The Puddling of Soils 335 



conditions should, therefore, be studiously avoided by 

 every irrigator. 



If soils to be irrigated contain black alkali, and 

 this has been permitted to accumulate at the surface 

 during the interval between waterings, it is evident 

 that the flooding of such soils will redissolve the 

 alkali, and as this, in solution, tends of itself to pro- 

 duce puddling, it is evident that the irrigation of 

 such lands should always be done with the greatest 

 care, in order not to complicate the difficulties of the 

 crop by adding that of a puddled soil to the dele- 

 terious action of the carbonate of soda. 



It is extremely difficult to completely submerge 

 a recently stirred soil of any kind without breaking 

 down the crumb structure so essential to perfect tilth, 

 and all are familiar with the fact that there is no 

 way to so effectually compact loose soil in a trench 

 as to completely fill it with water. It is, therefore, 

 plain that soils should be watered before plowing 

 and fitting, when the running together cannot take 

 place, rather than after the ground is seeded. Indeed, 

 water enough should always be present in a soil at 

 seeding time, not only to germinate the crop, but to 

 carry it well on in growth, so that if baking of the 

 soil must take place, less harm will be done. There 

 are few soils which it would be safe to flood just 

 after a crop like oats, wheat or barley is up, for fear 

 of packing the soil and seriously injuring the crop. 



When the plants have attained some size, when 

 the soil has gained in firmness by the natural pro- 

 cesses of settling, and when the roots have spread 



