IRRIGATION OF THE GARDEN. 269 



shovel cultivator and tear up the middle ground both 

 ways across the field, so as to get the best of the weeds. 

 Take a hand hoe and loosen the soil around the hills. 

 Irrigate again in two weeks, beginning the work at 

 four o'clock in the afternoon and allowing the water 

 to run until nine or ten o'clock at night. The young 

 plants are very tender, and cold water is likely to 

 clieck their growth, but if applied late in the afternoon 

 the chill of the water is greatly overcome by the heat 

 of the ground. It is best to furrow on one side only 

 so as not to give too much water, and plant on the 

 northern slope of the hill. When the plants go to vin- 

 ing the hilling-up is done, care being taken not to allow 

 the plow to run deep, as there is thus danger of cut- 

 ting the roots, in which event the vines would suffer 

 severely. Irrigation should continue at intervals of 

 every nine or ten days throughout the season, and 

 more water is given after the blossoming period than 

 before, so as to continue the formation and encourage- 

 ment of the fruit buds — thus making the vines more 

 prolific by continuing the bearing season. The vines 

 require more water during the fruiting period, and 

 larger and better crops will be the rule when plenty of 

 water is applied at this time. 



In recent years it has been found best to cultivate 

 more and irrigate less. A small stream should be used 

 in irrigating and should be allowed to run down the 

 furrows about six hours. The stream should be regu- 

 lated according to the fall of the land, so that the water 

 will soak out each way a sufficient distance by the 

 time it reaches the end of the furrows, thus avoiding 

 waste of water. An inch of water is enough for each 



