184 IRRIGATION FARMING. 



the case. If the bed has an incline the lower end should 

 be left open, allowing the water to pass off, else that end 

 will receive a great deal more water and -the ground will 

 become packed. 



The soil should have moisture enough at the time 

 of planting to germinate the seed. If the ground con- 

 tains an abundance of moisture when the seed is sown 

 it may not be necessary to irrigate for a month after the 

 plants are up, but the proper time to apply the water 

 must be determined by each individual case. The first 

 application of water in the spring should be light, as the 

 soil is then loose and absorbs water much more rapidly 

 than it does later in the season. As soon after irrigating 

 as the soil begins to dry, and before it has had time to 

 bake, it is run over with the wheel hoe, just skimming the 

 surface, followed with the cultivator teeth. It then lies 

 in this condition until dry enough to require another 

 irrigation, and so on through the season. This leaves 

 the soil loose and mellow after each irrigation, and 

 thoroughly exposed to the chemical action of the 

 atmosphere. During the heat of the season the crop 

 will need irrigating once a week, and sometimes twice, 

 depending a great deal upon the character of the soil. 

 Toward the latter part of the season it is unnecessary 

 to be so particular about stirring the soil after each irri- 

 gation. When the first tops begin to fall down irriga- 

 tion should cease. 



For furrow irrigation the onions are planted on 

 level ground, the same as when irrigation is not prac- 

 ticed. The rows should be about fourteen inches apart. 

 Run a Planet Junior cultivator between each row. and 

 the peculiar shape of the teeth will leave a small furrow, 

 at the same time not throwing enough soil on either side 

 to interfere with the plants. Through each one of these 

 furrows run a very small stream of water, just sufficient 

 to keep running but not largo enough to overflow the 



