The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-05-17

IS not to disturb the roctlets which
seek the very top Of the soil for sum
shine and ar g support aad mature
the fruit. Too much wafer Is as ininri-
Gus as too little for fruit trees, same as
for other crops. Orchards should
never be irrigated later than the last
Of July, until the leaves fall of in the
fall
Small fruits and Strawberries should
be vatered two or three times a week
during the fFuiting season. aud often
enough during the remainder Of season
to prevent the ground from becoming
dry.
Blackberries and raspbeFries DO not
require watering as often as straBber-
ries, out the ground should be kept
moist. Strawberries, blaekberries and
raspberries yield the best returns, if,
ia addition to irrigating by flooding,
the vines and bushes are sprayed with
water from a hose.
Wheat and rye Of the winter variety.
The land to be sGwn to winter wheat
and rye should be Watered with flood
ing equal to five inches Of water be-
fore blowing the ground preparatory
to seeding. As soon thereafter as
ground is ia order, piOW and follow the
piOw with a harrow or other suitable
implement to pulverize the clOds, and
an excellent plan will be to follow the
harrow with a land roller. The ground
will now be in excellent condition to
seed, which should be done with a drill.
No more water is required until just
before freezing up time, when a food
ing equal to three or four inches Of
water should be given the wheat and
rye fields. Again IN the spring as soon
as the frost is out of the ground, give
another flooding of three or four in
ches. Once more only, and just when
the first indication of heading is seen
give the last flooding of three inches,
which completes the wheat and rye
irrigation.
For spring wheat, spring barley and
oats, follow the same plan as for land
to plant to corn. Prepare the land and
seed in proper season. The first water
ing after planting should never be
done until the yonng plants are of suf-
ficient growth to shade the ground.
Then apply three or four inches of
water. Spring wheat and barley, like
winter wheat and rye, must not be irri-
gated after heading.
Oats is the exception and should be
irrigated once after heading when fill
ing, to insure the best yield.
Meadows and pastures should be
irrigated in the fall before freezing
time by flooding with four or five in
ches of water, and again in the spring
at the beginning of the growing season
and pastures should be Watered from
time to time during the balance of the
season about once every three or four
weeks, with three or four inches of
water each time.
Red clover, white clover, Alsike
clover, timothy, Kentucky blue grass,
and similar grasses should be irrigated
in a similar manner to that named for
pastures, but meadows intended for
hay should not be irrigated less than
two weeks before harvesting.
Alfalfa when intended to be grown
for seed should be irrigated same as
other clovers, once after the frost
leaves the ground in the spring, when
four or five inches of water should be
used. Then no more irrigation should
be given until the seed crop is harvest
ed. As soon as possible after harvest
/ ing either a seed crop or a hay crop of
alfalfa, the fresh stubble should be
irrigated with four or five inches of
water. AS a rule one irrigation is suf-
! ficient to mature either hay crop or
seed crop of alfalfa.
The most satisfactory and altOge-
Their the best method for irFigating q
lawn is by flooding, which should be
done once every two or three weeks
with two or three inches of water each
irrigation.
In conclusion it must be borne in
mind that the rainfall in the growing
season should be taken into account
Since it is only necessary to supply the
land with a inches of water during the
u months, no more water should be
used in irrigation than is necessary to
make up the deficiency of the rainfall
to complete the "A inches. Too much
water is always injurious instead OF
beneficial. John NJ. Irwin in Nebraska
! Farmer.