312 AGRICULTURE FOR BEGINNERS 



Water is generally applied either by making furrows for 

 its passage through the fields or by flooding the land. The 

 latter plan is the cheaper, but it can be used only on very 

 level lands. Where the land is somewhat irregular a check- 

 ing system, as it is called, is used to distribute the water. 

 It is taken from check to check until the entire field has 

 been irrigated. 



The furrow method is usually employed for fruits and 

 for farm and garden crops. In many places the grass and 

 grain crops are now supplied with water by furrows instead 

 of by flooding. 



Irrigated lands should be carefully and thoroughly tilled. 

 The water for irrigation is costly, and should be made to go 

 as far as possible. Good tillage saves the water. Moreover 

 all cultivated crops like corn, potatoes, and orchard and 

 truck crops ought to be cultivated frequently to save the 

 moisture, to keep the soil in fit condition, and to aid the 

 bacteria in the soil. It was a wise farmer who said, " One 

 does not need to grow crops many years in order to learn 

 that nothing can take the place of stirring the soil." 



METHODS OF IRRIGATING CROPS 



Tree fruits. Water is conducted through very narrow 

 furrows from three to five feet apart, and allowed to sink 

 about four feet deep, and to spread under the ground. 

 Then the supply is cut off. The object is to wet the soil 

 deeply, and then by tillage to hold the moisture in the soil. 



Small fruits. The common practice is to run water on 

 each side of the row until the rows are soaked. 



