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Widtsoe, John Andreas, 1872-1952

"Dry-Farming : a System of Agriculture for Countries under a Low Rainfall"

Yet, when
this water is piped to the homestead and allowed to accumulate in
small reservoirs or cisterns, it may be amply sufficient for the
needs of the family and the live stock, besides having a surplus for
the maintenance of the lawn, the shade trees, and the family garden.
Many dry-farmers in the intermountain country have piped water seven
or eight miles from small springs that were considered practically
worthless and thereby have formed the foundations for small village
communities.
Of perhaps equal importance with the utilization of the naturally
occurring springs is the proper conservation of the flood waters. As
has been stated before, arid conditions allow a very large loss of
the natural precipitation as run-off. The numerous gullies that
characterize so many parts of the dry-farm territory are evidences
of the number and vigor of the flood waters. The construction of
small reservoirs in proper places for the purpose of catching the
flood waters will usually enable the farmer to supply himself with
all the water needed for the homestead. Such reservoirs may already
be found in great numbers scattered over the whole western America.


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