FARM CROPS. 121 



Embankments, or levees, are built with plow and 

 shovel on contour lines of the topography of the land, 

 so as to hold the water at the desired depth. The 

 greatest depth is seldom more than ten to twelve 

 inches, so the levees are built on six or eight inch 

 contour lines. 



Cultivation not General. In the United States rice 

 is not cultivated with implements, except in small areas. 

 Flooding to destroy weeds and soften the soil is more 

 profitable. 



Stretch Water Flooding. In Carolina water is 

 turned on as soon as the rice is tall enough to permit 

 flooding without submerging the young plants, this 

 flooding being designated as " stretch water " flooding, 

 because the early irrigation is supposed to cause the 

 blades to elongate. After a period the water is with- 

 drawn, the crop hoed and allowed to stand dry for 

 some time; then the crop is flooded again and the 

 water is kept on it continuously until the approach of 

 the harvest season. Along the Atlantic Coast the tide 

 water is used for irrigation. In other sections water 

 is pumped from streams or wells. 



Conveying Water by Gravity and the Syphon. In 

 the alluvial lands the areas nearest the streams are 

 higher than those more remote, and when the water 

 is raised to the top of the bank it is readily conveyed 

 to any portion of the field desired by gravity. Where 

 protection levees are constructed along streams the 

 water is pumped into a pond on the river side of the 

 levee and then carried across the levee by a syphon. 

 Frequently the annual high water comes at the season 

 irrigation is desired, and the water is high enough on 

 the levee to enable the planter to operate the syphon 

 without the aid of a pump. The cost of irrigation is 

 then at its minimum. 



Canals. In the prairies of Texas, Louisiana and 

 Arkansas large canals are constructed above ground 

 for conveying the water across the country for many 

 miles, and very large pumping plants are installed to 



