47© IRRIGATION FARMING. 



each foot from the surface to ground water was taken 

 during April, May, June, and September. In taking 

 the samples of soil, roots were encountered in abun- 

 dance as deep as fourteen to sixteen feet, while one 

 peach root was followed into the twentieth foot at a 

 horizontal distance of eighteen feet from the tree, 

 showing that the water of at least the upper twenty 

 feet could be used by the trees. The upper five and a 

 half feet was clayey loam; the next nine feet gravel; 

 then about a foot of clay; then another foot of gravel, 

 and the rest of the way to water a fine clay. Hence 

 the roots had passed through ten feet of gravel and 

 four feet at least into the clay beneath. 



The total results indicated that the irrigating water 

 had penetrated to a depth of twenty-four feet. The 

 sixteenth foot contained the most moisture, the soil 

 being so nearly saturated that it was muddy. From 

 this point the moisture was less abundant until the 

 twenty-sixth foot was reached. From here the per- 

 centage of water increased gradually until ground 

 water was found at thirty-four feet. Samples taken 

 as late as September showed that while the upper fif- 

 teen feet were comparatively dry the lower extremities 

 of the roots were still surrounded by moist soil. The 

 conditions above ground were very satisfac5lory. The 

 trees grew thriftily and maintained vigorous appear- 

 ance throughout the season. They were well loaded 

 with fruit, the peaches and apricots being larger than 

 the previous year when the orchard was irrigated 

 frequently during the summer. 



Preventing Frost. — The claim has often been 

 set up that irrigation will assist greatly in saving ten- 



