IRRIGATION 



17 



the outlay." Again, he says in the same connection 

 (ibid., p. 2,';/') : "It has oftentimes occurred that such a 

 watering, once or oftener applied, has saved a crop that, 

 without it, would have been a complete failure. For my 

 part, I would as soon think of being without a steam 

 pump as the farmer who cuts hay would of being without 

 a mowing machine. There is very seldom a season so 

 ivet that the steam pump will not be required 2 or 3 

 weeks, and in most seasons it will be in use 8 to 10 

 weeks. When the weather is very dry, and all the crops 

 need abundant watering, the pump should be kept run- 

 ning night and day, by employing two sets of men. 

 . . . I would rather have a piece of 10 acres well 

 fitted up for irrigation than one of 20 without irrigation ; 

 and I venture the assertion that I could raise more vege- 

 tables or receive, more money for my crops, in a period 

 of 10 years from the 10 acres irrigated than from the 20 

 acres nonirrigated." Mr. Rawson once sold $3,500 worth 

 of cauliflower from 6 acres of irrigated land, and he be- 

 lieved that not over $1,000 would have been realized 

 without irrigation. The prospective irrigator should 

 bear in mind that prices average higher in seasons of 

 drouth. 



119. The furrow method of irrigation is in most gen- 

 eral use in the vegetable-growing section of the West 

 and has been used to some extent in the East. The main 

 argument in its favor is that with suitable contour of the 

 land very little expense is involved in the making of 

 ditches or furrows. On the other hand, the system has 

 several disadvantages: (i) Considerable attention is re- 

 quired to operate this system. (2) It is not easily used 

 on land of uneven contour. (3) It is not successful on 

 very open, porous soils nor upon impervious soils. (4) 

 It fails to secure an even distribution of water. (5) It 

 may cause serious baking of the areas occupied by fur- 

 rows. 



