Churchill standard. (Fallon, Nev) 1903-1908, 1906-09-01
FRUIT TREES
IRRIGATION OF YOUNG
ORCHARDS
Watering and Cultivation
Most Important in
Starting

1nOuSanaS OF Irult trees Will De pllnt-
ed in this section this year, represent.
ing a heavy outlay OF money, and unless
these trees are properly cared for, their
cost and the cost of setting them out
will be wasted. 1t is an important
thing that fruit trees should be given
close attention during the first year OF
their growth. The following recon-
mendations are worthy of attention by
all who plant fruit trees:
The question of how much water
should be used or how often an orchard
should be irrigated is an important one.
The experience OF the past Is years in
parts or Nevada and Idaho has shown
that many theories have been incorrect
and sometimes harmful in the extreme.
Before the question can be answered
intelligently or correct decision arrived
at. certain conditions should be taken
into consideration, such as the average
local ralnialI; the situation and sur
roundlngs OF the orchard under consid-
Grafton, aud the KIND OF fruit to be
grown. For example, the amount OF
water required or the number of irri-
cations needed IN one locality might be
quite insufficient Ill anotheJ, because
one soil may be very deep and retentiye
OF moisture WhlIe another may, by rea.
son OF its 81 tuauOn, receive too much
moisture because OF the ground sur
rounding. IGese cond .tions should be
taken into consideration, as we'll as the
kind OF fruit 10 Degrown. For lnstahce,
berries and iruIt bearing shrubs, the
roots OF winch spread widely and do moi
penetrate deeply, should be placed on
the lower ground, or ii on the higher
ground, they would require more fire.
quent rrgauon than the deep roofing
trees,
To lrngale does not mean simply to
run water through the dltches. l have
seen the eqalYaeut OF SIX acre feet ol
N1tci run tItodsh dit1hcs in an oreharu
during the lrrigaung season and still
the trees stied lhelr leaves i'll August on
account OF Iaek ol moisture.
. lrrlgate properly means 10 supply
the soll With the requisite amount OF
moisture u, the llght time 81 that the
plaht or tree may grow continuously
until iall or maturity. Too much water
iii the sOH Is even more detrimental to
cultivated plants than an insufficient
quantity. 1 he tact that water is some
times used 10 excess, and trees or plants
are injured and the fruit thus grown il
of inferior flavor and keeping quality,
does not initiate against irrigation but
against the lack oI knowledge on the
part OF the lrflgaIor
As soon as the trees are planted ditch
es should be made about Is inches
from the tree. Usually one furrow will
answer for the first irrigation. The
amount Of water ALLOW ed to run in the
furrow depends upon its grade and
length. The length oil the lurrow may
vary in different locations from 20 to
40 rods Ii the lnrroM be to long, that
portion of the orchard lying nearest the
lateral ditch will receive too much
moisture before the opposite end will
receive enough As soon as the ground
il dry enough it should be cultivated.
For the next irrigation furroW should
be run on both sides OF the trees and
the orchard should be irrigated thor
aughly. In all cases cultivation should
commence as soon rs the ground Is dry
enough Usually three or four lrrga-
tions during Il season will suffice, il the
ground be thoroughly cultivated alter
each irrigation. The second year there
should de two furroWs on each side OF
the tree row, each succeeding year add
ing one more turToW until the entire
surface between the rows can be thor
oupbly irrigated. The reason for his is
10 supply increased moisture for the
constantly enlarging root system. The
length of time the water should be al
lowed to run in the burrows can easily
be determined by observation viz,
when the surface shows that the moist
ure comes within three OF ionr inches
of meeting between the bitches the
water should be shut off. After the
soil has been thoroughly moistened the
time to irfigate the orchard again can
be determinec by digging six inches or
so in the soil Ii the soil will remain
in a lump when squeezed in the hand,
irrigation is not necessary, but IL II
crumbles it should be irrigated Al once.
Ordinarily young orchards should not
be irrigated after the middle OF Septem-
Der as it might force the growth OF the
trees too late in the season. They
should be given ample time to ripen the
wood. About the time the winter sets
in, if the land is dry and the tempera-
ture is too low to force plant growth, lr-
rigation would be advantageous as II Is
not best to allow the trees to 60 into
winter quarters with Insufficient moist
ure in the soil.
1t has been amply demonstrated in
the arid districts that irrigation ana
cultivation, asindicated above, Is proper
for the first five years. After this seed
ing down to clover for two or three
years is Il benefit to he orchard.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS.
All who know themselves to be IN
.I.a1E 30