The Ordway new era., 1910-07-22
WATER in VINEYARD
Irrigation Is Most important Fac
tor in Management.
Grape viii Not Stand Excessive Wa.
tsrin0 and Presence Of Free
Water In Soil 10 Early
Indicated.

(By o. b. wHIPPLE. Colorado Agri-
cultural Coilege)
Really the irrigation Of the vineyard
is one of the most important opera
tions in its management The injudi-
cious use Of irrigation water is re-
sponsible for a greater part Of the
grape growers grief. The tendency
among growers Is to use far too much
water. The excessive use of water.
although 1t may not be sufficient to
actually injpre the vines. is largely
responsible for the loss from attacks
by mildew and. more than anything
else. for the poor shipping qualities
OF Colorado-grown vinifera grapes.
One does not realize the Importance OF
having the ground dry during the RI
pening season of the fruit until he.
has seen the grapes ripening In the
California vineyards. Here the vines
are robbed of half their foliage by the
drought of late summer and. as a re-
suit, the flavor Of the fruit Is far tsupe-
rior to that of Colorado-grown grapes.
The drought prevailing during the
ripening season is at least partially
responsible for the high sugar content
Of many California.grown grapes. A
grape must carry high per cent Of
sugar to ship we'll: in other words. It
must be we'll ripened. Still the Colo.
rado grape grower is not altogether to
blanc. for II he we're to allow his vine
yard to dry out to the extent that the
vines should begin to drop their TO.
liage. his over-solicitous neighbors
would 60 out Of their way to advise
him that the vines would surely die.
Two points should be observed In
the use of water with reference to its
relation to the growth Of mildew. In
the first place. the old system Of run.
ming irrigation water near the rows
and under the vines Is a mistake. This
plan vets the surface Of the ground
under the plants where It is slow to
dry out and creates a moist atmos.
phere conducive to the. growth Of
mildew. The grapes also drop down
In this furrow and are covered with
mud. which induces cracking and de.
cay. A better plan Is to run one fur.
row midway between the rows, make
this furrow deep and avoid flooding
the surface OF the ground. When the
vineyard ia watered It should be wa.
tered we'll: then cultivate in the fur.
rows. allow the surface OF the ground
to dry OF. and conserve the moisture
by frequent surface cultivation.
The vines should be kept growing
we'll during the early part Of the sea.
son. but after the berries are we'll
grown. irrigation and cultivation
should cease that the ground may dry
out. Tho time for the last irrigation
will depend much upon the character
Of the soil and upon the variety. Even
though the foliage may turn yellow
and begin to drop before the fruit 10
fully ripe. there is no cause for alarm;
It will not hurt the vineyard and the
fruit will ripen better. The cracking
Of berries Is often due to the applica.
ton OF water after the fruit begins to
ripen.
The grape will not stand excessive
watering and the presence of free wa
ter In the soil Is early indicated BY q
dropping Of the foliage and . shrivel.
Ing OF the punches. A single heavy
watering will often scald tho foliage
on some varieties. The ground should
be kept in the same condition. a. re.
CARDS moisture. Ms soil for most other
crops. The vineyard that has been
well dried out during the ripening sea.
son will need late fall watering to
facilitate covering and to supply nois.
ture to carry the plants through the
dry winters. II Is general impres.
sion that the vineyard should not be
watered during the blooming season.