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Clearly, however, these early tests were of physical perform- I I I I I I I I I ,I 'I I I I I I I - decisions and crop production yields. The linkages between soil and water are strong. As early as 1949, 32 years ago and at a time when irrigation farming was really just taking off and interest in expanding grain sorghum production was high, experiments demonstrated the importance of soil type to water consumption. Results at two locations (see Table IV-2) underscored the differences so important to our present analysis. The significant result was that, while yields per acre were almost the same -- 3,150 pounds or 56.3 bushels to the north, 3,184 pounds or 56.8 bushels to the south -- nearly 60 percent more water (irrigation plus rainfall) was needed on the sandy loams than on the hard "tight" lands. The superior water-retention capacity of the Hale County soils was also demonstrated, and the yields per acre-inch from the sandy soils of Lynn County were 40 percent less than on the hard lands. ance under similar control conditions, with soils constituting the main production variable. What they did not tell the farmer, but he was quick to discover anyway, was that, with abundant water and cheap energy to pump it, he might be as well or better off finan- cially to grow milo in Lynn and Terry Counties, as cotton -- or cotton in Hale County rather than milo -- if the price was right. The planting decisions 30 years later are being made easier, if more painful, with water costs the critical variable, as production f'inll,,",.c.C' +,... ."""", I.';" r"lInn.....r+ , ,':j....,...... "'v . VI Ivn '" I I ...u'::;1':f\;....... IV-20 I Arthur D Little.lnc I