IRRIGATION OF THE GARDEN. 259 



beds from ten to fifteen or even twenty feet in width 

 and ten rods long. The size of the beds will be gov- 

 erned somewhat by the water-supply. The beds 

 should be level, and it is better to have them level 

 lengthwise, and they may have a slight incline. If 

 the beds are level lengthwise the soil can be wet to 

 any desired depth. Water may be turned on until it 

 stands an inch deep all over the bed, which would be 

 equivalent to a rainfall of one and one-half to two 

 inches, or it may be turned on to a depth of six inches, 

 according to the requirements of the case. If the 

 bed has an incline the lower end should be left open, 

 allowing the water to pass off, else that end will re- 

 ceive a great deal more water and the ground will 

 become packed. 



The soil should have moisture enough at the time 

 of planting to germinate the seed. If the ground con- 

 tains an abundance of moisture when the seed is sown 

 it may not be necessary to irrigate for a month after 

 the plants are up, but the proper time to apply the 

 water must be determined by each individual case. 

 The first application of water in the spring should be 

 light, as the soil is then loose and absorbs water much 

 more rapidly than it does later in the season. As soon 

 after irrigating as the vSoil begins to dry, and before it 

 has had time to bake, it is run over with the wheel 

 hoe, just skimming the surface, followed with the cul- 

 tivator teeth. It then lies in this condition until dry 

 enough to require another irrigation, and so on through 

 the season. This leaves the soil loose and mellow after 

 each irrigation, and thoroughly exposed to the chemi- 

 cal a(5lion of the atmosphere. During the heat of the 



