CHAPTER IV. 

 TILLAGE AND IRRIGATION. 



The realization of full advantage from a soil of open texture and 

 from generous fertilization, which have been strenuously advocated 

 in the preceding chapter, is conditioned upon two things: ample 

 moisture and good tillage. These two things are themselves inter- 

 related, co-working toward the same ends, always aiding but never 

 displacing each other; a well-matched team, each pulling its part of 

 the load sharing, equalizing and mutually distributing the burden 

 which neither could 'bring through alone, although either could, 

 perhaps, start and move it for a time. Although there are conditions 

 under which the amateur may find himself compelled to work more 

 strenuously with one than the other, which will be discussed later, the 

 requisite for the best results through the longest time, if one wishes 

 to secure the advantage of his best choice, or most generous improve- 

 ment, of soil for his garden, is soil-working and soil-watering with 

 the fullest intelligence and liberality. And this conclusion is the 

 teaching of garden experience in California covering nearly one hun- 

 dred and fifty years. Let this lesson be sketched in this way: 



A Historical Demonstration. The fields, gardens, orchards and 

 vineyards attached to the Spanish missions which were established in 

 California in 1769, were irrigated. The mission farmers knew no till- 

 age except the opening of the soil in the first instance to receive the 

 seed or the plant. When it began to grow, water was run over the 

 surface. When the surface dried and cracked, more wiater was run 

 over it. When the surface soil became a solid mass of root-fibers 

 drawn up in the almost vain attempt to get the water which rippled 

 over the surface, which they had rendered almost impervious, these 

 masses were hewn out with mattocks, fresh soil put over the main 

 roots and more water run over it, which was able to penetrate the new 

 soil and give the main roots a new inducement to produce another 

 outfit of root-fibers, which in their turn grew until they in turn became 

 matted, shut off their own moisture supply and were themselves finally 

 hewn out this proceeding in endless succession. 



When Americans took possession of California to dig for gold and 

 the prices of food supplies became appalling, the farmers among them 

 soon took the hint that more wealth could be had by digging for crops 

 than for gold. The impression prevailed that the state was of no use 

 for farming, except for stock ranging, unless irrigation was practiced 

 as at the missions, but the American farmers soon saw that the plants 

 would grow better if the surface were stirred at proper times and in 

 proper ways, and they began to practice cultivation and irrigation with 



