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Lake County Press, Issue 3154, 5 August 1926, Page 3

Irrigation Praotic**

The concluding lecture was delivered by Mr R B Tenneut, whoso subject was Irrigation Practices ” Tbere was a large attendance, and Mr Tsnnent dealt with his subject in an interesting manner, the lecture being illustrated with a series of instructive lantern slid*?. • The lecturer said that tha ad aplion of a soil to irrigation depondtd to a large extent upon its physical nature, and it was therefore desirable that tbs irrigation farmer should have a clear conception of the soil with which he was dealing for to a large measure his success or failure would be eontroll ed by its texture and formation. Referring to the usable water capacity of soils, Mr Tenneut said that unless l&rtners carefully studied the writer capacity of their various paddocks, it meant waste of water, waste of time, and waste of money There were three main principles under which the natural moisture content of soil might be artificially supplemented for tha improvement of plant growth. These were (I) sub irrigation ; (2) standing water ; (8) surface irrigation. Mr Tennent furnished details of the various methods of applying water, and part ieularly referred to iU'faoe irrigation including flooding from contour ditches, flooding from field laterals, aud the border-ditch method. He did not advocate wild-flioding except in very exceptional circumstance?, where plenty of water was available without extra cost and good drainage existed. ! Certain special implements were essential to the irrigation farmer in order to facilitate the preparation of his land for irrigation, aud illustrations of plough?, furrowing sledges, scoops, and fiuishiag-levellers were displayed upon the Ecreen, and the functions 1 of the implements described by Mr i Tennent. He also referred to the u?e of canvas dams in temporary ditches, > and said that at times it was jus ait

important to keep water off land -its it was to kosp water on land. In many cases bad irrigation was responsible for souring land, and swampy con ditions resulted By means of dia grams Mr Tannen* furnished the seeking with interesting information in regard to the producing qualities of soils, and the water requirements per acre.

At ibe conclusion of his lecture Mr Tennent replied to several questions in regard to irrigation matters. Mr Andrew Simeon (Mayor ©f Queenstown) said he had much pleasure in moving that a hearty vote of thanks be aceordsd to the Department of Agriculture and Mr Tennent for arranging the farm school that had just been concluded. He felt sure that tbo i f •' 'Hon supplied by the various lecturers v«.,uld be of great benefit to ;lio farmers who bad attended the lectures.

The motion was carried by aoclam atim.

On tba initative of Mr R M Paterson a hearty vols of thanks was accorded Mr Leo Lee, who had been primarily responsible for the travelling farm school ooming to Arrowkown, and also for the success that had attended the undertaking. Messrs Tennent and Lee suitably acknowledged the complimentary re fecenoes that had been made by Messrs Siraaon and Paterson, and the pro seeding* terminated