230 THE PRINCIPLES OF SOIL MANAGEMENT 



land until the soil is saturated. The second system 

 agrees with check flooding, in which the water is turned 

 on a nearly level area to a considerable depth. The 

 check, or block, may be a small area a few square rods 

 on a decided shape, or a large area is possible on very 

 level land. These may be so arranged that the water 

 flows successively from one to the other, perhaps at 

 successively lower levels. The relative advantages of the 

 two types depend on the character and slope of the soil. 

 On gently sloping land of moderately porous character, 

 and not easily washed or puddled, so that the water may 

 be controlled, wild flooding is the most convenient 

 method. Grain fields especially lend themselves to the 

 method. On the other hand, on very level or very steep 

 land the block type must be used. The water is more 

 definitely under control, washing is largely prevented 

 by levees, and puddling is reduced by the almost entire 

 elimination of current. 



The flooding system is best adapted to certain classes 

 of crops, as follows: (1) Grain fields. (2) Meadows and 

 hay fields. (3) The soaking of land preliminary to plant- 

 ing other crops, sometimes termed winter irrigation, 

 where the water-supply is available only in the winter 

 season, and is stored in the soil until crop-growing time. 

 The above crops are adapted to occasional or intermit- 

 tent flooding; but some crops succeed best under a con- 

 tinual flood of water, as in: (4) Rice culture and (5) 

 Cranberry culture. A phase of the flooding system is 

 the basin system sometimes used in orchard irrigation. 



The advantages of the system are: (1) Ease in hand- 

 ling water. (2) Economy in irrigation works. (3) 



