ORCHARDS. 



89 



But without entering into speculations as to what 

 events might occur, it is sufficient to know that orchards 

 are irrigated with profit ; that in some cases they are 

 destroyed, and in numberless instances they are injured 

 by a want of water, and that there are probably few cases 

 in which a supply of water brought into the orchard 

 would not be found advantageous and profitable. The 

 methods of irrigating orchards are very simple. It is 

 only necessary to put the water where it will do the most 

 good, and that is as near as possible to the extremities of 

 the rootlets. The extent of the roots of a tree bears a 

 ratio somewhat approaching that of the branches. Near 



*_/ 



N 



\ 



/ 



*v,/, 



\7 



V. 



4v 



V 



V 



/v 



b b 



Fig. 38. PLAN or IRRIGATING AN ORCHARD. 



the stem there are few of the root-hairs or fine fibers by 

 which nutriment is absorbed. These are found at the 

 extremities of the very fine rootlets, and these exist in a 

 ring around the tree, the inner edge of which is from 3 

 to 4 1 !,, feet distant from the stem. In irrigating an 

 orchard, then, the most perfect method of applying the 

 water is to distribute it in a broad circular channel around 

 the tree, distant about six feet from the stem. 



&quot;Where irrigation of orchards is practiced two different 

 plans are adopted. The first is a somewhat rude method, 

 but is easy and effective. The water is led into a channel 

 between two rows of trees, a, I, fig. 38, and from thence 



