134 HORTICULTURE BY IRRIGATON. 



of June practically destroyed my irrigating ditch. This hill-side orchard, 

 having been well irrigated once in May, was exposed to the fierce heat of 

 July and August without irrigation. The half and one-third grown 

 apples ceased to grow, and began to shrivel up on the trees. Water was 

 obtained to give all a good soaking once late in August. The trees re- 

 vived in a few days. The fruit resumed its growth, and, with few excep- 

 tions, matured well, though later than usual. Had not the trees been well 

 established they must have died. 



Another incident on this well-drained upland, which requires fre- 

 quent irrigation, teaches me that trees might succeed almost without irri- 

 gation, and I will give this^or the benefit of the rain-belt farmers, gome 

 hundred of whom we have in Eastern Las Animas County. 



In my early experience, I made the mistake of setting largely of the 

 Transcendant crab, a variety which is nearly useless to me, because the 

 buds push out early in the spring, and have four years in succession been 

 nipped by frost. 



To test to my satisfaction the theory of mulching to make a tree 

 bloom late, I placed a wagon load of old, thoroughly-rotted manure about 

 the roots of three large crab trees, leaving other trees unmulched. The 

 mulch was applied when the ground was frozen and some snow was on. 

 The mulch utterly failed to retard the blooming. It did seem to me the 

 mulched trees bloomed earlier than the others. The manure used for 

 mulch couid not have heated, for it had lain out-doors two years, some of 

 it even longer, before being used. But when the trees were exposed to a 

 torrid summer, without any irrigation, those mulched flourished with 

 surprising vigor. I strongly suspect, now, if one could spare a heavy 

 wagon-load of such mulch to each tree, that our rain and snow fall might 

 give sufficient moisture for good results. 



Many ask me, how often to irrigate? So much depends upon the 

 soil, location, drainage, etc., 'that I can give no rule. Have often said 

 this, that a corn field will always indicate, to the experienced farmer, 

 when water should be applied; and likewise, an orchard, young or old, 

 will make its wants known to the horticulturist who is attentive and quick 

 to comprehend the language of his trees. My trees young, or old, plead 

 piteously for water when they grow too dry. 



Of course, I leave off irrigation in the fall usually September 15th 

 here to allow the wood to mature for winter. 



