COST OF PRODUCING APPLES IN WESTERN COLORADO. 23 



IRRIGATION. 



The cost of irrigation depends on method, quantity of water avail- 

 able, rate of flow, topography, condition of the soil, length of furrows, 



--";'" '''■'' V '0& 





Fig. 6.— A 22 year-old Grimes orchard located on sandy soil in the river bottom section near Paonia. 

 The clover in this orchard acts as a shade crop and is sometimes turned under but never taken off. 



Fig. 7.— A 7-year-old orchard in the Grand Valley showing the clover shade crop between rows. 



width of furrows, and the time of year. The usual method of irriga- 

 tion is by open ditches. The water is carried from the main ditch 

 to the ranches in smaller open ditches, known as laterals. From 



