212 IRRIGATION FARMING. 



than four times, and six would be better. It will also be 

 necessary to hoe them several times during the season. 



Irrigation. The amount of water used and the time 

 for using it depends entirely upon the quality of the soil. 

 Give a good soaking about once in two weeks, not often- 

 er. When you do irrigate, irrigate thoroughly or not at 

 all. The second season once in three weeks will be 

 enough. In all cases follow the watering with the culti- 

 vation, as described, and do not think of giving the one 

 without the other. After the vines are bearing heavily 

 they may be watered more liberally. However, even 

 then no more than two irrigations are recommended for 

 compact soils. And even in the lightest and sandiest 

 soils irrigations at periods of less than ten days are not 

 practicable. On these light and sandy soils, however, 

 irrigation must be much more frequent than on heavier 

 ones. 



The European varieties are especially susceptible to 

 over-irrigation. They are not slow in calling a halt 

 where too much surface water is applied. The vines 

 grow fast and appear to be doing well under repeated 

 irrigations ; but the fruit is practically a failure. Where 

 there is any moisture in the soil from fall irrigation or 

 winter rains it is advisable to delay irrigation till the fruit 

 is forming, and then apply the water but once or twice 

 at the most. Never irrigate during the opening of the 

 flower, the least possible during the days before, and by 

 preference irrigate when the fruit begins to enlarge. 

 For inexperienced people, it is more prudent to irrigate 

 in trenches passing near the plants, and not by flooding 

 the whole surface of the ground. 



One must introduce in the soil alternately much air 

 and little water. Take as a guide for cultivating, the 

 state of the soil ; and for irrigating, the condition of the 

 plant. These very simple principles are not generally 

 understood by those who have not practiced irrigation 



