Bulletin No. 80 - Irrigation Investigations in 1901

The fact that the ancient and, to arid countries, indispensible art of irrigation lacks a scientific basis, is the justification of the decision taken two years ago by the officers of the Utah Experiment Station, to make irrigation the central subject of their investigations

Circular No. 7 - Labor Saving Devices for the Farm Home

This paper was written for and read before the first International Congress of Farm Women held at Colorado Springs, October 17th to 21st, 1911. A few changes have been made in the manuscript and some illustrations added. The name indicates that it is written for the progressive farmers of some means--since all labor saving devices cost more or less money. The farm home which finds it difficult to keep flour in the barrel, naturally will not be interested in $125.00 water systems--except as an ideal they may attain to some day, and ideals are always helpful. To find ways and means of helping this class of farm home has our deepest interest, but is entirely another story. The wise woman in any condition can, by using her wits and the means at her command, do much toward making her work simpler and save steps in the performance of it. The purpose in writing this paper has been two-fold: To stimulate thought on the part of the home-workers--the women; and to induce a spirit of interested co-operation on the part of home providers--the men. An intelligent, active interest in the subject with some good head work thrown in is the best asset any woman can have in her work. Coupled with the wife\u27s determination must be the husband\u27s willing help; for, since the home is shared by both and made for both, no woman can make much advance if she has to go it alone. So, in spite of the fact that comparisons are odious, they have been frequently drawn between man\u27s and woman\u27s work on the farm with their respective facilities for work. This has been done not at all to make it appear that men are all at fault and women down-trodden; but to make them both feel that absolute co-operation is necessary in order to realize the possibilities of the joyous freedom of farm life. This condition must hold in all home life as well

Bulletin No. 104 - The Storage of Winter Precipitation in Soils

It has been found that the production of one pound of dry plant substance on soils of average fertility, requires in humid districts not more than five hundred pounds of water, and in arid districts like Utah about seven hundred and fifty pounds. This indicates that the average rainfall of Utah, which is about twelve inches, if properly conserved in the soil, is sufficient to produce annually, without irrigation, from thirty to forty-five bushels of wheat to the acre, or corresponding yields of other crops. The realization of this truth has changed greatly our views of irrigation practices. The beginning of irrigation wisdom is now considered to be the conservation of the natural precipitation, which means that soil must be used as a storage reservoir for water. If the farmer succeeds in bringing the larger portion of the rain and snowfall into the soil, and in keeping it there until crops need it, some success of the crop is assured. Irrigation under such conditions is, as it always should be, supplementary only to the natural precipitation, for the amount of irrigation water needed decreases as the amount of water stored in the soil increases. As the value of the natural precipitation becomes better understood among irrigation farmers, the present supply of irrigation water may be made to cover a more extended area. The progress of irrigation depends very largely upon the degree to which the farmers will care for the natural supply of water that falls upon their farms in the form of rain and snow

Bulletin No. 122 - The Nature of the Dry Farm Soils of Utah

Successful farming in Utah is dependent upon two main factors: First, the economic use of irrigation water upon the lands lying under the irrigation ditch, and second, upon the correct practice of the principles of dry farming upon those lands not susceptible to irrigation. Dry farming in Utah is, therefore, of great importance and it becomes essential to learn something of the nature of the dry farming soils of the State

Bulletin No. 121 - The Soil of the Southern Utah Experiment Station

The soil of the Southern Utah Experiment Farm is a very interesting type: it is highly charged with gypsum and thereby presents a condition unique in reported studies of the soils of America. Gypsiferous soils are characteristic of a large portion of Southern Utah; many of them are derived from shale, others from sandstone, impregnated with gypsum

Bulletin No. 74 - Lead Ore in Sugar Beet Pulp

The recent great development of the beet sugar industry in the State of Utah, has made the matter of utilizing the sugar beet pulp an important question for Utah farmers. That beet pulp has a high feeding value, when fed in proper combinations, has been shown conclusively since the establishment of the first beet sugar factory in the State, ten years ago. The experience of other states, and of the beet sugar producing countries of Europe, has likewise demonstrated that beet pulp may be used profitably in the feeding of farm animals. It is doubtlessly true that much is yet to be learned concerning the methods by which the best results may be obtained from the use of the pulp, but several experiment stations, including the Utah Station, are working on this subject, and satisfactory conclusions will soon be obtained. So well is the value of sugar beet pulp beginning to be understood that many farmers are now having pulp shipped many miles to their farms in order that they may feed their animals in the best and most economical manner. Really, the most important problem before the sugar beet farmer is the establishment of an understanding with the manufacturer that will enable every farmer to obtain an amount of pulp equivalent to the quantity of beets sold. In that manner will the fertility of the farms be conserved, and the profits of the farmer be made larger. Sugar beet pulp should be an important factor in the animal production of the districts in which beets are produced for the factory

Bulletin No. 86 - The Right Way to Irrigate

The irrigation investigations of the Utah Experiment Station w re instituted in 1901; and have been continued since that year. The results promise to be of the highest importance in the establishment. of correct practices in the use of water on the farms

Bulletin No. 116 - The Production of Dry Matter with Different Quantities of Irrigation Water

The second period of the irrigation investigations of the Utah Experiment Station began in 1901, when plans were formulated for accurate and extensive studies of the relations to each other of soils, crops and water. Preliminary work was done on the College Farm during the summer of 1901. During the winter of 1901-02, the Greenville Farm was secured, and on it was constructed a system of weirs, flumes and laterals, whereby accurately measured quantities of water could be placed at will upon any plat. With this apparatus a great number of vital questions concerning the practice of irrigation was submitted to experimental study. The standard irrigated crops were grown with varying amounts of water and under different conditions of cultivation and of irrigation. At regular intervals, during the growing season and at harvest, the crops were carefully sampled, the moisture in them determined, and they were finally submitted to complete chemical analysis. In this manner, among other things, the total dry matter produced on each plat was determined

Bulletin No. 88 - The Relation of Smelter Smoke to Utah Agriculture

Utah\u27s position among the great commonwealths depends upon the degree of development of the agricultural industry of the State. As a producer of wealth, however, the mining industry exceeds agriculture. The total annual value of Utah farm products is about $17,000,000.00, while the total output from the mines is valued at$34,000,000.00. The operation of the mines, reduction mills and smelters necessitates the employment of large numbers of people, who swell the population of the State, and consume a large part of its agricultural products. Utah, which is an inland State, possessing as yet few large manufacturing enterprises, finds the markets afforded by the mining camps of decided advantage to the farmers. On the other hand, the interests of all phases of mining ventures are furthered by the proximity of prosperous agricultural communities. Agriculture and mining, the two great industries of this region, are mutually helpful, and both aid in the development and growth of the State of Utah

Bulletin No. 105 - Factors Influencing Evaporation and Transpiration

The irrigation investigations conducted by the Utah Experiment Station, some of the results of which form this *report, were undertaken for the purpose of adding to our knowledge of the natural laws upon which the art of irrigation may be safely built. The work has had for its dirrect object the study of the mutual relations of plants, soils and water, as these relations may indicate the most economic use of water for plant production. In pursuit of the investigations it became necessary not only to follow the movement of water in soils under irrigation conditions, but to determine also the relative amounts of water evaporated directly from the soil and taken from the soil by plants. Of equal importance became also, the determination of the optimum and minimum amounts of water for the profitable production of vegetable organic matter. Considering the needs of the practical farmer, three great questions continually presented themselves to the investigators: (1) To what extent is it possible to regulate the amount of water that evaporates directly from the soil? (2) Is it possible to regulate the amount of water taken from the soil by plants? and (3) ls it possible to prevent loss of water by seepage? To answer these questions a host of secondary problems arose, such as the effect of cultivation on soil water evaporation, the methods of irrigation for the most effective use of water, the effect of available plant foods on transpiration, the effect of shade on the direct evaporation from the soil, and so on