Irrigating Peaches 311 



given a thorough irrigation after they have become dormant 

 and before the ground freezes, otherwise winter injury due 

 to excessive drying out of the trees is likely to occur. 



The best experience in the leading irrigated fruit districts 

 seems to indicate that from three to five irrigations give 

 best results, the number varying according to the soil 

 and other conditions. Frequently two to four summer 

 applications and one late fall application prove effective and 

 satisfactory. 



As a rule, where drainage is good and the water-table is 

 not too high, heavy applications of water at relatively long 

 intervals are preferable to lighter applications at correspond- 

 ingly shorter intervals. However, Batchelor ^ found that on 

 a gravelly loam soil applications of water every seven or 

 eight days produced a more continuous and greater twig 

 growth and a larger crop of fruit than the same total amount 

 of water applied at intervals of ten to twelve days. And 

 further, that poor color was associated with a small amount 

 of water. There was no marked difference in color of fruit 

 from the trees receiving large and medium amounts of water. 



AMOUNT OF WATER TO APPLY 



From what has already been said, it is apparent that no 

 specific limitations can be placed on the amount of water 

 that a peach orchard should receive, either in a particular 

 application, or in total for the season. The character of the 

 soil, the size of the trees, the head of water, the rate that it 

 flows in the furrows, and the manner in which the orchard is 

 handled after water has been applied, are all factors that are 

 related closely to this problem. 



1 Utah Expt. Sta. BuU. 142. 



