14 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



August, 1917 



A strong spray machine like this is for use where city- 

 pressure is available. The nozzles rotate and distribution 

 is over a large area 



line sprinkler; (4) subirrigation; (5) Thompson 

 underground conveyed surface irrigation; 



(6) sunken bed or check system of irrigation; 



(7) raised bed irrigation. 



Open ditch method. The open ditch method 

 is perhaps the most primitive method. Its 

 construction is simple and consists only in the 

 digging of a ditch to convey the water to the 

 place where it is wanted. Two kinds of ditches 

 are usuallyspoken of in thismethod, namely the 

 main ditch and the laterals. The main ditch 

 carries the water from the reservoir or well, 

 while the smaller ditches or furrows which lead 

 from the main ditch take water to the crops 

 that are being watered. This system was first 

 used on all crops that were planted in rows 

 such as potatoes, sugar beets, corn, fruit, and 

 vegetables. The open ditch method is still in 

 use and extensively employed. 



The chief trouble in furrow irrigation is to 

 divide the water in the head ditch equally 

 among a large number of rows. 



The sprinkler system. Some few years ago 

 this system of irrigation was brought into 

 prominence by Mr. Skinner and to-day the 

 Skinner system of irrigation is known to al- 

 most every one interested in the application of 

 water to plants. In brief the Skinner system 

 aims to apply the water to the soil in the form 

 of a fine spray, directed from specially designed 

 nozzles above the plant. The water falls 

 gently to the ground and in the same manner 

 as rain. This method has met with the ap- 

 proval of many growers and at present exten- 

 sive areas are under this method of artificial 

 watering with excellent result 



There are several modifications of the 

 sprinkler system to meet the needs of different 

 conditions. The overhead system is applicable 

 to commercial vegetable gardens, but does not 

 make an artistic feature in a beautiful flower 

 garden or on a well kept lawn. To meet the 

 requirement of the last named condition there 



has sprung into ex- 

 i s t e n c e a most 

 unique and 

 highly effective 

 under g round 

 surface s p r i n - 

 kler. This sprin- 

 kler is for use on 

 lawns and flower gardens. 

 It consists of permanent wa- 

 ter pipes which are laid under 

 the ground and at given uniform 

 distances sprinkler nozzles are brought 

 to the surface of the ground. These 

 nozzles throw a cone-shaped spray and are 

 spaced so that the spray from one nozzle will 

 meet that of the other and thus all of the sur- 

 face of the soil is reached by the spray. The 

 distance apart the sprayers must be placed 

 depends upon the water pressure. The liries of 

 pipes run parallel and several sprinklers are 

 attached to the same line so that all may be 

 turned on at one time. This method is, I think, 

 unexcelled for the uniform watering of lawns. 

 The nozzles being placed at the surface of the 

 ground, they are not visible and do not inter- 

 fere with the mowing of the grass. 



A very practical way of using the nozzle line system in 

 enclosed gardens. The fixture is not conspicuous and is out 

 of the way 



A different form of the sprinkler system is 

 seen when enclosed gardens are to be watered; 

 the pipes are placed along the wall and not 

 under the ground and instead of nozzles which 

 throw a cone shaped spray there are small holes 

 bored in the pipe to distribute the water. In 

 some sections of the West notably southern 

 California, a modification of this permanent 

 system is in vogue. This consists of a short 

 pipe one half inch in diameter and eight to ten 



feet in length in which a number of small holes 

 are made. The pipe is then raised six to eight 

 inches from the ground. One end is fastened 

 up while a hose is placed on the opposite end. 

 This is quite effective for large 

 lawns and is preferable to the 

 round sprinklers. 



The Thompson system. The 

 Thompson system of irrigation is 

 in use to a large extent in southern 

 California. Themethodmighteasily 

 be called the underground con- 

 veyed surface irrigation 

 system. The name is at 

 once clear when the 

 method is described. 



Cement tile are the 

 conveying agents. These 

 tile vary in size, deter- 

 mined by the amount of 

 water which it is neces- 

 sary to conduct. At the 

 end of the row of tile is a 

 head of water, held in a concrete basin. This 

 basin is either round or square, and is usually 

 about four feet in diameter or four feet square. 

 The height varies from four to five feet. From 

 this basin which serves as a head for the water, 

 the tile is laid underground the entire length 

 of the field. Along this pipe line at varying 

 intervals are smaller cement standpipes one 

 foot in diameter which come to the surface of 

 the ground and extend about twelve inches 

 above it. The distance apart of these smaller 

 standpipes is determined by the crop and the 

 volume of water which it is necessary to use. 

 In an orchard they are usually spaced the 

 same distance the trees are set, and are 

 located at the ends of the rows of trees. 

 In garden irrigation the distance is deter- 

 mined by the crop. 



This system is operated by the use of four 

 valves one on each side of the small standpipe 

 and the water is controlled and regulated by 

 the opening and closing of these valves. This 

 method is satisfactory from' certain stand- 

 points: (1) the water is conveyed under- 

 ground and no loss or leakage of water is en- 

 countered, (2) the water is more evenly dis- 

 tributed, (3) there is less loss and conse- 

 quently a greater area of land can be irrigated 

 by the same amount of water, (4) the control 

 of the flow of water is easily and effectively 

 regulated so that the operator can turn it on 

 and let it run all night without watching. (5) 

 The stream of water is even, regular, and uni- 

 form. (6) the water can be carried to different 

 levels. 



Sunken bed irrigation. This system is in 

 vogue in many sections of California, and I see 

 no reason why it is not adapted to other regions 

 where the need of water is felt. As the name 

 implies, the crops are planted in narrow beds 

 surrounded with a shallow ridge of earth. 

 The ridge prevents the water from spreading 

 all around and the water can be turned in 

 when it is needed in any bed. This system is 

 really nothing more than flooding the soil, 

 but regulated to any degree by the grower. 

 Vegetable crops do the best under this form 

 of irrigation, and it is not often employed on a 

 large scale. 



Method of laying underground pipe for a permanent lawn system 

 where outside or city pressure is available 



System in vogue when pressure is had from head in large cement tank. Distribution is through side holes 



in smaller pipes 



