Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-04-03

lflfkt m'ANAults ~ ~ fi'l' FhViAR -
81 closely watched that these indications
viii be observed Immediately and water
applied. The better test H. by determine.
ton Of soil moisture which will prevent
the soil reaching the stage az plant suf
fcring. By means Of u thorough irriga-
ton before planting. continuous shallow
cultivation aud the Withholding Of moist
urc from the surface Ter quite Il period
a%fterwar,l. the roots may br induced tn
penetrate more deeply. giving to the
plant Il wider feeding area. and placing
the roots where they are not so readily
affected h. climatic conditions.
IRRIGATION OFTEN POOR.
IL should be- needless to urge upon
California i%rrigators the necessity of
thorough preparation and cultivation.
still after the many wears of experience
exceedingly poor irrigation practice j.
TOO often in evidence. a uniform crop
cannot b. made when ~ inchc. of water
j. applied al one point and : inches at
another. An attempt 10 irriglte land LETT
uneven and tough not only renders uni
form crop production imposSibly by rca-
son of uneven moisture distribution. iSit
also prevent The necessary cultivation. III
the surface il uneven the water stands
in the low places which prevents %cultiva
;ion the low places ctaoinshrdluciaoin
tion Of the field until the surface has
bccom "a bakcl and hard that il IL i'm
possiblr 10 pulvcriZc the surface. ami
a. a rc>Hlt. The surface i left cloddy
and rough from which the evaporation q
rapid. the loss If applied moisture large.
ii il impossible "a pul,erizc the SIR
face and get il in proper filth fsr maxi
mum crop production. For the growing
of cotton the s%urfacr should he lcycllcl
IL a uniform slope. AMI maintained in n
incl, pulvcrizcs condition Nv continuous
shallow cultivation with harrow. Slioy
~ and sweep.
From the time the squares bcgin "a st
il j. very important that the soil nc main
tanned i'm u uniformly moist condition. II
should not Ic made sOgg,. or 80 met ~
10 produce a soppy. glossy appearance of
leaf and square. bat nSuff Efficiently moist
10 maintain n healthy growth ~ plant
and fruit. To maintain thiS condition re
quircS close observation. Tn" grower
should inspect his field. the plants and
soil each day anil learn The apparent con
ditinn most favorable. The NEST accurate
AMI satisfactory mcihc.l ~ determining
tn necessary amount 80 moisture 10 the
soil il Nv taking samples Of exactly one
pound each from ca,hfOot. in deDfh for
! dcpih ~ thrrc ur four feet. weigh those
carefully. place upon i flat Nc->.l End
expose a. the sun for twenty foar hours
then weigh again E%rcning \ careful rec
ord Of each sample This Zen" ~ offer
cnt times anu III varIou> STAGES ~ a-nWt
aud in the differing mi, types viii teach
the grower how much water sh0nId hc ap
piled and when ii IN necessary. IL Mil
learn that not the same mount of mois
.turc j. required ~ All stages of growth.
That IN Snrrc SpilS muisfHrc Wr>i hr ap-
piled much cfirncr than IN others That
SoIsc salts had wnch more water than
other SnilS ami that ~ lniS ore able ~
extract from some soils 4 higher nrr
ccntagc IF their contained moisture than
from other tvpcpS.
since the diffcrcr; soil types rcqI6rc
different methods Of culture AMI amounts
81 water applied. NJ person can direct
the farmer ~ the detail nf his work I've
must learn this from experience In his
fell. The success ful roiton grower IL
be- who studies hiS crop day IN day and
directs his opcrations accordingly.
WILLIAM l.. ROCKWELL.
Irrigation Engiucrr. Y. :. -. \.