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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1911)
WASTE IN IRRIGATING! lExtcnsive Swamps Are Being Created in Some Sections. rrlgatlon of Crop Is Now Science! jnd It Is Logical That Perfection lo Not Being Reached In Its Application. I in many sections of tho Irrigated jdlstrlcts cxtcnslvo swamps aro being .created by tho oxccaslvo uso of water. Unless somo effective meaBuro Is prc jmulgatod to check this oxcobsIvo uso of wator n Iobs which can hardly be "estimated 1b sure to result. This coin imon mistake can bo corrcctod by au jthoratlvo stnto or national govornmont (restriction of tho uoo of water In Ir rigation. Tho Irrigation of crops Is a now sci ence, and it Is logical that perfection jhas not been approached In Its prac tical application. Tho excesslvo U3e ot water Is a natural tendency under tlio conditions which havo developed this sclenco. Tho farmer does not at tempt to determine the amount of moisturo his land carries under nor mal condltlonB, nor what degreo of moisturo a certain crop requires. Tho mon of sclenco havo demonstrated that an oxcess over 20 per cent. Is det rimental to almost all crops. This ex cess of moisturo oxcludes tho air frpm tho soli and at tho samo tlmo, car ries oft tho fertility of tho soil and Impoverishes tho land permanently. If tho host results In physical condl jtlQn and fertility or tho soil are so jcured thero can be no waste of Irri gation by a sub or surfaco flow from jtho field. Tho Bytom of Irrigation which creates swamp conditions not only wastes tho water but wastes tho fertility of tho land that Is being Irrl gated. This doublo wasto should bo effectively stopped by the' authority of law. Whllo wo nro expending millions of dollars In redeeming plants wo nro making extensive swamps by an ex travagant waBto of wator. When latd is correctly irrigated thero can bd no wasto of water to overflow or make swamps by capillary flow. These now awampa aro presenting serious engi neering problems of drnlnuge. Tho re lease of wator from oubterrancan ba sins Is oxpcmslvo and uncertain. Tho drainage proposition can bo (Simplified by an effective control of tho wator which Is supplied At such a great ex pense, und which Is in demand for tho redemption ot excesslvo desert areas. It will bo a blessing to the land own er who Is constantly putting the, nat ural mineral fertilizers of bin soli jhito solution and sending It to the swamps and tho so-called alkali bods to becomo a menace and a waste. (Any restrictive measure which could Jbo onforcod to prevent tho excessive juso of water would bo forth millions to tho farm owners. That same meas ure would redeem the rallllonB of dollars worth of land now In swamp HvaBtes. ; Unless tho irrigator can bo Induced or compelled to rotaln all tjio wasto water on ins tana uio weu-aramcu Jlaiul will becomo an Impoverished waste, and tho land Into and upon which this water flows will becomo worthless alkali beds.- Tho excessive user of wator and his name Is legion should bo saved ifrom self destruction; and his neigh bor should be protected. Milking Machines. Tho uso ot milking machines has been considerably extended In Vic toria, Australia, during the paBt sea son; and, owing totho scarcity of suitable labor on dairy farms, their ladoptlon may bo expected to becomo even more general. The provincial board of agrlculturo says: "It Is ad Vlsablo to emphasize that tho utmost 'care and cleanliness aro necessary. A haphazard method of dealing with rub tor tubes and fittings cannot bo toler ated. Greater caro Is necessary with 'these machines than is tho case Nylth (the ordinary pall; but, given that ex jtra Intelligent attention, milking by machinery should not detrimentally affect the quality of tho product. It 1b 'advisable to cleanse tho cow's teats ibeforo attaching the milking cups and to carefully strip every cow after the tmachlno Is dotached to sco that no jmllk has been left behind. Animals iregardlng which there may bo nny bub jplclon should bo liand-mllked. With Itheso precautions the machlno will 'answer every purpose." Cutting Corn for Silage. Tho composition of corn undergoes rapid changes from tho tassellng pe riod until maturity. Tho dry matter ;showB an Increase of one nnd three : fifths tonB per ncro from the tlmo tho jcorn Is In taBsel until tho kernels are dented. Tassoled corn has only one fifth as much dry matter as mature corn. It Is owing to such changes ithat corn must bo cut at the proper stage If It Is to mako the best sllago. If cut too green, tho nllage will sour more easily and will not possess tho fullest food value. Immature corn Is often tho cause of tho complaints that sllago makes undesirable milk. It cut too ripe, tho desired succulence' Is lost. The proper stnge for cutting is when the lower leaves navo commcucod to fire and brown, yet when the greater part of tho loaves aro still groen. Tho stake and donted and hardened. Profit In Calves, Somo dairymen bollevo It doesn't pay to ralso calves. Theso men are shortsighted, and If they continue In ,tho business many years will reallzo iho folly of their policy. injury by over-ibriqation Costs More to Ge Water Out of Irri gated Country Than It Does to Get It In. "When onco tho habit Is formed," says an expert Irrigator, "It Is so much easier to Irrigate than It Is to cultivate when tho crop shown nlgns of distress, that the water Is turned on till the soil as Vcll as tho crop aro swamped. Alknll, malaria, lack of air In tho soil nnd many other trou bles common to over-Irrigation fol lows." This Is all too true, and explains why dry farming, where tho subsoil Is sufficiently moist, Is In so many places showing results almost ns good, nnd occasionally better, than over-lrrlga-cd soils alongsldo them. Extensive travel and observation In tho groat Irrigated sections of Cali fornia, Washington, Colorado nnd Montana has convinced us thnkwhere tho country la nt all level, tho old say lng Is true, that In time. "It tnkes moro money to got tho water out of an Irrigated country than It does to get It Into It." When wo were In ttVnonn rAllfA.ln I . . I , thnt country wore holdlnor nubile H cusslons on how best to relieve It from the ruinous sub-Irrigation which sIiowb up In lakes In somo spots, nnd In malaria or ruined vlncynrda and orchards In others." It was estimated by some who were advocating appeal ing to tho government for old, that It would tako several millions of dollars to rid thnt nnd nn ndjolnlng county of surplus water. We believe that dry farming meth ods can bo used In connection with Ir rigation, cvcn In tho moro lovel nnd slow draining aoctlons so that moBt of tho ovlls of over-Irrigation can bo avoided; and wo believe, too. thnt the widespread Interest In dry farming Is going to da much along this lino. It seems to us that with care to apply only tho amount of wator need ed nt tho tlmo, too Ilttlo rnther than too much, followed by liberal tlllago, thero should bo no moro danger of souring, nlkallng or otherwlso water logging tho lnnd than In sections where there Is nmplo rainfall. Uut tho temptation to put on too much wa ter, particularly by tho beginner In Irrigation, seemB almost lrrcslstable, and all newly Irrigated Boctlona pay Ilttlo attention to theso wnrnlngB. till sickness or serlpus loss stares them In the face, and then tho cost of rem edying Is groat. IRRIGATE IN VARIOUS WAYS Current Motors Used to Force Water From Rapidly Moving Rivers Other Pumps on Barges. Irrigation as practiced by tho an cients nnd In tho early dnyB of Its ex ploitation In this country was purely a matter of gravity. Though most of tho govornmont Irrigation projects are based upon tho gravity principle thero nro numorous successful irrigation districts whero various other forces are employed. Tho government hns a pumping plant on tho WUllston project in North Dakota In which tho pumps are located upon barges on account of tho varying heights of wator In tho Mis souri river. Connection Is mado to tho cannlB along tho shore by flexi ble pipes. In tho only government Irrigation project In Kansas water Is obtained by pumping from twenty-threo wells, tho pumps being driven from a central power station. In certain Instances on other projects wator Is pumped to higher bonchea from canals which aro filled by gravity and which supply a lower portion of tho Irrigated tract by gravity. In Now Mexico nnd a part of west Texas tho water Bupply Is from wells, somo freoly flowing artesian and some from which water has to bo pumped. In Arizona, on ono of tho government projects, use is mado of a largo wheel to elevate wator from "low line" to "high lino" canals Water distribution Is effected In various ways. Generally tho water flows by gravity in open canals and ditches; sometimes in pipes under ground with hydrants at intervals dis charging into ditches; sometimes for truck gardens and tho like, In overhead sprinkler pipes. One system resembles the rotating lawn sprinkler on a large and numerous scale. 3 POULTRY NOTES. Outs aro not generally fed to fowls. Insect pests aro sure to come from neglected houses. Somo animal feod should bo sup plied for egg production. Moth balls or lime in tho ncsta will not keep tho mites away. You enn keep a good hen Just as cheaply as you can a poor one. Farm hen houses are usually con structed of lumber but concrete struc tures aro coming. rouiiry raisers, wneiner on a small or largo scale, are fast learning tho valuo ot cleanliness. Winter quarters should be thor oughly cleaned beforo tho fowls aro allowed to bo placed In them. When fowls seem to havo nothing to do, keep food away for a time Keen tho chickens busy. Loafers aro no good. Litter on tho floor Is all right. If It is all right. If it Is full of filth. better shovel it out ana givo your birds tho naked floor. If there Is one rule which poultry raisers would profit by moro than any othor It Is: Keep but one good stand ard variety of fowls. Bo your own trap-neat. Takes a bit of time, but when you get dono you know which aro the hons that aro putting eggs In too basket. Nation Loses Millions by Bad Roads WASHINGTON, In tho United States thero aro in all about 2,500,000 miles of roads ot ono kind or nnothT enough to reach around tho cnrwi 100 times. Much of this, howovef. la of n character not wor thy of. tho namo road. Some of It Is Ilttlo- Letter than a rock pile, nnd oth era aro wldo tracks through ditches nnd nwamps. Of tho wholo only Bovon mllea in each hundred can bo Bald to have nny Improvements whatever, and on tho most ot It the Improvements nro such as to bo unworthy of note. Altogether not two per cent, can bo called flrat class. With the prppor Im provement of this network of roads will como n saving that will richly repay tho notion. Tho roads In tho United States may not bo tho very worst In tho world, but thoy nro bad enough as n wholo, that Is certain, compared with thoso In other civilized countries. Europo Is a network of mugnlllccnt highways. In Germany, Franco and England ono can ride for miles without striking a stone or a puddle. This does not add to pleasure alone. It Is tho means ot Government Busy Cleaning Out Opium SLOWLY tho federal arm Is sweeping in tho opium fiends. Tho recent raid hero by Internal revenuo ngcntB, when $8,000 worth of tho drug, pre pared for smoking, was confiscated nnd tho distributing organization for tho District of Columbia broken up, was ono ot a series of big hauls in tho lurger cities of tho country In recent months, ns a result of which sovoral hundred thousand dollars' worth of the drug 1b now in government pos session. In tho last five months just such hauls, many larger and moro impor tant, have been mado by means ot which ngcntB havo In many cases boon ablo to traco tho drug to tho illicit manufacturers, thus dealing tho most serious blow of all. In Tcrro Hauto, Ind., where tho richest haul of all was mado, nearly $100,000 worth of tho drug was found when the inspectors raided a small river shack whero tho crudo opium was being prepared for distribution to smokers throughout tho mlddlo west. "Wo aro learning how to go about It. Wo aro discovering tho haunts ot them," said a special ofllcen. "It has been a hard job, becauso thero la no interstate regulation. Thero Is a bill tor that purposo before congress now. Mammoth Guns to Guard Panama Canal jTryWtp' y CuHS wu. Pto- THE greatest gun ovor built will be como part ot tho coast defenso at tho Pacific end ot tho Panama canal. Tho giant weapon is now at Sandy Hook, N. J., but according to ordors received from tho wnr department It will soon start on tho most remark able journey ever taken by a Wcnpon ot Its size. It weighs 180 tons, is 50 feet In length, with a 10-Inch caliber and power to throw a 2,400-pound pro jectile a dlstnnco of 23 miles. Tho gun Is being moved becauso war au thorities bellevo Now York Is in Icsb danger of being attacked than tho west end of tho Panama cannl. Thero no ship that pokes its nose above tho horizon will bo safe against tho mon ster gun for with a single well-directed shot It could send to tho bottom tho largest war craft tho world knows today. Bar Unbidden Guests From Naval Ball RECENT agitation ovor the new re strictions placed upon midshipmen nt the naval academy In the matter of guests at academy dances has brought forth from officials of tho navy de partment a remarkablo statement. It was disclosed that heretofore tho doors of tho naval academy havo been opened wide on tho evenings of dnnccB, and all presenting themselves nt tho doors dressed ns for a dnnco havo been admitted without question. Several embarrassing situations havo developed from tlmo to tlmo Involving midshipmen in Bcrlous trouble. Henceforth, it Ib stated, the academy officials will rcqulro that no person be admitted without prceentlng a card ot Invitation, nnd tho names of all persons to whom such cards nro issued aro to bo listed. "Tho Invitations to balls nnd hops at tho naval academy," sayB tho state ment, "have been cither a source of rtlaundorstAnding or a causo for at tempting to utlr up class prejudice. Fow fathers and mothers with sons at the naval academy but would de- snvlng millions ot dollars each year to thoso countries whero such roads nro molntnlHod. Tho cost of hauling over our coun try roads Is now nboul 23 cents per ton to tho mile. In tho European 'countries as long as 13 years ago tho cost tmd been reduced to 10 cents, and It Is much lower today. On somo ot tho road3 going Into London, by tho motor cars now In use, It Is Icsb than loui- cents, and by wagon freight can bo hauled almost anywhoro on the con tinent for from one-half to one-third Its cost In tho United States. Tho saving effected under this system; amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars every year. According to tho report of tho inter r.tato commcrco commission In 1900, our railroads handled moro than 800, 000,000 tons of freight which originat ed on their rcspcctlvo lines. All this hnd to bo taken to nnd from tho cars. A great deal of It was mndo up of tho products of the farm nnd the foreata, nnd It Is estimated that at least 200, 000,000 tons of it had a haul of nlno miles at n cost of 23 conts a ton. That bill alono would ropresent moro than $400,000,000, and other freights nnd hauling would run tho Bum to $G00, 000,000 or ovor. Now aupposo wo cut tho wagon freight bill In half, or to 11 M, centa a ton, which la still far abovo tho cost of hauling In Europe, und tho Bavlng would bo $250,000,000 a year. YF VARMir ru KNOCK YOUR HEAD CLEAH Tho only way to Btamp out tho ubo of opium and cocalno primarily Is through Interstate regulation. "Since tho Importation of opium was prohibited, In 1909, a process ot manu facture has been evolved which has loft tho door wldo open again. Tho process of manufneturo la very simple and can bo carried on quietly for years. Tho crudo opium is bought from druggists who, without an Inter stnto regulation law, can Import tho crudo drug and distribute it at will. Slnco last fall wo have mado hauls In ovory largo city In tho country, Includ ing Now York, Buffalo, Washington, Providence, Chicago, Tcrro Haute, Kansas City, St. Louis, Denver, Oma ha, Scattlo, Lob Angeles, San Fran cisco, Boston nnd Philadelphia. Theso hauls havo all brought out some thing and given a, lino on tho trnflla generally." Although tho fortifications for tho cannl havo already been fully planned, tho details regarding them are kept secret. All that is known 1b that tho two ends of tho ditch will bo defended by seven forts In nil, three at the At lantic end nnd four at tho Pacific open ing. Theso works will constitute two systems of forts tho four at tho Pa cific end operating together, nnd llko wIbo the three at tho Atlantic end. Tho fortifications will all bo under ground. A hostllo fleet approaching from tho ocenn will bco nothing but a slope of grnBsy greensward, whether on tho Islands or on tho mainland. Thero will bo nothing visible to shoot nt, for tho great gunB will bo hidden In concroto lined pits, from which they aro uplifted momentarily by their disappearing carriages to deliver their flro. Tho locks of tho cnnnl necessarily nro vital points, nnd these will bo de fended by "field fortifications" thnt la to say, well constructed earthworks, with six-Inch howitzers, three-Inch field guns, etc. Theso works aro In tended, of course, for defenso against posslblo attack by a land force. YOU INVITATION Biro and expect the authorities having their sous In charge to endeavor to keep them apart from that special form of temptation that haunts all places whero largo bodies of young men are collected together, "When tho academy was much smaller and tho number ot guests consequently fewer, thero was Ilttlo difficulty In keeping a careful scrutiny at tho doors ot tho ballroom; but tho number of guests attending has mado this practically impossible. "Is It too much to ask that only thoso Invited should attend, and that cards of admission should bo Issued to authenticate the guests? Is thero any decent ball or assembly ot any size which Is not ;tvUctcd b7 oomo similar precaution?" Your grocer U authorized to give yw a fr MOTHER'S OATS Fireless Cooker How to gat the cooker free This advertisement is cood for 10 cou pons cut it out and you have a bis start. Then in every pack age of Mothtr't Oats you will find a cou pon. Save the cou pons and get the cooker free in a hurry. Ortfy ont ad vtrtisemtnt It ttcctpttdfnm tach tut ttmtr at 10 coupons. Buy a package of Mother's and send a postal for Addreu "MOTHER'S OATS," CHICAGO HE WAS NEXT. Katliorlno Thore la novor any ex cuses for ignorance. Klddor That'll right. There wore ovon knight schools In the dark ages. BABY'S ECZEMA AND BOILS "My son was about threo weeks old whon I noticed a broaklng-out on his chcokB, from which a watory substance- oozed. A short tlmo aftor, his nrmB, shouldors and breast broko out also, and In a fow days became a solid scab. I becamo alarmed, and callod our family physician who at onco pro nounced tho dlsoaso oczoma. The lit tlo follow was under treatment for about throo months. By tho end ot that tlmo, ho soomod no hotter. I be camo discouraged. I dropped tho doc tor's trcatmont, and commenced the uso of Cutlcura Soap and Ointment, and In a fow days noticed a marked change Tho eruption on his cheeks tyno almost healed, and his shouldors, arms and breast woro docldodly bet ter. When ho was about sovon months old, all traco of tho eczema was gono. "During his toothing" period, his head and faco woro broken out In bolls which I cured with Cutlcura ttoap and Ointment. Buroly ho must have boon a groat oufforor. During tho time of toothing nnd from tho time I dropped tho doctor's treatment, I used tho Cutlcura Soap and Cutlcura Ointment, nothing oUo, and when two years old ho was tho plcturo of health. Ills complexion was soft and beauti ful, and his head a mass of silky curls. I had been afraid that he would never bo well, and I fool that I owo a groat deal to tho Cutlcura nemodles." (Signed) Mrs. Mary W, namsoy, 224 D. Jackson St., Colorado Springs, Col., Sept. 24, 1010. Although Cutlcura Soap and Ointment aro sold by drug gists and dealers ovorywhero, a sam plo of each, with 32-pago book, will be mailed free on application to "Cutl cura," Dept. G L, Boston. 8amo. Friend What wero your sensations In tho wreck? Victim Just tho same aB In football. Throo coaches passed over mo, and then tho doctors came. Puck. Milady Who Is on Having qi Defiance Starch for dresses, skirts, petticoats, etc. Defiance produces a finish and freshness impossible with any other starch. The Best Hot or Cold Water Starch Ever Made. One Trial Will Soon Convince You, USA Let us tell you our plan of dis tributing these cookers, Mr. Grocer. You will be inter ested. Send a postal to "Molhcr's Oah" Chicago OaU TODAY, complete premium book. Splendid Crops In Sftskatehswan (Western Cattail) BOO Bushels from 20 Bores oi wncii wit ins mresner s return from a Lloyd I minster farm In In season Of 1910. Many field, in that as well at other districts yield ed from 25 to 33 bu shels of wheat to the ncr. Other Brains In proportion. LARSE PROFITS nra llius derived from tho FRUK O M V. .STEAD LANDS Western tj.iiniln. hU otex lent ihOTilDS catties priest to adranco. Laud value Iiik, rutil. raurua iid dairy Inft nr all urnttinbla. re jiomceienuvui i to lio lini in til (IfstrlcLi jeo rn tlotift nt 83.00 noi lrro prn-ewp- nnmiiMWl th ill cur) nln nrefts. Hrliools nnil inrm, cllmnte) vine rM elmte uMMeell.il, oil the i;lclitl teooil. wntor ml iiuliilinir material so Jfl plentiful, . , M a Yor particulars a to location, 3 low Mtllen. railway, rates and 'I DeserlptlT. Illoitraied parnphleu n "Mil HNI VTe.." pmi wiipr m- forBiatlon. writ, to Ru plot Immi gration, Ottawa, Canada, or to Sal Ufcsaajaa uoTHDurai 3 W. V. BENNETT Keen 4 BM Kit. 0aka.Rt. J;$ I meoMWrltatotheaireMnearMtyoa FOR WALLS AND OEILINCe tecs m tin rTi tews tin wnt mm tw cm wihi it A beautiful llloetratmt book of U colon and rinto Eraptts fori cents. Hend roar nameandadareasto Mis VAMNlSlI CO., Uroofclyn,N.Y. ron ALL eve DISEASES ircingniranril DFlUfi STORES Nebraska Directory Qttvi Better Things U Eat. Order TLIo Delicacies by mail. Atl -for New Catalogue. 17lb & Douglas Sis., Omtba, Nth. Q 7 $100 MONTP. AUT0IMQ tJa AUT80HOt- I824FARNAM WB 8THEET, OMAHA, NEBRASKA QUAIlANTEItfl MORS ACTUAL HKPAtniNO than nny three other schools. , COMB SEK. I POULTRY I can make you saonsy by seltlne your butter, eggs and poultry on comrfllrslon. Writ B for prion. Robert l'nrrU Brt.UtO 411 . Ilia tt.O-.k, PAINLESS DENTISTRY GOLD CROWN, 94.00 lo $8.00 1" late or bridge mads In 1 day, Mx amlnatlon free. Wyrs.Buarantve. BAILEY f . DENTIST J,w Offlml CITT IMTIOXi h Bill BLOO, toUfclliktSIISt ISIaalUrair, Osaka Cut (Mr ad, (rut (a find u, Defeutlvo EyeSighf Gorrectedffi We Know How. Satisfaction Guaranteed. HUTESON OPTIOAL COMPANY 313 South IBth Street, Ommhm, Par ticular Insists Nothing But Big 16-ounce package for 10 cents; only 12 ounces for same price of any other kind. Not Best Because it la Cheapest, But Cheapest Because it la Best. Manufactured by Defiance Starch Co. OMAHA, NEBRASKA jMjm