Show irrigation OF AN ORCHARD too frequent applications of water results in great evil of surface rooting ono of tho the frequent evils resulting from too frequent application of water on heavy soil Is surface rooting because of the swamping of some valuable bable lands in northern colorado from heavy irrigation some come adopted the plan of giving light but frequent irrigation the result was that when the water was applied during tile the spring months the ground was by turns over wet and then baked and the roots growing so near tile the surface were badly injured in tho the fall and winter another result was that the over stimulated growth and humid condition of the air made an ideal condition for blight and many orchards were nearly ruined it Is evident that it if we are to successfully imitate the best natural conditions the moisture must be thoroughly diffused over a great depth of soil and never be very wet or at least as seldom as possible and get the surface dried out and mellowed as quickly as possible after such wetting to accomplish this the water must be allowed to flow in deep furrows for from 36 to 48 hours hour s care should be taken to have the furrows close enough to insure tile the whole width of subsoil sub soil soll being wet the less lesa tho the surface Is wet the better when there are ard resets in an old orchard liard it will be necessary for the irrigator Irrl gator to provide short branch furrows to bring the water much nearer the crowns of the young trees as their feeder roots are so much shorter with good cultivation on deep soil two or three such settings wettings wet tings a year will be found sufficient tor for apple and pear orchards and from none to one or two for cherries plums and the peaches As for the time for foi the wettings settings wet tings the first for apples and pears should be given in the spring unless we have abundant rainfall when it should be omitted entirely the second should be given when the fruit Is matual maturing 19 the third should come ater after the wood has ripened these like the first may be omitted it if there Is heavy rainfall at these times sufficient to wet the ground two or more feet deep again if a fall irrigation Is required a and nd a cold follows none Is required in the spring it can be safely said that on good deep soil with good tillage three good irrigations a year will always be sufficient on porous gravelly soil with the same tillage from six to ten may bo be needed |