23 Market Gardenincf, 



climate like ours. In the case of light waterings, fre- 

 quently repeated, a larger proportion disappears by 

 immediate evaporation, thus wasting work, and, more- 

 over, by this e::cessive evaporation, still further and 

 needlessly reducing the temperature of the soil. Lib- 

 eral supplies at proper intervals are rather to be 

 given, transferring the delivery from one section of 

 the grounds to another, on successive days, and so 

 continuing till it is time to resume the round. The 

 proper intervals, in a time of drought, may be taken to 

 be about one week, on the average, — though this 

 must vary with the crop, the soil, the temperature, and 

 the judgment of the cultivator. The same variation 

 may be expected in estimating the amount of water 

 necessary for one thorough irrigation. No general 

 estimate on these points can be given that will be at 

 all satisfactory, except merely as a rough rule for plan- 

 ning the scale of the works. In establishing such a 

 system, no great nicety of calculation is likely to be of 

 any value. The data already given, and the practical 

 examples which have been cited, will enable any one, 

 making due allowance for variations of circumstances, 

 to arrive at a conclusion near enough for his purposes. 



