FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
161 
to his 150 acre grove. This does not 
include engine or pump. This system 
will need 4,830 feet of fifteen-inch vitri¬ 
fied clay pipe, 4,650 feet of ten-inch vit¬ 
rified clay pipe, and 150 six-inch low 
pressure valves. I have not time to de¬ 
scribe this furrow system completely, 
but you who have visited the orang'e 
groves of California will understand it 
perfectly. The general idea is to elimi¬ 
nate the high pressure iron and steel dis¬ 
tributing lines, where the greater part of 
your power goes to overcoming friction, 
and put in large low pressure pipe, such 
as terra cotta sewer pipe or concrete pipe, 
and convert this friction factor into wa¬ 
ter. For example, I have visited a grove 
irrigation system that needed forty or 
maybe 100 foot head pressure to over¬ 
come internal friction and give sufficient 
spray, while a twenty-foot head would 
suffice if a twelve-inch pipe was used, 
instead of three-inch or four-inch iron 
pipe, and water was run down furrows 
instead of through one-inch to one and a 
half inch sub-lateral pipes. This would 
mean five times the water placed where 
it was needed, as we know that if a ten- 
horse power engine will lift 100 gallons 
per minute 100 feet, it will lift 500 gal¬ 
lons per minute 20 feet, and 100 foot 
head is 100 foot head, whether lifted 
vertically or in overcoming friction in 
small pipe or converting water into spray. 
I mentioned cost of installation. From 
many actual plants of the hose or spray 
system, I find that $150 an acre for in¬ 
stallation is not unusual, where the same 
plant could be installed for one-third this 
amount. I also know of places where 
it takes five men to irrigate eight acres 
in one day while one man should easily 
irrigate this amount if run by large pipe 
and properly placed valves. Of course 
this does not apply to the plants where 
a spray will simultaneously cover all the 
orchard—which is too expensive for 
most growers. Again it is often advo¬ 
cated that the furrow system saturates 
the ground, causing devastation when 
followed by heavy rains. We find water 
can be applied to cover ground only one 
inch deep by this method in the places 
mentioned above. In any case, good 
drainage is necessary, and good drainage 
is assured in the majority of Central 
Florida groves that are on high and roll¬ 
ing ground. It is doubtful whether an 
additional one inch of rain will cause 
ruin, while it is easily possible to conceive 
of cases when one inch of water will 
save or improve half of next year’s crop. 
I would like to say a few words con¬ 
cerning the actual irrigation at the Dren- 
nen grove. Ffere, as explained, six- 
inch low pressure valves are situated at 
every free row on the high ground. The 
500 gallons per minute is divided into six 
or seven middles, each middle having 
three to four furrows running parallel 
three to four feet apart, the valves sup¬ 
plying about twenty-five gallons per min¬ 
ute to each furrow. The water is run 
in each middle from one and a half to 
two hours, which supplies one inch to 
one and a half inches of water to the 
ground. The water in each furrow can 
be regulated without trouble by means 
of the valves, and if more complete con¬ 
trol is needed, a three-inch galvanized 
steel pipe—24 gauge—having little slid¬ 
ing gates, can be attached to the valves, 
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