THE STKAWBEREY 



161 



strawberry field by gravity in open ditches or cheap 

 troughs, the cost need be but small, while if to be 

 carried a long distance in pipes and be raised to a 

 considerable hight it would be very much greater. There 

 are two methods of applying water most generally em- 

 ployed, the ditcl: method and the sprinkling method. 

 The Ditch Method — This is the simplest and most 

 used. The water is let into ditches at the upper part 

 of the field where it can run down between tlie rows as 



Fig. 86— Ditch Method of Irrigation 



shown in Figure 86. If the fall is so great that the soil 

 will be washed, hay or straw is trodden into the ditch, 

 when it will run more slowly and spread out better 

 among the plants. If the land is nearly level, the water 

 must be directed by means of frequent small ditches and 

 be carried to diiTerent parts of the field by means of 

 pipes or troughs. Cheap hose may be made of cotton 

 cloth for this purpose that will last a long time if taken 

 up and thoroughly dried after being used. 



