34 Journal of Agriculture. [8 Jan., 1908. 



With the sectio-n generally adopted, narrow and high, there is a consider- 

 able liability to break away causing loss of water and damage to crops. 

 If the ground is tolerably level, the check banks may be run in straight 

 lines, to suit cultivation ard harvesting, enclosing from five to ten acres in 

 each check. This brings the description of distributing systems to a con^ . 

 elusion, for the letting of water on to a paddock to find its way as best 

 it can over the surface forming islands and leaving pools is not a system, 

 though unfortunately only too common in practice. Too much stress can- 

 not be laid upon the three cardinal requirements for successful irrigatiorj : 

 preliminary grading or levelling of the land to be watered ; allowing 

 sufficient time for thorough soaking ; and siu-f ace stirring as early as 

 possible after watering. 



In all cases, see that the seed bed is moist. Land may be watered 

 before ploughing or after ; but the moist seed bed is essential. It may, 

 of course, be due to natural causes without any watering. For winter 

 crops, the next watering depends upon the season. It may not be needed 

 until late in September and sometimes not at all. A third watering is 

 but rarely called for. For summer crops water seed beds as before, then 

 give another watering about a fortright after sprouting and a third in 

 another four weeks ox so as the season requires. This should be sufficient 

 to give la full and mature growth. In the case of lucerne, a watering 

 should be given immediately after each cutting, and then get to work with 

 the harrows. This with favorable conditions may mean that five or even 

 more waterings may be needed. For fruit trees, four waterings at most 

 will do, sa\'e in exceptional seasons, and vines can do with one less. Crops 

 of the market garden order will probablv require more frequent attentiori; 

 but as thev will, in general, be of small extent only, they can be suffi- 

 ciently satisfactorily dealt with. If supplies are drawn from a public 

 channel provision will need be made to store some water for this purpose 

 as the channel will, in all probability, be empty for longer intervals than 

 the plants will stand. Tanks are cheaplv constructed and with a pump 

 available, the spoil may be u.sed to form a basin above the level from 

 which the water mav be gravitated as required. 



The aL»ve notes will serve as a general answer to the queries given j)t 

 the head of this article, but it is well to remember that only broad prin- 

 ciples can be given the cultivator 00 paper. The irrigator himself must 

 solve most of the problems — and they will not be few — that will arise. 

 Hired labour will seldom be satisfactory. The successful irrigator will 

 always be the small holder who can give his personal attention tO' a small 

 area and work it thoroughlv. As for the larger holders, profits are to be 

 made even with the rougher and cheaper methods of distribution ; but not 

 tO' the exter4t possible with the smaller man. 



As a parting word, never let the water touch the stems of growing 

 plants in hot weather ; else you run serious risk of injury to the plant. 

 As to results to be laimed at, if fruit growing is the selected way, little 

 improvement is possible upon the existing methods of cultivation ard 

 waterin^g in vogue at Mildura and in the Goulburn Valley. If fodder 

 and its conversion into animal products per medium of the cow or the 

 sheep, is chosen, then use all endeavours tO' get a good stand of lucerne. 

 Do not graze but cut it and hand feed ; and prepare to plough it out at 

 intervals of from five to- eight vears and re-sow after an interval of other 

 crops. 



