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Show WATER NEEDED FOR ORCHARD 1 i- j Moisture to Depth of Four Feat at Least Required for Proper Development De-velopment of Roots. In nearly all orchard Irrigation worli too little water la given. When only a small quantity la applied It draws the roots near the surface. Much ol the water Is held In the mulch and li npnln lobt when the mulch dries out In the first foot of soil practically sov-en sov-en inches la open space and Into this the air and water entera. Four feot at leant la required for root devclop-nunt. devclop-nunt. writes ft. U Adams In the Den. ver Held and Farm. In order to com-pli com-pli tely fill this a corresponding amount 1 of wattr la needed. This, however, j would result In saturating the soil. In ; actual practice ten Inches of water . up piled to sandy soils and eighteen 1 inches to clay lands will give the best lesults. Not all the moisture Is avail able for the crop's needs. Part of tin liiolnture Is held closely to the soil , ruin and will not be given up to the trees even under very dry conditlona. This hydroscopic water amounts to an Immense sheet In the aggregate. It Is this water In which most of the plant fooda are being dissolved. This unavailable moisture Is greater in clay than In sandy soils, aa the amount of aurface of the amaller grains Is vastly larger than for coarse ones, Just as marble has a much smaller surface while whole than when broken Into a thousand fragments. For thla reason the percentage must be maintained at a higher point for moisture In clay soils than for that In aandy lands. On the other hand, aand soils will dry out much quicker than clays. On the other hand excessive Irrigation Irriga-tion Is to be condemned as It carries off the soluble plant foods. If these go Into layers of sand or gravel, or Into the water table, they will be carried off Into the natural drainage of the country. If the Irrigation water goes deep, although atlll remaining In the roll, It will carry these salts below tha reach of the roots and the chances of being returned within range will depend de-pend on the character of the soli in Its relation to Its capillary power and tha depth to which they rest. ' The layers of gravel and coarse sand effectually cut off capillarity and the. water carried below euch layers with Its attendant supply of plant food Is lost. Therefore sufficient moisture to Just reach the desired depth la all that need be given. The need can be determined by both the appearance of the trees and the soil. A slackening In growth and a darkening In color of the foliage are Indications. Hut aa the water should not fall below a point to create appearances In the tree careful care-ful watch must be kept on the soil Itself. It-self. Care should be exercised to aee that the proper degree of moisture exists ex-ists to the full depth cf the soil. |