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Wickson, Edward J. (Edward James), 1848-1923

"One Thousand Questions in California Agriculture Answered"



Depth of Ground-Water.

Is there probable harm from water standing 12 feet from the surface in
an orchard? Also probable age of trees before any effect of said water
would be felt by them? The soil is almost entirely chocolate dry bog. -
W. E. Wahtoke.
Water at twelve feet from the surface is desirable, and water at that
point will be indefinitely desirable for the growing of fruit trees. Of
course, conditions would change rapidly as standing water might approach
more nearly to the surface, a condition which has to be carefully
guarded against in irrigation. But it can come nearer than twelve feet
without danger.

Summer Fallow and Summer Cropping.

I own some hill land which has been run down by continuous hay cropping.
I am told that a portion must be summer-fallowed each year, but I wish
to grow some summer crop on this fallow ground that will both enrich the
soil and at the same time furnish good milk-producing feed for cows -
thoroughly cultivating it between the rows. What crop would be best? I
am told the common Kaffir or Egyptian corn are both soil enriching and
milk producing.
If you grow a summer crop on the summer-fallowed upland, you lose the
chief advantage of summer fallowing, which is the storing of moisture
for the following year's crop. A cultivated crop would waste less
moisture than a broadcast crop, surely, but on uplands without
irrigation it would take out all the moisture available and not act in
the line of a summer fallow.


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