The Ordway new era., 1910-08-26
WATER IN ORCHARD
In Arranging for Irrigation It Is
Necessary to Consider Soil.
Deep Surface Of Clay or Loan with
Proper Cultivation VIII Retain
Moisture Much Longer Than
Light, Shallow Soil.
tBy c. A. H1cKENI.ooPERJ

In arranging 10 irrisate an orchard.
It is necessary to take into considera-
ton the conditions Of the soil. For
Instance. a deep surface OF clay or
loan with the proper cultivation will
retain moisture much longer than
light. shallow soil. especially II the
latter Is underlain with heavy sub
soil which roots will not penetrate.
Every person should study his local
conditions. l am now speaking more
particularly OF conditions rs found In
the Rocky mountain valleys. where
the rainfall varies from twelve to
eighteen inches a year. and where
most Of the moisture falls during the
winter and the early spring seasons.
1t is necessary that a person plant
Ing an orchard should take into con-
sideration the lay Of the land. In GER
tain valleys some OF our best orchard
land slopes In two directions. and II
the rows are planted with the com.
pass the water will run too fast and
thus wash great bitches and also be
Of little use to the trees. as the water
would not have an opportunity to
kind the trees should be planted at
any angle that will be the most con-
venient for irrigating. Great care
should be taken the first year with
young trees to induce them to root
as deep as possible. and In order to
do this the irrigation should be done
SO that the young roots will go down
after the moisture. The old.time
growers understand this principle and
hold the water back until the tiny
roots have penetrated deep into the
soil and thus formed long. slender
threads. and then they apply the wa
ter to make the growth.
In planting a tree always use
water by running It in a furrow close
to the trees. then follow up with cu)-
tivation as soon as the ground win
admit Of 1t. In case rain does not
come 1t will be necessary II the
ground Ia dry to give 1t another ir-
rigation in from ten days u two
weeks. as the tree Is making extra
effort by putting out a great many
tiny roots as feeders to replace those
cut of by the digging After this is
properly cultivated and no crops are
planted between the rows to take the
moisture away. 1t will need but little.
II any. more irrigating that season.
have a block Of Elberta peach trees
planted in this way in the spring OF
1908 that have had but one irrigation.
and that soon after planting; the
trees have made much better
growth than q similar block planted
at the same time on better soil with
crops planted between the rows and
watered at regular intervals.
believe that by proper applica-
tion of water a much better proper
toned peach can be raised than is
usually done. find that when a
tree is growing in a low. soggy soil.
with an over-supply of water early in
the season. that the pits are large
and all out Of proportion. When the
water is kept back until the pits begin
to harden, a much better peach is
produced. Care must. however. be
taken with the Elberta peach not to
allow 1t to become too dry or 1t will
shed too much of its fruit. From
that time do not allow the trees to
get dry until the fruit is ready to
pick. But great care must be taken
not to overdo it and waterlog the
land.