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PRACTICAL IRRIGATION. 



Inasmuch as the roots of trees in an orchard form a perfect net- 

 work through the whole soil, it is necessary to get an even distribu- 

 tion of the required amount of water over the whole of the land, 

 i. e., where surface irrigation is resorted to. This certainly can be 

 done by the basin method first above mentioned. This method, al- 



The Modern method — Surface Irrigation 



though perhaps the oldest in use, finds many objectors, who say it 

 is impracticable, expensive, and even impossible in some instances. 

 There are those who maintain that it washes the ground too much, 

 and that where the ground is rolling and the basins have to be made 

 small, too much expense is incurred. The third method is to be con- 

 demned in every Instance. For as has been observed, the roots of 

 trees form a perfect network throughout the soil and these roots are 

 feeders. If, therefore, the roots which have grown during the rainy 

 season into the unirrigated portion are left without water and the 

 soil becomes dry, they languish and die. The fourth method called 

 the "Modern Method," should never be resorted to except where ab- 



