THE ART OF IRRIGATION. 



195- 



from six to fifteen hours, according to the 

 nature of the soil and the necessity of 

 rushing the water over it rapidly, and also 

 according to the number of the checks 

 and the freedom of passage for the water 

 through them and out of them. With 

 larger heads you can do it in less time but 

 will need more help, and vice versa. But 

 slow flooding is generally bad, especially 

 where the water stands deep, and gen- 

 erally all that remains in a check after 

 doing its work is a detriment and no 

 longer a benefit. 



"Sometimes checks are fed from a main 

 at the upper side exactly as in orchard 

 work with fine furrows. And where the 

 checks are numerous and small this is 

 often best, dividing the head so as to take 

 the checks in blocks or tiers. Often it 

 may be better to have the ditch run 

 through the center feeding to right and 

 left. The trouble in such case is to empty 

 the checks fast enough without wasting 

 the water. Where one feeds another there 

 is little waste. The ditch must in all cases 

 be high enough to ensure rapid and cer- 

 tain feed of water. 



The time required to soak the ground 

 will also vary greatly with the nature of 

 the soil. If the checks are so made that 

 they do not break and let out more water 

 than you intend, the soil will be well 

 soaked in two or three hours, and often 

 less time after the check is covered on the 

 bottom. If it takes much longer than 

 this, it is pretty strong evidence that the 

 texture of the soil is so close that fine fur- 

 rows would do better for all orchard work. 

 For in such case you are quite certain to 

 be troubled with the soil baking too much 

 and making it difficult to cultivate and 

 keep the soil open with cultivation. There 

 is also danger of scalding tender stuff in 

 hot weather. 



As the upper checks feed the lower ones 

 and are thus full for a longer time in a 

 long series, one would suppose that the 

 upper side of the field will be much wetter 

 than the lower. The same would be ex- 

 pected from fine furrow work. But in 

 general no difference can be seen if the 

 work has been well done. And it is not 

 difficult to arrange the breaking of the 

 checks in such way that the water will re- 

 main longer in those at the lower side. 

 But you need not at first trouble yourself 

 with such points, but concentrate all your 

 talents on getting the water over the whole 



as quickly as possible without having it 

 stand too deep or too long in any one 

 place. When once you have mastered this 

 you will find all the rest easy enough. 

 And if you have laid out the slope right 

 and made the checks with care, and have 

 plenty of help to handle the rush of water 

 when it comes, you will find no trouble 

 even with this. 



PROTECT THE TBEES AND VEGETABLES. 



Flooding may be used for all sorts of 

 vegetation. But where possible, the stalk 

 or stem of everything should be protected 

 from contact with the water. In the case 

 of trees it is easy to leave a little mound 

 about the trunk so that there is no excuse 

 for the water touching it. But with many 

 vegetables and small tender stuff it is gen- 

 erally impossible to do this at any reason- 

 able cost. If the plants cannot in such 

 case be set up on a little ridge above the 

 water it should be spread over the whole 

 in a thin sheet with the greatest speed 

 possible. And if possible it should be 

 done in the afternoon or evening so that 

 the sun cannot strike the stem until it and 

 the ground around it are comparatively 

 'dry. Plants differ much in the ability to 

 endure the baking of the ground around 

 the stem and the scalding of the stem 

 from having the hot sun strike it while 

 wet. Young melons, for instance, are 

 quickly hurt, while young radishes seem 

 unaffected. As a rule the evil is exagger- 

 ated by many. Not much harm will be 

 done anything if the water is not allowed 

 to stay around it too long, or too hot a 

 sun allowed to strike the stem too soon 

 after the water is taken off. In cool, 

 cloudy weather there is little danger. As 

 it would take you years to find out just 

 what different things will bear in this way 

 it is best not to risk it, but keep the water 

 away wherever it does not cost too much 

 in labor or money to do so. 



ALFALFA AND GRAIN. 



Many things such as alfalfa or grain 

 that will stand considerable water about 

 the stem and baking of the ground when 

 old will not endure it when young. Cer- 

 tain loss will follow neglect on such 

 things. The remedy is often simple where 

 you can get a long run of a large head of 

 water; and, if you cannot, you have little 

 business trying to raise such things. It 

 is to wet the ground so thoroughly before 

 planting that the plants will need no more 



