326 



THE 1RRIGA TION A GE. 



obtained; good potato land nicely located, 

 with water rights in good ditches is worth 

 from $50 to $125 per acre. 



The American Tarn-worth Swine Record 

 Association recently elected the following 

 officers: President, Edwin O. Wood, 

 Flint, Mich. ; Secretary, E. N. Ball. 

 Hamburg, Mich. ; Directors, T. L. Ends- 

 ley, Charleston, 111., John Fulton, Jr., 

 Brownville, Ont., and F. H. Bankin, Jr., 

 Flint, Mich. The Secretary reports the 

 Association to be in a very prosperous 

 condition and says that the Tamworth 

 breed of hogs is growing in favor among 

 breeders in the corn belt and throughout 

 the United States and Canada. 



IRRIGATING THE GARDEN. 



The following regarding watering the 

 garden is from the farm bulletin, ''The 

 Vegetable Garden" by C. H. Greathouse, 

 and is appreciable at this season. 



"But frequently dry weather continues 

 so long that it is impossible to preserve 

 sufficient moisture by tillage or any sort of 

 mulching. It then becomes necessary to 

 water the garden. Where there is con- 

 nection with city water works the supply 

 is ample and easily reached. In other 

 locations various forms of cisterns and 

 reservoirs are employed. When it is pos- 

 sible the reservoir should be a few feet 

 above the level, so that any part of the 

 garden can be reached with a hose or a V 

 shaped trough. The proper application 

 of water appears to be very simple, but is 

 in fact quite difficult. 



It is not unusual for an experienced 

 person to sprinkle the garden every day 

 or two and think he is relieving the 

 drought. The effect of such treatment is 

 likely to be harmful, especially if the 

 sprinkling is allowed to leave a * crust 

 about the plants. In watering, the earth 

 should be thoroughly wet, so that the 

 moisture will get to the lower and outer 

 roots of the plants. In order to check 

 evaporation after sprinkling, the surface 

 should be broken as soon as dry enough 

 to work. The watering should be re- 

 peated when it is evident, upon careful 

 watching, that more moisture is necessary. 

 It must be remembered that the small, 

 active roots, which take up moisture and 

 plant food, are most numerous at the 

 extremities of the large roots and at a 

 distance from the stem. The water must 

 be so given as to reach these small roots. 



The best time for watering is generally 

 thought to be at evening, but Bellair says: 

 'In the spring, in the middle of the day, 

 because the morning and evening are too 

 cool ; in the summer, at evening because 

 the days are so hot that a great part of 

 the water given during the day would be 

 evaporated immediately; in autumn, in 

 the morning, because the nights are cold.' 



Mr. Saunders says : "Water at any 

 time when the plants need it, and water 

 thoroughly. When I am told that water- 

 ing in the sunshine at noon will burn up 

 my plants, I answer that the plants will 

 certainly burn up if f l do not water them.'"" 



