142 One Thousand Questions in Agriculture 



heavy, capillary rise might be too energetic and saturate the soil for 

 some distance above the water-level. In a free soil without this danger 

 the roots could approach the water as they find it desirable and be 

 permanently supplied. Orange trees are largely dependent upon a 

 shallow root system, the chief roots generally occupying the first four 

 feet below the surface. From this fact we conclude that deep rooting 

 is not necessary to the orange, although unquestionably deep rooting 

 and deep penetration for water are desirable as allowing the tree to 

 draw upon a much greater soil mass and therefore be less dependent 

 upon frequent irrigations and fertilizations. 



Depth of Ground- Water. 



Is there probable harm from water standing 12 feet from the surface 

 in an orcJiard? Also probable age of trees before any effect of said 

 water zvould be felt by them? The soil is almost entirely chocolate 

 dry bog. — IV. E. Wahtoke. 



Water at twelve feet from the surface is desirable, and water at 

 that point will be indefinitely desirable for the growing of fruit trees. 

 Of course, conditions would change rapidly as standing water might 

 approach more nearly to the surface, a condition which has to be care- 

 fully guarded against in irrigation. But it can come nearer than twelve 

 feet without danger. 



Summer Fallow and Summer Cropping. 



/ own some Itill land zvliich lias been run down by continuous hay 

 cropping. I am told that a portion must be summer-falloived each year, 

 but I zvisJi to grow some summer crop on this fallow ground that will 

 both enrich the soil and at the same time furnish good milk-producing 

 feed for cows — thoroughly cultivating it betiveen the rozvs. What crop 

 would be best? I am told the common Kaffir or Egyptian corn are 

 both soil enriching and milk producing. 



If you grow a summer crop on the summer-fallowed upland, you 

 lose the chief advantage of summer fallowing, which is the storing of 

 moisture for the following year's crop. A cultivated crop would waste 

 less moisture than a broadcast crop, surely, but on uplands without 

 irrigation it would take out all the moisture available and not act in 

 the line of a summer fallow. 



Kaffir corn is not soil enriching. It has no such character. It 

 probably depletes the soil just as much as an ordinary corn or hay 

 crop. It is a good food to continue a milking period into the dry sea- 

 son, but you must be careful not to allow your cattle to get too much 

 green sorghum, for it sometimes produces fatal results. We do not 

 know anything which you can grow during the summer without irriga- 

 tion which would contribute to the fertility of your land. If you had 

 water and could grow clover or some legume during the summer sea- 

 son, the desired effect on the soil would be secured. 



