Miscellaneous. 



[May, 1910. 



tary channel by outlets made of it'on 

 pipes, wooden boxes, or simply shovel 

 cuts secured from washing out by wisps 

 of straw or grass. Largely the amount 

 let out to each furrow muse be deter- 

 mined by experience and " rule-of- 

 thumb" methods. The length of the 

 furrows varies with the nature of the 

 soil, the slope, and the natural features ; 

 they should rarely exceed ten chains in 

 length and are more generally about five. 

 Sufficient flow should be allowed iuto 

 each to just reach the lower end after 

 thoroughly soaking the ground on the 

 way. As soon after watering as the 

 state of the soil will permit, the scuffier 

 or harrows should be run over the 

 surface to torm an earth mulch to retain 

 the moisture. Cultivation as soon as 

 possible after watering is not only 

 essential for the furrow method, but 

 for all the systems. 



The corrugation or permanent furrow 

 is the next way of distributing the irri- 

 gation water. For lucerne, the greatest 

 of the fodder crops, this system is emi- 

 nently suitable, it being perennial and 

 profiting by frequent watering. In this 

 system, the plant is grown along low 

 ridges,and the shallow hollows or depres- 

 sions between are used for distributing 

 the water much the same way as for 

 furrows. After cultivation is, of course, 

 essential, care being taken to preserve 

 the shape of the corrugations. Owing to 

 the permanent character of the furrows, 

 watering is much simpler and more 

 certain. Once in working order and the 

 irrigator familiar with his ground and 

 its requirements, water may be turned 

 on into the head ditches and allowed to 

 distribute itself, saving a lot of labour 

 and annoyance. 



In the spreading system, distributing 

 channels are run along contours, that is 

 on lines of the same level, at distances 

 of several chains apart. The water is 

 let out from a distributary by any of 

 the means already described and at 

 frequent intervals ; it is allowed to flow 

 slowly over the surface to the next 

 contour channel which picks up any 

 surplus. When well arranged, the result 

 should be the same as in the furrows, 

 very little reaching the end beyond that 

 required to soak the soil in the imme- 

 diate vicinity. If the land has been well 

 graded and levelled, this is a fairly 

 simple operation and the water will need 

 but little coaxing or blocking with the 

 long-handled shovel to spread over the 

 whole surface between the contour 

 drains. Plenty of labour at the outset 

 in land preparation and efficient system 

 will tend to greatly reduce the labour 

 required in distributing, and as the 



latter is a continuous expense, no pains 

 should be spared to reduce it to its 

 lowest limits compatible with good 

 work. 



The flooding or check system comes 

 next in order ot merit. Check banks 

 which are advisably made low and wide 

 so that implements may be worked over 

 them, and at intervals to allow 6 inches 

 in depth of water at most beiug put on 

 the land- In somewhat undulating 

 country the check banks may with 

 advantage be run on the contours, each 

 being 4 inches lower, the water being 

 about flush with the top of the check 

 bank. With the section generally 

 adopted, narrow and high, there is a 

 considerable liability to break away 

 causing a loss of water and damage to 

 crops. If the ground is tolerably level, 

 the check banks may be run in straight 

 lines, to suit cultivation and harvesting, 

 inclosing from 5 to 10 acres iu each check. 

 This brings the description of distribut- 

 ing systems to a conclusion, for the 

 letting of water on to a paddock to find 

 its way as best it can over the surface, 

 forming islands and leaving pools is not 

 a system, though unfortunately only too 

 common in practice. Too much stress 

 cannot be laid upon the three cardinal 

 requirements for successful irrigation : 

 preliminary grading or levelling of the 

 laud to be watered; allowing sufficient 

 time for thorough soaking ; and surface 

 stirring as early as possible after 

 watering. 



In all cases see that the seed bed is 

 moist. Land may be watered before 

 ploughing or after ; but the moist seed 

 bed is essential. 1 1 may, of course, be due 

 to natural causes without any watering. 

 For winter crops, the next watering 

 depends upon the season. It may not 

 be needed until late in September, and 

 sometimes not at all. A third watering 

 is rarely called for. For summer crops 

 water seed beds as before, then give 

 another watering about a fortnight after 

 sprouting, and a third in a four weeks or 

 so as the season requires. This should 

 be sufficient to give a full and mature 

 growth. In the case of lucerne, a water- 

 ing should be given immediately after 

 each cutting, and then get to work with 

 the harrows. This, with favourable con- 

 ditions, may mean that five or even more 

 waterings may be needed. For fruit 

 trees, four waterings at most will do, 

 save in exceptional seasons, and vines do 

 with one less. Crops of the market 

 garden order will probably require more 

 frequent attention, but as they will in 

 general be of small extent only, they can 

 be sufficiently satisfactorily dealt with. 

 If supplies are drawn from a public 



