146 THE APPLE 



stream is often carried in the two furrows next to each row of 

 trees and the surplus led in short cross furrows to the other main 

 furrows, as shown in Fig. 68. Sometimes, however, diagonal fur- 

 rows are used to moisten these dry spaces. The latter method 

 is best adapted to grades of 5 inches or more to every 100 feet. 



One method of irrigation and its cost is as follows : The imple- 

 ment used to make furrows consists of three shovels attached to 

 a beam mounted on a pair of low wheels. The driver sits on a 

 riding seat and by operating a lever can regulate the depth of 

 the furrows. A man and two horses will furrow out 10 acres a 

 day. For a distance of 150 feet from the top of the orchard the 

 furrows are made straight. They are then zigzagged to within 

 60 or 70 feet of the bottom, where the last three rows of trees are 

 irrigated by basins which catch the surplus water. The depth of 

 furrow is 6 inches, the length 800 feet, and the distance apart 

 3 feet. A head of 50 miner's inches (1 cubic foot per second) is 

 used on 10 acres. The streams when first turned into the furrows 

 average about 2 miner's inches, but as the water approaches the 

 lower end they are reduced to 1 miner's inch or less, and this flow 

 is continued between twelve and twenty- four hours. The items of 

 cost for 1 o acres are as follows : 



Making furrows and basins $6.50 



Irrigating 3-QO 



fifty inches of water, 24 hours, at 40 cents an hour . 9.60 



Rent of water stock 12.00 



Total #31.10 



The basin method. In some orchards irrigation is carried on by 

 means of ridges formed midway between the rows, at right angles 

 to each other, thus dividing the tract into a large number of squares 

 with a tree in the center of each. 



When the ground is hard or covered with weeds a disk plow is 

 run between the rows and the loosened earth is formed into ridges 

 by a ridger. If the soil is light, sandy, and free from weeds the 

 disking is not necessary. Ridgers are made in various ways of 

 wood and steel or some combination of both. A common kind 

 (as shown in Fig. 69) consists of two deep runners between 14 and 

 18 inches high, 2 inches thick, and from 6 to 8 feet long, shod 



