46 Fruitgrowing under Irrigation 



quantities of water, yet when these have reached 

 maturity and are carrying heavy crops it is neces- 

 sary to water very heavily to ensure the filling out 

 of the fruit and to make good fruit-wood for the 

 next season. 



To test this point experiments were carried out 

 with bearing currant and sultana vines. The cur- 

 rants were situated on the highest part of the hold- 

 ing on a sandy rise with no irrigable land above 

 them, and could therefore receive no water by seep- 

 age from other portions of the orchard. The irri- 

 gation results were as follows : 



CURRANTS. 



Season Crop Dried Acre inches Baiufall 1st Total Water 



Fruit per of Irrigation July to received, in 



acre water used 30th June acr invites 



1913-14 16cwt. 15 8.5 23.5 



1914-15 1 ton 14 5.3 19.3 



1915-16 2itons 18 7.73 25.73 



1916-17 2itons 9 16.64 25.64 



1917-18 2itons 14 13.93 27.93 



Sultanas situated just below the currant planta- 

 tion received the same amount of water, and during 

 the four years of 1915 to 1918 (inclusive) gave a 

 yield of 1 ton, 1| tons, If tons, and 1J tons of dried 

 fruit per acre respectively. 



These figures seem to indicate that over a period 

 of up to five years the first three years of which 

 were seasons of drought that on sandy land, 

 underlaid by the usual calcareous marl, it is pos- 

 sible to harvest the heaviest crops on less than 20 

 inches of irrigation water per annum. 



IRRIGATION SEASON. 



In practice the irrigation season extends from 

 August until about May in normal years. If the 

 spring is wet or cool the first two irrigations need 



