WAYS TO IRRIGATE GARDENS 49 



friable and easily irrigated. These trenches proved quite sufficient to irri 

 gate the garden in the long, dry summers of this region, and ground which 

 would not mature white beans, rye, or buckwheat, produced heavy crops of 

 sweet corn, tomatoes, peas, strawberries and all small fruits, asparagus, 

 celery, potatoes, onions, melons, and, in short, the usual variety of first-class 

 gardens. In the middle of the lower terraces, and occasionally about the 

 grounds, are planted a few family fruit trees. 



The size of the stream filling each trench is incredibly small. By actual 

 measurement, each trench is supplied by the flow of three quarts per minute ; 

 each one of these streams thus irrigating a strip of land twenty-eight feet 

 wide and one hundred feet long. 



THE APPLICATION OF WATER. 



Many methods are followed in the distribution of water in the 

 garden. Which is the best method must be determined largely by 

 the character of the soil, and to meet this requirement one must 

 sometimes sacrifice some of the incidental advantages of other 

 methods. 



A general statement of the simpler forms of garden irrigation 

 as practiced in California by Prof. S. S. Rogers of the University 

 Farm is as follows : 



"The smaller vegetables such as radishes, onions, lettuce, etc., are 

 usually planted in beds about 10 by 20 feet, throwing a levee a few inches in 

 height around it. These are flooded as often as necessary. As these tender 

 vegetables are very liable to sunburn during the hot summer months the 

 irrigation is usually done in the evening or early morning, for if the water 

 was applied during the midday there would be considerable danger from 

 burning the young plants. After the irrigation the soil should be watched 

 very closely and as soon as it is sufficiently dry a thorough cultivation should 

 be given. If this is deferred too long the ground will become so hard that 

 it will be impossible to get a good mulch. When growing the larger vege- 

 tables such as cabbage, peas, beans, potatoes, etc., the water should be ap- 

 plied in furrows between the rows of plants. The earth should be cultivated 

 when it is in the best possible condition, which can only be told by care- 

 fully watching each field." 



Checks. Where the garden soil is very light, open and leachy, 

 the vegetables are often grown in checks or divisions larger or 

 smaller, according to the slope of the land ; the checks being inclosed 

 by little banks or levees which hold the water from escape except 

 as it sinks vertically into the soil. This is the only way by which a 

 leachy soil can be uniformly moistened, except by sprinkling, which 

 is seldom economical and is seldom followed in California except 

 in village garden practice. The banks of the checks serves as walks 

 upon which one can go dry-shod from place to place and regulate 

 the distribution of water. The garden, then, during irrigation, shows 

 the plants growing in shallow vats of water of irregular shape and 

 size and when the water sinks- away they are seen to be in sunken 

 beds. This system sadly interferes with the use of the horse in 

 cultivation unless the ground is practically level and the checks can 

 be made very large. In small checks the cultivation must be done 

 by hand. Market gardeners do this faithfully but the amateur is 



