Show watering system Is simple matter possibilities of irrigation are favored by farmers in drought sections by L 1 A somers garden extension specialist college of agriculture university of illinois service ten years ago the idea of irrigating their gardens would have been scoffed at by illinois farmers but the unusually dry weather of this season has brought home the possibilities of irrigation in a convincing way not nil all farms but a very large number of them might have irrigated gardens at small expense during drought seasons a simple homemade watering system may mean the difference baleen between a productive garden and a total loss likewise having sufficient clent water at the proper time is particularly important to late planted vegetables in a majority of cases the farmstead is built in a slight elevation with the garden laid out on a gentle slope a short distance from the source of water generally too there is a pump powered by a windmill or gasoline engine that is capable of supplying far more water than is needed for household and live stock consumption all that Is necessary on these farms is a line of pipe running from the live stock or storage tank to the upper edge 0 of the garden and a piece of hose that can be moved from row to row as needed if the storage tank Is below the upper level of the garden the pipe may be attached directly to the pump and the water forced up to the higher level of the garden by using either a cultivator or hand hoe rough furrows can then be placed at the upper end of a furrow and the water allowed to make its way slowly to the lower end As the furrow becomes soaked the hose Is moved from row to row across the garden it will be necessary of course to keep the windmill or gasoline engine running to maintain the water supply but in most cases the method Is inexpensive and does not require constant attention different farms will naturally require different adaptations of any type of watering system for the problem is more or less an individual one however if farmers will look over their own situations a great many will find it entirely possible and practical to irrigate the garden with but little expense and labor |