324 IRRIGATION PRACTICE 



be so developed as to take care of the tree in seasons of 

 drought. If too much water be used, the rising ground 

 water will kill the roots and thus the trees. Trees that 

 have been planted on soils with a water table near the 

 surface do not send their roots into the water and are 

 not injured; but, when the roots have gone deeply into 

 the soil and then are immersed in the rising water, the 

 tree is sooner or later killed. Irrigation cannot take the 

 place of pruning, cultivation and other approved horti- 

 cultural practices. When these are attended to, relatively 

 small quantities of water will produce large yields of 

 excellent fruit. The orchardist must keep in mind, most 

 of all, that if the soil itself is deep it is a splendid water 

 reservoir, in which may be stored large quantities of 

 water without making connection with the standing 

 water. 



There is often a great hurry to make the young tree 

 grow as rapidly as possible above ground, when, in fact, 

 the main thing is to make the young tree develop a deep, 

 vigorous root system. The young tree, during the first 

 year or two, does not really use much water; and, if the 

 land to be planted to trees is irrigated abundantly before 

 planting, and then thoroughly cultivated, there will be 

 little need of irrigation during the first year. The second 

 is the critical year for the orchard. During this year it 

 should be irrigated sparingly, but cultivated well. If too 

 much growth is then encouraged, the trees may easily be 

 winter-killed, and if the roots are given the wrong habit 

 of growth, the orchard may be injured permanently. 

 With each year more water is needed, until maturity is 

 reached. 



At the town of Hanksville, Utah, the dam supplying 

 the irrigation canal broke, and the people, disheartened, 



