File:Preparing land for irrigation and methods of applying water (1904) (14755922516).jpg

Identifier: preparinglandfor145unit (find matches)
Title: Preparing land for irrigation and methods of applying water
Year: 1904 (1900s)
Authors: United States. Bureau of Irrigation Investigations United States. Office of Experiment Stations
Subjects: Irrigation farming West (U S )
Publisher: Washington : U.S. G.P.O.
Contributing Library: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library
Digitizing Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library

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inches into morethan about 10 equal parts; but good practice frequently calls for a flowin each furrow of from one-fifth to three-fourths of a miners inch,which can not be secured by this method. In irrigating such crops as corn, potatoes, sugar beets, and vegeta-bles, all of which are planted in rows, the usual practice is to makefurrows midway between the rows with a light plow or cultivator.Openings are then made in the ditch bank at the head of each furrow.Sometimes, however, one opening feeds two or more furrows. Thelatter is the common practice when the head ditch is permanent.Before water is admitted to the furrows on the strip to be irrigated acheck dam is placed in the head ditch opposite the lowest furrow of thestrip. The check dam may consist of earth or of manure and earthcombined, but it is more likely to be a canvas dam or some one of themany kinds of tappoons. The purpose of this check issto hold thewater in the head ditch at the desired elevation and to distribute the
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Fig. 2.—Implement for Making Furrows in Orange Orchard. 37 flow between the furrows. The number of furrows which shouldreceive water at one time will depend on the crop, the volume of waterin the head ditch, and the smoothness and texture of the soil. Withthe crude appliances of this method constant attention is required inorder to distribute the water somewhat equally among the furrowsand to see that the stream flows down each furrow without damming-and flooding a portion of the crop. As soon as the soil is sufficientlydry the furrows are filled in and the space between the rows cultivated. Figure 11 shows a sketch of the Vw scraper or *c crowder. This isone of the most convenient and serviceable homemade implements formaking head ditches, whether permanent or temporary. In the sketchshown the shorter arm is hinged to the longer and the V can beadjusted to suit ditches of different sizes. Some consideration is given to the best way of watering a field atthe time of planting. If the

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