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BULLETIN 10, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



the soil and in spots seemed to diminish it to such an extent that not 

 enough remained to produce a vigorous growth in the plants after 

 cutting. 



IRRIGATION OF GRAIN, 1910, 1911, AND 1912. 



During these three seasons the east halves of checks 35, 36, and 37, 

 containing one-half acre each and 1£ acres of unleveled land lying 

 north of check 37, were given over to experiments with irrigation of 

 barley. 



During 1909 checks 35, 36, and 37 were planted to sugar beets, 

 which were irrigated, but the amounts of water added were small, 

 and it is safe to assume had no effect upon the crops which followed 

 in 1910. The unleveled area north of check 37 had been cropped to 

 grain for a number of years previous to beginning the experiments, 

 and was typical of much of the so-called " worn-out " land in the 

 vicinity of the farm. 



Season of 1910. — During the season of 1910 all plats were plowed 

 in the early spring, harrowed, and drilled to barley on March 12, 85 

 pounds of seed per acre being used. The following irrigation sched- 

 ule was planned and carried out. 



Schedule of irrigation of barley, 1910. 



Number of plat. 



Unleveled area 

 35 



36 



37 



Number of irrigations. 



No irrigation 



One irrigation (flooded) 



Two irrigations (shallow furrows) . 



Two irrigations (deep furrows) 



Dates. 



April 27 



/..do 



iMay 17 



Depth 

 applied. 



Inches. 



3.6 

 3.6 

 2.6 



Plats 36 and 37 were furrowed immediately after seeding. The 

 shallow furrows of plat 36 were made by a marker consisting of two 

 6 by 6 inch timbers, 2| feet long, set on edge, 18 inches apart, and 

 fastened parallel to each other by 2 by 4 inch cross strips. This was 

 drawn over the surface parallel with the checks, making shallow 

 furrows 18 inches apart and averaging H inches deep. This method 

 is practically the same as flooding, the furrows acting simply as 

 guides for the water. 



It was intended to irrigate plat 37 by subirrigation from deep 

 furrows, but the method was not successful, and May 1 the check 

 was plowed and seeded to cowpeas, which were turned under as green 

 manure in the fall. 



The dates of irrigating plats 35 and 36 depended entirely upon the 

 condition of the crop, the water being added when it was thought it 

 would produce the best results and in quantities sufficient to give the 

 soil a good irrigation. 



