American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-12-14

Raising fruit On q preclpitatlon
less than 20 inches and In some cases
Less thar Is is no new thing in Cali
fornia.
The valley OF Santa Clara is often
classed as the greatest fruit raising
district OF the world. Here In the
month of March the eastern tourist
travels through a thousand square
miles OF snow-white blossoms crown
ing the trees OF a hundred thousand
orchards.
even a hundred acres in extent. but
the average is from 10 to 20. At San
Jose. the county seat. the precipita-
ton for the year is said to average Is
Inches. In some parts OF the valley II
Is more, and In others less. and IL all
falls in the winter months from No
vember TO May.
Since the streams are about all dry
In the summer months those who irri-
gate often do so when IL Is raining,
and conserve the water In the sub
soil for the dry period ahead by mulch
ing 8 to IL inches with the pillow, and
then cu~ltivating the surface as nearly
rs possible to a dust mulch.
Some irrigate from wells by the
use of pumping plants once or twice
q year, but seldom more than this.
Then there are the dry orchard men
who never irrigate. and II is found
that trees which are raised without
ditch water from the start get along
very well without IL. also that trees
which are watered soon form the sir
~rigation habit" and a continuance OF
the practice seems TO be necessary TO
occur results.
Prunes. peaches. apricots. and
grapes are raised principally in the
dry orchsrds-thousands OF tons OF
them.
The irrigated prune is larger than
the dry one. but the latter contains
more sugar. and Is heavier In pro-
portion when dry.
Grapes are cry seldom irrigated
excepting for table use. those for wine
being purchased according 10 their
sugar content.
The wet orchard man has an ad.
vantage over the dry. in being able &c
raise green leguminous crops between
his trees which be plows under fol-
humus.
In the unirrixa,ed orchard IL is i'm.
possible TO Do much % this for IN,
cover crops Use up moisture which II
Ii necessary 10 sszz-g@ aar the tire :
therefore lr skis cas~ the o~ner mus.
fall bach ca srahle 2nzre. aaa com
msreiai esrrilEz~r.
In ar rist grvairs.s s@s<Esr : limit
ed amrann % green vegetation a
DIeSsff lnatstr every pear for thi
~oosraEnn eanaaG b. performed unti
the raAnE season 10 Ah.11E oEsr. an.
at unaE lms every ssrG % iand u
CALIFORNIA Is covered Nrh see,
gruwrh 90 some Eln4
There 10 a. great A t~ifrsr-nce &;
dry orchards az here ~ IL Try farms
Wherever tte ptoNrHE IL deep an,
thorough. and he cultivation eff
Client. the trees are vigorous an,
healthy. and prOdse- sEs erss~ AM
large fruit
Very little moisture h lost in thes,
orchards for Il Is found that a foot o
plosed soil weiI-nned down Sith tn
right implement. creates a mulch
which holds the moisture indefinitely
Some OF the dry prane orchards o
the Santa Clara valley produced thi
season as high as , Ions to the acre
some two tons and the average VA
perhaps a ton and a half. Thes.
prunes lose about one-half thei
weight In the drying out process. an,
the irrigated prunes about two-thirds
The price this year for dry prunes II
about $4,000 a ton.
The grapevine Is one Of the mos
wonderful plants for resistance Il
drouth. Wine grapes are raised al
most anywhere In California, on tn,
rockiest hiijsides without irrigation
The leaves have a great affinity foI
atmospheric humidity and after 4
damp night the vineyards which hay.