110 



SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENING 



the ground is packed by the fall of water. When plants 

 are watered by hand it is better to pour the water on the soil 

 in such a way as to cause it to enter immediately, rather th^n 

 to sprinkle it over the surface and pack the particles together. 

 After-treatment. — In any system of irrigation it is ad- 

 visable to follow up the watering with the proper kind of 

 tillage. If this is not done much of the advantage gained 

 from irrigation is lost by the rapid evaporation following the 

 work. If a soil mulch is quickly established by the use of 

 small-shovelled cultivators or similar implements, the evapora- 



FiG.- 62. — Here the irrigation water is conduoted to the edge of the garden in 

 a wooden trough or flume. It is then conducted along shallow furrows between the 

 rows oiE plants. (U. S. D. A.) 



tion of water is greatly checked. In a small garden a common 

 garden rake serves this purpose well. 



Liquid Manure. — A favorite form of irrigation long prac- 

 ticed by gardeners is to apply liquid manure during dry 

 weather. Some gardeners provide a large tank in which a 

 load of stable manure is soaked in several barrels of water. 

 Any boy can install the same plan for his home or school 

 garden by the use of a tub or barrel of water with a few forks 

 of stable manure in it. This liquid manure is very stimulat- 

 ing in its effects upon plant growth. It is rich in nitrogen 

 and may be used when leaf growth of any form is most desired. 



