WAYS TO USE WATER 53 



of the ridge to the other, connecting the ends so that the water will run the 

 entire length of all the ridges without any attention; or you can make the 

 ridges around the plat, which will enable you to distribute the water from 

 the ridge to any point desired by means of a small piece of pipe inserted in 

 the edge of the trough, always maintaining a uniformity of moisture, which 

 is absolutely necessary for the growth of certain vegetables. Run the water 

 through the ditch until it is settled and well moistened, then plant the seed 

 at the base and on either side of the ridge. 



Do not allow the water to rise up over the beds under any circumstances. 

 If the work is properly done the water will run through the ditches in the 

 high ridges and from their termination will continue from one trench to 

 another, till each bed in the plat is nicely moistened, and after once thor- 

 oughly wet and settled it will not require more than one-half of the water it 

 does at first, unless the soil is very sandy and loose. Remember it is the 

 small stream long drawn out that counts and gives the best results. 



Practice with This System. Concerning practice with the dif- 

 ferent vegetables and the preparation of ridges and beds for them, 

 Mr. Reynolds gives the following suggestions : 



Plant melons and winter squash seven feet apart on the sides of the 

 ridges, which should be eight feet apart for these varieties, and about five feet 

 apart for corn, beans, summer crook-neck squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes. 

 After preparing the ground and planting the seed neither the ditch nor plants 

 will require much attention more than to keep the weeds out. For the 

 growth of other vegetables, such as peas, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, pars- 

 nips, radish, beets, lettuce, asparagus, egg plant, spinach, peppers, onions, 

 garlic, rhubarb, and tomato plants, prepare the ground by forming it into beds 

 fourteen inches wide and two inches higher in the center than on either 

 ridge, with a small trench between them six inches wide and three inches 

 deep. They can be made wider and deeper if a large amount of water is 

 available. After the beds are prepared run the water through them and 

 recrossing the beds that are defective, so the water will rise to a uniform 

 height on each, within about one inch of the top. Make a depression on 

 .each side of the bed two and one-half inches from the edge with a hoe and 

 one and one-half inches deep. Sow the seed not less than one-half inch 

 apart and be very careful not to cover the seed more than one-half inch 

 deep. Every good seed will grow, and those which are to remain in the rows 

 must be properly thinned out. When tomato plants are from three to five 

 inches tall, transplant them on either side of the high ridges, five feet apart 

 in the row. Transplant cabbage and egg plants when they are from two to 

 three inches tall, in vacant beds, the former eighteen inches apart in the row 

 for early and close heading varieties, and twenty-eight inches apart for late 

 and spreading varieties, and egg plants twenty-four inches apart in the row. 

 A pint of fine manure from the cow-yard placed six inches below the surface 

 under each plant will insure a cabbage from nearly every plant. Pepper 

 plants should be transplanted eighteen inches apart in the row. 



Picturesque Irrigation. A modification of the permanent ditch 

 plan is quite widely practiced on the sand hills south of San Fran- 

 cisco. The water is lifted from wells by windmills, the discharge 

 from the pump being taken at such elevation that it will flow in a 

 small flume supported by a trestle to the highest point of the land 

 to be irrigated. Hence the water is carried in small contour ditches 

 hither and thither until every corner of the very irregular slopes is 

 reached. Short lines of vegetables are planted about at right angles 

 to these small permanent ditches and short spurs made with the 

 hoe so that the water is brought beside each individual plant. As 



