. Better fruit. Fruit-culture. BETTER FRUIT Papr 2j Figure 19~FURR0\V IRRIGATION', SHOWIXC, DRY SPACES The soil first rtcei\'e(l an irrigation of six inches in depth over the surface, and in the tanks which had no mulch over line-third of this amount was evaporated in thirty-two days, while less than one per cent was evaporated in the tanks which were protected by a nine-incli mulch. Similar experiments carried on at Wenatchee, Washington, in June, ]9()S, showed the following losses in twenty- one days: No mulch, fourteen and one- third per cent of water applied; three- inch mulch, four per ce
. Better fruit. Fruit-culture. BETTER FRUIT Papr 2j Figure 19~FURR0\V IRRIGATION', SHOWIXC, DRY SPACES The soil first rtcei\'e(l an irrigation of six inches in depth over the surface, and in the tanks which had no mulch over line-third of this amount was evaporated in thirty-two days, while less than one per cent was evaporated in the tanks which were protected by a nine-incli mulch. Similar experiments carried on at Wenatchee, Washington, in June, ]9()S, showed the following losses in twenty- one days: No mulch, fourteen and one- third per cent of water applied; three- inch mulch, four per cent; six-inch mulch, two per cent, and nine-inch mulch one per cent. From the foregoing it is evident that Western orchardists can prevent the greater part of the evaporation losses by cultivating orchards to a depth of at least six inches as soon as practicable after each irrigation. In the preceding paragraphs attentiun has been called to the large amount of water which is vaporized frum warm, moist soils. We wish here to call attention to another loss of a different character. In all modes of wetting the soil, but more particnlarlj' when deep furrows are used to distribute the water, a part is liable to sink beyond the deep- est roots. As a rule the longer the fur- row the greater is the loss from this cause. In furrows about one-eighth of a mile long Dr. Loughridge. in his experi- ments at Riverside, California, found that in some parts of the orchard the soil was wet as a result of a recent irri- gation to depths of twenty to feet, while in other parts the moisture had not penetrated beyond the third foot. One of the best ways of finding out whether much water is lost by deep per- colation is to dig cross trenches as deep as the feeding roots go. The moisture which passes the deepest roots in its downward course may be considered as wasted. An example of fairly even and desir- able moisture distribution fmm furrows ltuj>^^L4M is shdvvn in secti(jnb XI and XII
Size: 1924px × 1299px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bo, bookcontributorthelibraryofcongress, booksubjectfruitculture
