444 Transactions of the 



UNDERGROUND IRRIGATION. 



BY I. N. HOAG. 



The subject of irrigation has very naturally attracted a great deal of 

 attention daring the past year, in consequence of the great scarcity of 

 the natural supply of water. 



Schemes for irrigating large tracts of country in many portions of the 

 State have been projected, and some are in a forward state of completion. 

 Much good will, undoubtedly, result from the successful operation of 

 these enterprises. But our object now is to call attention to a plan for 

 underground irrigation, which we think most admirably adapted to 

 irrigating vegetable and kitchen gardens, and small orchards and 

 nurseries, particularly on the dry prairie or grain districts of our State. 



Every farmer, gardener, or nurseryman will at once see and compre- 

 hend the reasons why water applied, say one foot below the surface, 

 will do more good to growing plants of all kinds than if applied on the 

 surface of the soil. These reasons may be stated briefly as follows: 



First — It induces the roots to work downward to meet it, thus giving 

 them a deeper and better hold on the soil, and enabling them to secure a 

 greater amount of the plant-sustaining elements. 



Second — Water thus applied softens up and loosens the whole ground, 

 and does not, like water applied to the surface, induce a crust to form on 

 the surface. 



Third — Much less water will be needed, if applied underground, than 

 if applied on the surface, because the evaporation will be less. 



Fourth — There can be no danger of the sun scalding plants thus 

 irrigated, while this is the great drawback or danger attending surface 

 irrigation in the Summer. 



NATURAL EXAMPLES. 



For a striking illustration of natural underground irrigation, we would 

 refer to the lands about the confluence of the Sacramento and San 

 Joaquin rivers, especially to Sherman and Twitchell Islands. At high 

 tide the water in the rivers or sloughs surrounding these islands is as 

 high, or highei*, than the surface of the soil, even in the Summer season, 

 but at low tide it is from three to four feet below the surface. Thus the 

 soil is kept constantly irrigated from below. To this fact are these lauds 

 indebted for their great productiveness and natural advantages. On 

 these lands the seed time and harvest are coesistant and constant the 

 year through. All varieties of vegetable seed may be planted here in 

 the middle of Summer, and they will come forward and mature as 

 rapidly and perfectly as those planted in the Spring. 



