28 



was about one-seventh of an acre, and there was a total of 20,000 gal- 

 lons of water applied, siififlcient to cover the irrigated area to a depth 

 of 5.27 inches. 



As soon as possible after irrigating the ground was smoothed down 

 and stirred with a light cultivator. Within a few days after watering 

 there were showers, which appeared to leave the unirrigated soil as wet 

 as that which had been irrigated. It was noticeable later in the month, 

 however, that there was more moisture in the irrigated plats, although 

 it is to be remembered that there was no serious deficiency of mois- 

 ture at any time during the niontli where there had been no irrigation. 

 While there were no noticeable differences in the growth and vigor of 

 the plants where irrigated and not irrigated during the remainder of 

 the season, it should not be said at this time that there were no bene- 

 ficial effects from the watering. It appears that the critical period 

 of the season for the strawberry plant is during the month of August. 

 It is found that if water is applied in August in a dry season a good 

 yield of fruit is secured the next summer, but it remains to be deter- 

 mined whether an abundant supply of water furnished artificially is 

 of more value to the plants than a moderate amount supplied by 

 natural i^recipitation. In other words, it can not be determined defi- 

 nitelj' until after the next fruiting season whether it will pay to irri- 

 gate in a season of medium or abundant rainfall. 



Except for the watering, the irrigated and unirrigated plats were 

 given precisely the same treatment throughout the summer and fall, 

 and all of the plants were mulched alike during the winter. 



ASPARAGUS. 



A part of the asparagus bed mentioned elsewhere in this report was 

 irrigated during the season of 1003. Two rows were selected to be 

 watered. These rows represented average conditions throughout the 

 field. The soil was in good tilth and in si^lendid condition for retain- 

 ing moisture, having received each fall for three or four years a heavy 

 dressing of composted barnyard manure, which was worked into the 

 soil by the spring cultivations. The plants were 7 years old and were 

 in prime condition as to vigor. The rows were 4^ feet apart, and the 

 plants were growing thickly in the rows in a mass 12 to 16 inches 

 wide. The land slopes gently toward the south. Furrows around 

 each row were made with a single-shovel plow, working as near the 

 plants as possible without injuring them. At the upper end of the 

 ro^s a cross ditch was provided for feeding the furrows. The water 

 was allowed to flow in the furrows until the soil was thoroughly satu- 

 rated. The total amount of water applied to the asparagus during 

 the two days August 10-12 was 2,200 gallons, amounting to a depth of 

 2.39 inches over the area irrigated, about one thirty-sixth of an acre. 



Frequent showers came after irrigating, so that it was not thought 

 necessary to apply any more water. Although the rains kept the soil 



