3S 8 TILLAGE AND IRRIGATION 



are as follows: (i) the water falling in a fine spray pre- 

 vents the washing and packing of the soil ; (2) the water 

 is distributed uniformly over the crops; (3) it requires 

 very little labor to operate the system. 



EXERCISES 



1. What are the objects of tillage? 



2. What is the chief object of cultivation? What is a soil 

 mulch ? 



3. What is the effect of working soil when it is too moist? 

 What is the effect of tilling soil when it is too dry? 



4. How many times do you usually cultivate your garden? 



5. What rules should be observed when caring for tools? 

 How many of these do you observe? 



6. Explain the various methods of irrigation. With your 

 local conditions, which system would prove most practical? 

 Do you think it would pay? 



7. Visit a garden that has an irrigating system when the 

 system is in operation. 



SCHOOL GARDEN WORK 



It is desirable to have the entire school garden manured, 

 plowed, and harrowed as early in the spring as the soil can be 

 properly handled. From a plan drawn to a definite scale of 

 the entire school gardening plots, the students should be as- 

 signed a definite portion of the work in the staking out of the 

 walks and gardens. This should constitute a valuable exercise 

 in measuring, sighting, and working from the plan to the garden. 

 Each student must be held responsible for a certain definite 

 portion of this work. 



Each student should then thoroughly rake and smooth off 

 his assigned garden, square up the boundaries of the garden, 

 and tidy up the walks surrounding it. 



