274 IRRIGATION FARMING. 



by the border system. The beds within the borders 

 should be re<5langular, and flooding is the only method 

 of irrigation in such cases. It is well to have a wet- 

 ting given preliminary to sowing the seed. Irrigation 

 is not needed again thereafter unless the plants show 

 signs of wilting from drouth. Then on a dark day or 

 late in the afternoon give a quick flooding of an inch 

 or so and run the water off as quickly as possible, as 

 no great depth of moisture is required by such crops, 

 which are mostly surface feeders. If lettuce is to be 

 grown for seed occasional irrigations may be applied 

 throughout the summer. 



Rhubarb. — To have rhubarb or pie-plant do its 

 best, a rich, medium heavy, sandy loam is required not 

 less than two feet deep. It must be heavily fertilized 

 previous to setting the roots with well-rotted manure 

 thoroughly incorporated with the soil. If one desires 

 to set a large patch, it is perhaps cheapest and best to 

 raise the plants, but where only 50 or 100 roots are 

 wanted they can be bought. Early spring is the best 

 time to plant. For commercial purposes it should be 

 planted so as to admit of horse cultivation each way, 

 but when wanted for private use or where ground is 

 limited the roots can be set as close as two feet apart 

 each way and worked by hand or wheel hoe. In set- 

 ting, the crown of the plants should be three inches 

 below the level of the surface, so that when the ground 

 becomes settled after irrigation, which should follow 

 immediately, it will be just right. 



To give the roots a good start, no stalks should be 

 picked the first year, and only a few of the strongest 

 the second, and none after the first of August in any 



