lo March, 1909.] Irrigation in Iiasicm Spain. 185 



Saffron is another plant in request with Spanish cooks for colouring 

 purposes, and is largely cultivated, especially in some of the upper 

 valleys where it sometimes becomes a special culture, as at Requena and 

 some other villages on the railway line to Utiel. Near that town 1 

 remarked fields of this plant, easily distinguished by its curious foliage 

 which reminds one of the grape hyacinth. 



Melons of various kinds are largely consumed in Spain, especially the 

 Valenciano or Valencia melon of which several varieties exist. These 

 melons are dark green outside with firm, sweet, white flesh. They are 

 verv wholesome and stated not to disagree with children e\en. It is 

 strange that these melons should be practically unknown to us. They 

 constitute an important article of food in Spain. They ripen late and 

 can be kept through the greater part of the winter. 



Many other crops are to be met with sometimes on a fairly large 

 scale, such as sweet potatoes, peanuts, &c., nor must we omit the ubiquitous 

 bamboo, which is largely planted as a breakwind, in whch form it con- 

 stitutes one of the features of the landscape. The cut canes come in 

 most useful for many purposes in a country so devoid of timber as Spain 

 has the misfortune to be. 



Such is a brief sketch of a few of the plants cultivated. It is well 

 for us to remember that there is not a single one of these which will 

 not thrive equally well with us, more especially in our irrigation areas. 



Manuring and Rotation of Crops. 



A lesson the Valenciano farmer has long since learnt is the value cf 

 manure. In the irrigated lands especially, this has long been widely 

 recognised and of late years an enormous demand has sprung up for 

 artificial fertilizers, Spanish, English, and German firms, as well as local 

 factories, competing for the custom of the cultivators. It is a fatal mis- 

 take to think that irrigation lessens the need for manuring or that it can 

 act as a substitute for it in any way. The very reverse is the case. Irriga- 

 tion, by enabling the plant to grow more vigorously and yield more heavily, 

 also enables it to remove more plant food from the soil and therefore 

 hastens its exhaustion, unless restitution in the shape of manuring, be 

 made. The large trade done in artificial manures in Valencia and the 

 surrounding districts is eloquent testimon)- of the truth of the above. The 

 use of artificial m^inures has been a powerful aid to production and, sup- 

 plementing the inadequate supplv of ordinary manure, has contributed 

 in a very large degree to the present prosperity of the region. 



Some idea of the quantities usually applied will be given by the follow- 

 ing formula of artificial manures applied to an experimental rice field on 

 which different varieties were being tested. The experiment was carried 

 out bv the Granja, the quantities of manures being those usual for rice 

 culture in the district. These quantities were as follows : — ■ 



First Applratiox (22ND .Iune). 



\hs. per acre. 

 Sulphate of Ammonia (19 per cent, nitrogen) ... ... ... 356'4 



Superphosphate of Lime (16 8 per cent, .sohilile phosphoric acid) ... 396- 

 Sulphate of Potasli (49-4.8 per cent, potash) ... ... ... 39'6 



SkCOND Ari'LICATIO.V (14TH Jui.Y). 

 One-sixth of tiie first application. 



