Cultivation After Irrigation 381 



trees become older, the encircling furrows may be 

 made larger, until finally it is better to lead the water 

 along two single furrows on each side of the row, 

 as shown in Figs. 104 and 106. With increasing 

 spread of root, the number of furrows would be 

 increased until a watering of the whole ground has 

 become needful. 



CULTIVATION AFTER IRRIGATION 



A cardinal principle in orchard irrigation should 

 ever be thorough, deep saturation, followed, as soon 

 as the soil will permit, with thorough cultivation, fre- 

 quently repeated. In Fig. 110 is represented an excel- 

 lent mulch-producing tool for orchard work. It is 

 drawn by three horses ; can be set to run at any 

 depth ; makes a clean cut of the whole soil without 

 bringing the moist portion to the surface, and is 

 provided with a steering wheel, which permits the 

 driver to easily throw one end of the long cutting 

 blade quickly and accurately to one side and bring it 

 close to the trunk of a tree without driving the team 

 near enough to endanger either the trunk or limbs. 

 As the blade of the tool is 8 feet long, the orchard 

 may be covered quickly with it. Smaller sizes, with 

 5 -foot blades, are also on the market in California. 



Another form of orchard cultivator to which fur- 

 row plows may be attached is represented in Fig. 111. 

 Ordinary forms of cultivators must necessarily tend 

 more to invert the soil and bring the wet portions to 

 the air, and thus be less economical of moisture. They 



