THE IKKIGATION AGE. 



511 



of an orchard so that small streams of water will readily 

 flow in furrows from top to bottom. 



Locating the Tree Rows. 



In setting out orchards which are to be irrigated, the ele- 

 vation of the surface of the ground should first be ascertained. 

 This is usually done by making a contour survey by which 

 each tract is divided up into a number of curved strips or belts 

 by level lines, the vertical distance between them in this par- 

 ticular case being 1 foot. With these as a guide the direction 

 of the three rows an be readily determined. 



Where the trees are watered in basins or checks, flat 

 slopes are not so objectionable, but in furrow irrigation a slope 

 of about 2 inches to the 100 feet is necessary to insure an even 

 distribution of water. 



When streams are to be run in the furrows the slope of 

 the furrows may be increased to 8, 10, and even to 12 inches to 

 the 100 feet. On slopes varying from 10 to 

 40 feet to the mile, the tree rows may 

 therefore be located at the proper distance 

 apart down the steepest slope. Under such 

 conditions the trees are most commonly 

 planted in squares. The location of the 

 trees can be best fixed by the use of a sur- 

 veyor's transit and steel tape. When these 

 are not available, a woven-wire cable about 

 three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter will 

 answer the purpose. If apple trees are to 

 be set out and it is desired to have them 

 32 feet apart, tags are inserted between the 

 strands of the cable to mark this exact dis- 

 tance. A base line at the proper distance 

 from the fence or one margin of the field 

 is then laid down and long sighting stakes 

 driven at each tag. The corner is then turned 

 with a 100-foot tape or link chain. First measure from the 

 end of the base line a distance of 30 feet. Hold the one- 

 hundred end of the chain at this point, ?nd the 10-foot link 

 at the corner; take the tape or chain at the 50-foot mark or 

 link and pull both lines taut. A stake driven at this vertex 

 will establish a point on a line at right angles to the first. 

 When stakes have been set on all four sides the inter- 

 mediate locations for the trees can be readily ascertained 

 by sighting between corresponding marginal stakes. 



Where the slope is steep and difficulties are likely to 

 be encountered in distributing water, the equilateral, hex- 

 agonal, or septuple method of planting, as it is variously 

 termed, should be adopted. The manner of marking the 

 ground for this method is indicated in Figure 6. It will be 

 observed that in this method the ground is divided up into 

 equilateral triangles, with a tree at each vertex. The trees 



observer who visits the old orange groves of Riverside, Cal., 

 the deciduous orchards of the Santa Clara Valley, California, 

 or the apple orchards of the Hood River district in Oregon. 

 Under irrigation systems peach trees should be spaced 20 to 

 22 feet, olive, pear, apricot, and cherry trees from 22 to 28 

 and 30 feet, orange trees 22 to 24 feet, apple trees 30 to 36 

 feet, and walnut trees from 48 to 56 feet apart. 



On the Pacific coast the tendency toward wide spacing 

 has induced many growers to insert peach fillers between other 

 slower maturing trees, such as the apple and walnut. A com- 

 mon practice in this direction is shown in Figure 7, which 

 represents the arrangement of trees in a young orchard in 

 Douglas County, Wash. Here the trees are set in squares 18 

 feet each way, bu: in every other row peach trees alternate 

 with the standard ?pple trees. In the remaining rows wine- 

 sap apple trees are used for fillers. As the apple trees grow 



Fig. 7. Plan o 



Figure VII. 



f planting apple trees with peach trees as fillers:A, Trees as planted 

 at first; B, peach trees removed; C, Winesap removed. 



and begin to crowd the fillers, the peach trees are removed 

 f more space is required the winesaps can be taken out 

 leaving the apple trees in squares 36 feet apart both ways. 

 (Continued in September number.) 



T 



Figure VI. 



likewise form hexagons, and when one includes the center 

 tree of each hexagon they form groups of sevens. Hence 

 the name equilateral, hexagonal, and septuple. 



The chief advantage of this mode of planting in irrigated 

 districts is that it provides three and often four different 

 directions in which furrows may be run. Having the choice 

 of so many, it is not difficult to select the one which is best 

 for any particular tract. The ground can likewise be culti- 

 vated in more ways and about one-seventh more trees can 

 be planted to a given area than is possible in the square 

 method. 



In the past the trees of irrigated orchards have been 

 planted too close. This is made clear to even the casual 



MEXICO COMING IN FORCE. 



I HE best news that has come to the headquarters of 



the Eighteenth National Irrigation congress, Pueblo, 

 September 26-30, concerning foreign representatives, is 

 that the Republic of Mexico will be officially represented. 



Secretary R. H. Faron of the board of control of the 

 congress has word from Dr. E. McQueen Gray of Al- 

 buquerque, New Mexico, the foreign secretary of the 

 congress, to this effect. Dr. Gray, who is president of 

 the University of New Mexico, has been working on this 

 for some time. 



Dr. Gray says he has a letter from Enrico Creel, sec- 

 retary of state for the Republic of Mexico, saying the 

 republic will have a fitting official representative. 



This is cheering news at congress headquarters. 

 There have been grave doubts as to the participation by 

 Mexico officially. The diplomatic relations between the 

 United States and Mexico have not been the best, nor 

 have they between this country and South and Central 

 America. Therefore Dr. Gray has had considerable doubt 

 all along as to the outcome of his negotiations with those 

 countries, and at no time has promised headquarters that 

 any participation would result. However, in his usual 

 emphatic and persuasive way, he has kept at it until he has 

 won out in his efforts with Mexico. 



Secretary of State Creel, to whom Dr. Gray refers, is 

 one of the noted statesmen of Mexico. He was former 

 governor of the state of Chihuahua, and at one time was 

 Mexican ambassador to the United States. He performed 

 some notable services at Washington. It was only a few 

 months ago that he visited Washington as a special rep- 

 resentative of his country and conducted some extremely 

 delicate negotiations. 



The congress officials are elated over the work of Dr. 

 Gray and commend him highly. "It only shows hov 

 efficient he is in this position," said Secretary Faxon 

 today. 



Dr. Gray also says he expects to visit congress head- 

 quarters here about the middle of next month, when he 

 will have further important news. 



It is hoped the foreign representatives at Pueblo may 

 run as high as 35 ; or possibly 40. 



