40 THE DESERT AND THE ROSE 



fifty hogs throve and grew fat spending the spring 

 and summer months on a two and a half acre alfalfa 

 pasture, and ten hogs turned into a one acre pas- 

 ture for eight months had increased seventy-five 

 pounds per head at the end of six months. Of 

 course movable fences were used to permit of 

 thorough irrigation. Into the more up-to-date 

 methods of fattening hogs I do not propose to enter, 

 my own experience not having been in that line, but 

 I do know that it is. quite common for sows in this 

 climate to raise two litters per annum. 



The flooding system already described is em- 

 ployed in the cultivation of the majority of crops — 

 for wheat, corn, certain varieties of vegetables, and 

 usually speaking, for orchards. But should the pro- 

 gressive farmer flood his orchard in warm weather 

 he will protect the trunks of his trees from contact 

 with the water, thus avoiding what is termed sun- 

 scald. 



The furrow system of irrigation is theoretically 

 the superior of the flooding system, but when put to 

 the test in the case of orchards does not necessarily 

 prove infallible. The reason for its occasional fail- 

 ure is not obvious, for its advantages would appear 

 to be unanswerable and in other localities stands the 

 test of trial, not only for vegetables and such crops 

 as canteloupes and the like, but also for orchards. 

 In the latter case the farmer plows deep furrows on 

 either side each row of trees, and into these ditches 

 runs the water instead of spreading it broadcast. 

 Thus the growth of rank weeds is discouraged, every 

 drop of moisture is utilized, seeping slowly down 



