Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1911-09-07
WATER FOR ORCHARDS
No Definite Rules Can Be Set
Down for Irrigation.
System That Woule Be Entirely Prac-
teal for One Would Not Neces-
sarily Be Adapted for
Another.

No definite rules can be laid down
for the proper irrigation of orchards.
Each farmer should work out his own
system of irrigation as it varies with
each locality, kind Of soil and differ
ent fruits grown, writes John ViesinB
in the Northwestern Stocfman and
Farmer system that would be prac-
ticable for one orchard may not be at
all adapted for another.
The water is usually brought to the
land in open bitches. Openings are
made In the bank to bring 1t to the
burrows, or wooden or iron spouts are
inserted in the ditch bank. Wooden
or cement fumes are more efficient In
delivering the water to the land as
there is less loss by seapage. In soma
sections of the country pipes are be-
ing used successfully. These are
placed beneath the surface Of the
ground and standpipes are located at
intervals to deliver the water to the
burrows.
The furrow method is the one most
commonly used and with very good
results. The aim is to allow small
streams of water t. run through the
burrows until the moisture has pene'
| trated the soil deeply by percolation
so as to come in contact with the
moisture of the adjoining burrows
The burrows are made about eight
inches deep so that the surface soil
Will not get soaked up too mrHh. Thif
allows cultivation to be done as soor
as the water stops running and II
thereby prevents the baking OF the
| soil.
The length of the burrows may vary
and 1t is largely Influenced by the
size ofrthe orchard. Professor Cul
bertson of California has reached thu
conclusion that on sandy or gravelI
soil. having a steep slope, the proper
length of the burrows is 200 feet. while
on heavier soils and flatter slopes thu
length may be increased to 600 feet.
The grade of the burrows varies
quite = idely. On fiat ground 1t is Offer
not possible to obtain fall greater thai
one inch per 100 feet. while on steel
slopes the fall may reach 20 inche
per 100 feet grade of three to fou
inches is to be preferred and wher
the fall exceeds eight to ten inche
per 100 feet the trees should hav
been planted in such way as to de
crease the slope of the burrows.
The number of burrows to be mad
depends on the age of the trees. tn
space between the rows. and th
character of the soil. Young orchard
are usually irrigated by a furrow o
each side of the row. or In such Of
chards one furrow may be run alon
each row and a rinb furrow mad
around each tree. In bearing orchard
the number OF burrows must be dete
mined by the grower himself. Sand
soils take water freely and the fu
rows must be closer together than
heavy soil where the water does NJ
penetrate so rapidly. From four
eight burrows are usually require
where rows are so feet apart
The time to irrigate varies great
The orchard that goes into winter
the proper condition does not nee
so early an irrigation in the sprin
: Frequent examinations OF ster
| branches. foliage and fruit should
made. This is. however, not always
sure guide. The soil should be e
amined to depth Of three or fo'
feet One should find out where Il
bulk of the feeding roots are
Gated. ascertain the nature OF II
soil around them. and make tests
to the moisture which It contain
Different fruits require different tim
OF irrigation.