IRRIGATION OF FIELD CROPS. 175 



in this condition the plants need moisture to enable 

 them to put forth a new growth. 



In England meadow irrigation is quite commonly 

 practiced. In many places a tide of rainwater is turned 

 into stock yards having descending surfaces, the water 

 running through the manure and carrying the fertilizing 

 material into a large pond at the lowest side of the yard. 

 The pond thus serves as a reservoir for the water, which 

 has gathered the best elements of the manure it passed 

 through in flowing to the pond. At the farther side of 

 the pond a plug of wood four to six inches thick 

 and four feet long is inserted in a pipe under the water, 

 the pipe extending four to six feet into a small water 

 course in an adjoining pasture. This water course has 

 only a little descent, sufficient to let water flow along it. 

 After heavy showers the plug is drawn, and the water 

 and manure it contains let through the pipe into the 

 pasture, where it is applied both in irrigating and ferti- 

 lizing. The result is a very large crop of grass. 



