The Parker post., 1913-10-04

soil. By regulating the size Of the
stream in each furrow, water may be
from one to six inches per hun
dred feet Just sufficient water to,
reach the lower end of the furrOw
and there become lost in the soil
should be turned to each furrOw. The
surface of the ground, in the direc
ton Of the furrow, should be level
ed to a uniform slope.
AS soon as it is possible to get on
the ground after irrigation, the sur
face should be thoroughly mulched
with the harrow and the seed plant
ed Investigation has not yet defi
nitely determined, under the varying
conditions OF the soil and climate, the
proper widths for planting. Present
observations and study indicate that
for clay loans OF the type found i'll
the Imperial and Palo Verde valleys
width of 4S inches between rows,
and "A inches in the row; for the
sandy soils of these districts from
"A to SO inches between rows and 80
| inches in the row are about right.
These distances for the Uplands -
Trump and Rowden, and medium
long staple-Durango and Snowflake.
Under proper culture, care being ex-
cercised to hold the plant in check,
Egyptian cotton may be spaced 6i
inches between rows and 80 inches
| in the row
| After planting and termination,
water should not be applied until alb
sOlutely necessary as indicated by
| soil and plant The whiting of the
| leaf during the heat of the day does
not necessarily indicate a need of
| moisture 1t does indicate that tran
| spiration from the leaf is more rapid
| than the absorption by the roots.
Ii, however, the leaves freshen dur
mig the night there is no immediate
call for moisture. By means of a
thorough irrigation before planting.
continuous cultivation and the with
| holding of the moisture from the sur
face for quite. a period afterward,
the roots may be induced to pene-
trate more deeply, giving to the plant
a larger feeding area, and placing the
roots where they are not so readily
affected by climatic conditions
On account Of the strength of these
soils, and other conditions favorable
| to plant growth, there is a tendency
| in the districts named for the plant
! to become too rank, which condition
| is always at the expense of fruiting.
This tendency must be overcome.
which may be accomplished by spac-
ing continuous by cultivation and by
Withholding an excess moisture The
grower must watch his crop and soil
and learn in what condition of soil
texture the plant makes the health
! lest growth.
! From the time the fruit begins to
set it is important that the soil be
maintained in uniformly moist con
ditiOn, not wet but sufficient mOis-
ture to maintain healthy growth. /.
the soil becomes so dry as to check
plant growth, when water is applied
the plant will throw the squares off.
The ideal condition, above mentioned
is one that in looking over the field
at any time after fruiting begins.
squares and blooms are more in evi-
dence than leaves. This is possible,
! but only to the farmer who person
! ally knows each day the condition G!
his crop and soil and who directs
his farming operations accordingly
No one can direct such work except
the man who is on the ground and
knows the conditions day by day.
w. l.. ROCKWELL.
Irrigation Engineer, in charge of IT.
rigation Investigations in Texas.