36 TRUCK FARMING 



plish, smaller areas in this section can be controlled easily by put- 

 ting in one of the shallow lift pumps of great capacity such as 

 are used to pump out, or flood, rice fields. 



With all crops, especially vegetables, the increase in produc- 

 tion is very marked when water is applied scientifically, the 

 increase being often doubled; in fact, in seasons of protracted 

 drouths little or nothing can be grown unless under water control. 

 Not only is this increase in production to be noted, but the quality 

 is proportionately improved and such products always bring an 

 increased price in the market and are in much greater demand. 

 A great number of our tropical plants require considerable mois- 

 ture and will not produce properly unless an adequate water supply 

 is at hand. 



Care must be taken to provide water that contains no matter 

 injurious to plants. This is occasionally found in artesian water, 

 some of which contains chemicajs that do injury to the foliage, 

 but these cases are rare. On the other hand, the small per cent 

 of sulphur often found in the water here is no doubt of some 

 benefit, especially if used in sub-irrigation, as it has a tendency 

 to destroy injurious fungi in the soil. Surface water, such as is 

 found in streams or will be found in the canals of the Everglades, 

 is admirably adapted for irrigation purposes. 



As in all other matters, success in irrigation depends on close 

 attention to details, for as before mentioned, plants requiring their 

 food in liquid form are at once stunted, rendered dormant, or 

 destroyed entirely, if their water supply is inadequate; in other 

 words, they not only die of thirst, but starve for want of food. 

 In addition, all bacterial action ceases, thus causing further loss 

 and injury to the soil. Hence, the careful trucker will examine 

 his soil daily and keep in close touch as to the condition of both 

 the surface and the subsoil. In short, he is not only intimate 

 with this as well as all branches of nature, but loves the very scent 

 of moist newly plowed earth. 



An additional reason why one of the forms of sub-irrigation is 

 popular is that the water coming from below does not have the 

 tendency to wash out the fertilizer, but in fact has a tendency to 



