CONDITIONS FOR DEEP FURROWING 



199 



rows, from 3 to 5 feet apart, are most generally used. In heavy adobe soils 

 more furrows are used than in the more porous granite soils. The most 

 usual length of furrows is 40 rods. Every precaution is taken to have the 

 surface wetted as little as possible. 



The amount of water run at a time is materially lessened. Formerly the 

 common practice was to run 3 inches per acre for twenty-four hours each 

 thirty days. Now, 2 inches continuous run for seventy-two hours is found 

 to serve a much better purpose, except on loose soils. The general practice 

 in the valley is to irrigate once each thirty days. A few of the most careful 

 orchardists had found that by intelligent and thorough manipulation of the 

 soil they obtained as favorable results from the application of water every 

 sixty days or more, using the same amount as they formerly did at interval 

 of half that time. The writer has watched with much interest an eight-year- 

 old orchard that during the three years preceding the present received in 

 all but ten irrigations, the usual amount of water being used only at each 

 four irrigations the first year and three irrigations each the second and third 

 years, with results comparing favorably with those on trees of the same age 

 on the same soil in neighboring orchards that received the ordinary thirty- 

 day irrigations. While there are few orchardists who have the skill and 

 patience required to secure such results, they show the possibilities of 

 improved cultivation in conserving moisture. So long as water is abundant 

 and not expensive, more frequent irrigations will probably be generally prac- 

 ticed; but the advantage of running the water slowly for a longer time, in 

 furrows as deep as possible, covering the saturated bottoms as soon as prac- 

 ticable and keeping the surface perfectly pulverized and in loose condition, 

 is being generally recognized. 



The usual practice is now to have 6 deep furrows in 20-foot 

 spaces. The number varies according to the character of the soil, 

 but is in any case less than in the small, shallow furrow system 

 which formerly prevailed. 



The recourse to deeper furrows and to the subsoil plowing 

 has been made in several citrus fruit districts of Southern Cali- 

 fornia. Its success depends upon conditions. There are cases in 



The V-shaped "Crowder" and Metal Dams or "Tapoons.' 



