430 



THE IRRIGATION AC, K . 



The character of the surface and sub-soils also plays 

 an important part in that evaporation is aided or retarded 

 by its sandy, clay or gravel character. 



Thus the r.mount of evaporation and the character of 

 the surface and sub-soils will influence us very mate- 

 rially in the amount of water we should apply. The 

 character of the crop also has its influence, but this will 

 be discussed more particularly when we discuss the vari- 

 ous garden crops. 



When Do We Require Irrigation? 



Here again no hard and fast rule can be given. Some 

 one has unofficially stated that for districts similar to 

 Montana, British Columbia, Alberta, etc., irrigation may 

 be deemed advisable, where the average precipitation falls 

 below 20 inches. This has come to be somewhat generally 

 accepted, although it does not mean that paying crops 

 may not be grown, under certain conditions, with less 

 than 20 inches of water, nor does it mean that considerable 

 advantages may not be added when the annual precipita- 

 tion is considerably above 20 inches. The other condi- 

 tions, mentioned above, need to' be taken into account also. 

 However, the division between dry and irrigated areas 

 may be placed, with a certain degree of safety, at about 

 20 inches of precipitation. 



This fact is also true, that in districts where the 

 precipitation is about 20 inches, there is scarcely a year, 

 even among the wettest years, where some of the many 

 crops grown upon the ordinary farms may not be greatly 

 benefited by a judicious application of water. We can all 

 remember, almost in any district, where a few weeks of 

 drouth would come and where the owners of crops would 

 give almost anything for the possibility of applying irriga- 

 tion water. This may be true in areas where there is con- 

 siderably above 20 inches. Then, much more true 

 is it in areas where the average annual precipitation is in 

 the neighborhood of 20 inches or below this point? 



In the Strathmore district the average precipitation 

 covering a number of years is 15 to 17 inches. During 

 1911 we had an abnormally wet year, with a precipita- 

 tion of something over 20 inches, and, even in that year, 

 in the fore part of June, when it was extremely hot and 

 dry, alfalfa was greatly benefited by a good application of 

 water. 



If this is true with general grain and fodder crops, 

 how much more so is it with the garden crops? Vegetables 

 and fruits are very largely composed of water, and, conse- 

 quently, the production of large yields will come as the 

 result of the ability to apply, either naturally or artificially, 

 considerable quantities of water. 



We will now submit a list of the garden crops grown 

 in the Strathmore vicinity, with the time of irrigation, and 

 also some of the advantages of the artificially applied 

 water. 



Small Fruits. 



Among the small fruits we grow very successfully. 

 the red, white and black currants and all varieties of 

 gooseberries. With these plants irrigation water is ap- 

 plied first from the middle to the end of May. This in- 

 duces the plants to throw out a large amount of fruit 

 bloom and then after the fruit is set a judicious applica- 

 tion of water induces the production of a larg_e crop of 

 luscious berries. 



Strawberries. 



With strawberries we have found one application to 

 be desirable and sufficient. With this fruit we have had 

 considerable success. By covering the plants 2 or 3 

 inches deep with well-rotted horse manure and leaving 

 this covering on until about the end of May we control 

 almost perfectly, the time when our fruit will be ready 

 for market. 



In Calgary we get B. C. strawberries during the early 

 summer months. But in Alberta by somewhat controlling 

 the maturing of the fruit, with the manure mulch, our 

 berries come onto the market from July 15th to the 20th 

 of August. Thus, they are brought onto the market at 

 a time when there is not a competing strawberry be- 

 tween Vancouver and Winnipeg, and at a time when the 

 first imported fruits, on our market, are rather high in 

 price. 



The irrigation water is applied just as the first bloom 

 appears. This induces a heavy fruiting and gives the plant 



sufficient moisture to last through July, when we fre- 

 quently have warm, dry weather. By this method the 

 plant has a sufficiency of moisture to mature the entire 

 crop without having the last berries dwindle down to 

 small size, as is frequently the case in dry weather. We 

 find one irrigation sufficient, unless extremely dry weather 

 is experienced, and have discontinued the irrigation dur- 

 ing the fruit producing time, on account of the fact that 

 the berries are apt to grow too rapidly and thus, because 

 they are so soft, ship in poor condition. One thorough 

 irrigation has produced a fruit season of almost six weeks 

 and has produced with us almost $500 as a gross return 

 per acre. 



Potatoes. 



With potatoes we have not always had the best re- 

 sults with irrigation. We can produce a very large ton- 

 nage, but not the quality. Heavy irrigation of potatoes 

 produces a soggy potato that is a poor baker. We obtain 

 our best results by planting our potatoes on ground that 

 has been used for peas, rape or garden truck, and that 

 has had a good irrigation the year previous. It appears 

 that a sufficiency of moisture is carried in the sub-soil 

 to give us plenty for potatoes. We work particularly for 

 quality with this crop and not so much for quantity. 



Rhubarb Pie Plant. 



Here again we have done remarkably well with this 

 crop. It is a fact that we have planted the seed in August, 

 then after the plants were up two or three inches, they 

 were given a light irrigation. The plants were trans- 

 planted the next spring, irrigated in June and in July, 

 exactly eleven months from the time the seed was placed 

 in the ground, we were cutting the plant for market. 

 Those who have grown rhubarb know that it generally 

 takes two years to grow this plant successfully from seed. 



Other Vegetables. 



For the balance of the vegetables, generally, we have 

 found irrigation to produce splendid results. 



These would include beets, carrots, turnips, beans, rad- 

 dish, parsnips, cabbage, cauliflower, peas, spinach, etc. 



We have found that irrigation produces a much larger 

 tonnage and as this does not hurt the quality, as may be 

 done with potatoes, there is this decided advantage. 

 Cabbages and carrots may require slightly more care than 

 the balance of the common vegetables, as a plentiful sup- 

 ply of water during a hot, rapidly growing period may 

 cause the carrots to crack or split down the side and the 

 cabbages to burst. 



Green peas and spinach will take a plentiful supply of 

 water and particularly with the peas the continuance of 

 the moisture supply will induce a long period of flowering 

 and consequently a large crop. 



With irrigation second and third crops of such things 

 as summer turnips, peas, radish, spinach, etc., may be set 

 out, a thing that is not so possible under ordinary con- 

 ditions as, of necessity, these would have to be sown dur- 

 ing hot dry weather, when it would be difficult to have 

 seeds sprout or come to any value after sprouting. 



A simple irrigation of the ground before these second 

 and third crops are sown, insures rapid germination, quick 

 growth and additional profits. 



There are many other phases of the irrigation of the 

 garden that might be touched upon, but those given above 

 will suffice to show the great benefit of irrigation in the 

 production of garden produce. 



A WORD OF PRAISE. 



MUROC, CAL., September 21, 1912. 

 IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago, 111. 



Gentlemen: Please pardon my delay in acknowledg- 

 ing receipt of "Primer of Irrigation" as premium with 

 AGE. 



It is a veritable agricultural college in miniature and 

 well worth the subscription price of IRRIGATION AGE, while 

 the latter contains helpful articles, each one of which 

 is worth the price of the magazine many times over. 

 Yours very truly, 



(Signed) P. C. HONIGH. 



