 



The writer is connected with a large irrigation com- 

 pany, which owns and operates a large canal about eighty 

 miles long. In the course of this length there are seven 

 inverted syphons and in each inlet we are forced to main- 

 tain an iron grate, to catch small trash which gathers, as 

 this trash will not pass through until it becomes water- 

 logged. 



As the ground along the canal is wild land and a 

 portion still unworked, the banks and the unused land 

 grow quite a crop of tumble weeds. 



Now when they break off in the fall and the wind 

 i;; blowing toward the canal they get in the canal and 

 clog the grates and require diligent watching that they 

 do not back the water up and endanger the banks. 



Now, what I would like to ask is this, is there any 

 automatic device for removing the weeds or can any one 

 offer a suggestion as to how one could be made. 



Thanking in advance for any favors or suggestions. 

 Very truly yours. 



WM. R. KINDER, C. E. 



Can any one of our readers who has had experience 

 in this direction give Mr. Kinder the benefit. of such expe- 

 rience ? 



The Editor suggests the planting of shrubbery along 

 both sides of the canal to catch the blowing tumble weeds. 

 Still it would require the attention of some one to look 

 after the screens. 



A BULLETIN FULL OF USEFUL INFORMATION. 



IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago, 111. : 



I am sending you under separate cover a copy of Bulletin 

 No. 425 of the University of Wisconsin on the "Flow of 

 Streams and the Factors that Control It, with Special Refer- 

 nce to Wisconsin Conditions." In this bulletin I have dis- 

 cussed in some detail, the principles that govern stream flow, 

 and have endeavored to show as clearly as possible, by actual 

 examples, the results due to known conditions. 



One of the most important investigations has been the 

 study of the actual relation of Rainfall to Streamflow on 

 several Wisconsin rivers for a considerable period, in 

 order to determine if such relation has been modified by 

 other progressive causes such as deforestation, cultivation, 

 etc. I have endeavored to make the investigation purely 

 scientific and without prejudice, and have shown all facts 

 found regardless of results. 



Please note that the conclusions are drawn for Wiscon- 

 sin conditions only. These conclusions are believed to be 

 conservative but the facts are presented from which any 

 reader can draw his own conclusions. 



Very respectfully yours, 



D. W. MEAD. 



[The Bulletin referred to above is a valuable addition to 

 hydraulic information and should prove exceedingly useful for 

 all hydraulic engineers and irrigators especially in states 

 wherein obtain Wisconsin conditions. EDITOR.] 



GOOD CROPS IN MONTANA. 



That fully 1,000,000 bushels of winter wheat will be 

 threshed from the crop now being harvested on land 

 above the ditch in Yellowstone county alone is the opinion 

 of E. A. Wilson, assistant agricultural agent of the Great 

 Northern Railway company, who is in the city. Mr. Wil- 

 son is agricultural inspector for the company of the va- 

 rious demonstration farms along the main line in the 

 northern part of the state, of those at Broadview and 

 near Billings, and of those along the system in North 

 Dakota. 



He has been over the districts in this locality thor- 

 oughly during the last few days and as a result is en- 

 thusiastic over the outlook. 



He reports that the cutting of winter wheat imme- 

 diately adjacent to the city started several days ago and 

 that the harvest around Broadview is well under way. 



"The yield will undoubtedly be the largest on rec- 

 ord," said Mr. Wilson, "and in my opinion it will range 

 from 20 to 35 bushels to the acre, with a total of about 

 1,000,000. Local estimates are somewhat higher; in fact, 

 at Broadview it is believed that the returns will, in that 

 one district, be fully 750,000 bushels." 



Regarding flax, he says it is in fine condition and that 

 the best fields will show the exceptional return of 20 

 bushels to the acre, while the general average will be 

 about 15 oushels. Incidentally, Mr. Wilson says that 10 

 bushels per acre at $1.75 is profitable and that Montana 

 growers of this crop are fortunate with the prospect of 

 at least 15 bushels, with a probable price of $2.50. 



So far as oats, durum wheat and other springs crops 

 are concerned, all are looking well throughout the entire 

 district tributary to this city and there is every indication 

 of immense yields and the promise of great prosperity to 

 the growers. H. M. BRAYTON. 



CO-OPERATIVE WORK IN IRRIGATION. 



For years we have desired investigational work in 

 irrigation, practical work that will help the irrigator in 

 the field, and attempts have been made from time to time 

 to do work along this line. Funds have, however, been 

 short and the work is so expensive that it has been neces- 

 sary to put off until tomorrow what could not be done 

 today. 



Now, however, a change has taken place. The last 

 Colorado legislature appropriated $10,000 for experi- 

 mental work in irrigation and drainage. This was later 

 cut by Governor Shafroth, together with other appro- 

 priations, to $5,000, in order to bring it within the revenue 

 of the state. 



In order to make the work as broad as possible a 

 meeting was held in Denver, June 21, with Prof. Samuel 

 Fortier, head of the Irrigation Division of the U. S. 

 Bureau of Experiment Stations, and Dr. A. C. True, U. S. 

 Director of Experiment Stations; the president of the 

 Agricultural College, members of the State Board of 

 Agriculture, and representatives from the Irrigation En- 

 gineering department of the college. It was there decided 

 that the U. S. government and the state of Colorado 

 should co-operate in the irrigational work for Colorado 

 and a contract was signed whereby each party agrees to 

 pay the sum of $5,800 for this work. 



With an expenditure of practically $12,000 surely 

 some interesting and profitable work should be done. The 

 work has been started and is progressing nicely. Al- 

 though it was a little late in the season to do much field 

 work this summer we shall be ready and on the grounds 

 when next year's irrigation season opens. 



This work will include the application of water to 

 crops by different methods, showing the advantages of 

 one system over another. 



The best time to irrigate crops on different soils and 

 how much water to apply is another problem. 



Irrigation pumping plants of Colorado will come in 

 for their share of the work. The study of different fac- 

 tors affecting the flow of water in ditches, head works, 

 and weirs, will also be taken up. 



It is to be hoped that the work just started will be 

 carried on for years and that many of the irrigation prob- 

 lems may be solved which will bring dollars into the 

 pockets of the Colorado farmer and be a great benefit to 

 the state of Colorado. E. B, HOUSE, 



Colorado Agricultural College, Fort Collins. 



The primer of hydraulics will be completed about 

 January 1, 1912. If you order a copy of this splendid book 

 with your subscription for THE IRRIGATION AGE, you can 

 save 50 cents; three dollars for the book and the paper 

 for one year. 



