IRRIGATION 
the idea that the water followed the tap 
root to greater depth, and also that there 
was considerable ground immediately 
about the tree which had not been wet. 
Alkali Between the Laterals 
It is the experience of irrigators that 
where there is alkali in the soil the pro- 
cess of irrigation tends to wash it away 
from the center of the ditch toward a 
point about midway between the laterals. 
It is not uncommon to see strips of white 
alkali encrusted on the surface at regu- 
lar distances apart, according to the dis- 
tances of the laterals. As a result of 
this, the method of neglecting to irrigate 
the center of the space in which the trees 
stand is one which drives the alkali to- 
ward the tree. In soils where the al- 
kali is strong enough so that it ap- 
proaches the point of injury to the tree, 
concentrating it at the center might in- 
jure the bark and tender roots near the 
surface. We had four specimens of soil 
analyzed and found that there was much 
more alkali in the surface soil near the 
tree than a specimen of soil taken from 
the center of the ditch, or than at one 
foot depth below the surface. 
We have been of the opinion that the 
crust of alkali injured the bark of the 
young growing tree and caused it to 
crack, exposing the cambium and render- 
ing it susceptible to the attacks of in- 
sects. Our opinion was based upon the 
number of instances where these condi- 
tions of injury occurred in soils strong 
in alkali, where this method of irriga- 
tion was practiced. This opinion is not 
sustained by the authorities and is ad- 
vanced as one that is yet to be proven 
by experiments. 
We know that we are right in so far 
as it concerns the irrigating of tomatoes 
and other tender plants, but as to wheth- 
er the bark of the young tree is suffi- 
ciently resistant so that it would not be 
injured by a strong encrustation of al- 
kali in the soil about it, is a question 
that can be determined better by expe- 
rience in the orchards than by any other 
method. 
However, for other reasons, if not for 
this, we would recommend irrigating the 
1181 
center in which the trees stand, and 
since the laterals cannot be made with a 
plow or other instrument commonly used 
for such purpose, we would take the more 
laborious method of making them with a 
shovel, and irrigate about the body of 
the tree, thus killing a number of in- 
sects that might work injury, letting the 
water into the soil about the tap roots, 
and driving the alkali away from the 
tree. 
GRANVILLE LOWTHER 
Cost of Pumping 
One pumping plant, unique in its un- 
usual sprinkling system, is thus described 
by the owner, Mr. F. B. Allard: 
“T have a pumping plant with which 
I am watering 11,000 apple trees. I am 
doing it in the following manner: 
“TI first pump it into a railroad water 
tank, then I have one mile of four-inch 
steam pipe connecting the tank with 
every ten-acre tract with hydrants at 
different places. On this main line of 
pipe and 100 feet apart I have uprights 
starting with one-inch pipe and reduc- 
ing to three-quarters, 30 feet high, with 
a whirling sprinkler on each of them, 
which is forced to run by means of a 
double-stroke force pump, which takes 
the water out of the big tank and puts 
it into the main pipe at 100 pounds 
pressure, and this spray is carried on one 
side by the breeze in the forenoon and 
in the opposite direction in the after- 
noon, wetting a strip of ground 300 feet 
wide and one mile in length, or a strip 
of ground equal to 40 acres, on which I 
am raising alfalfa between the trees. 
“From the bottom of the well to the 
top of the tank it is 160 feet. My gaso- 
line bill last year was $150, or 1.4 cents 
per tree and 99 cents per acre. This 
year it was $225 or 2.29 cents per tree, 
and next year it will be about $300 or 2.73 
cents per tree, and I figure that when the 
trees have reached the age of six years 
they will require about $500 worth of 
distillate, or 4.54 cents per tree—figur- 
ing that the price on the distillate re- 
mains the same as at present 
“T am going to connect every tree with 
the main line of pipe with a smaller 
