Too Little Water After Dynamiting.
In planting almonds on a dry hard soil I dynamited the holes and ran
about 200 gallons of water into each hole before planting. About 95 per
cent of the trees started growth, but seem now to be in a somewhat
dormant state, the leaves of some being slightly wilted. All the trees
were watered since planting. I have been told I made a mistake by
throwing water in the dynamited holes. When the holes were watered the
ground was very dry and the water disappeared in a few minutes.
You have used too little water rather than too much. Dry soil of fine
texture can suck up an awful lot of moisture, which can be drawn off so
far, or so widely distributed, that there will not be enough for the
immediate vicinity of the roots. The dynamiting tended to deep drying
and necessitated much more irrigation.
Irrigating Young Trees.
We have just put out 50 acres to walnuts. The party who put them out
wants me to have some boxes or troughs made 15 inches long with a 3-inch
opening, and put in on the slant so as to have the water hit the roots.
Many such arrangements of boxes, perforated cans, pieces of tile, etc.,
have been proposed during the last fifty years in California for
accomplishing the purposes which are mentioned in your letter, and all
such devices have been abandoned as undesirable. They may bring the
water to bear upon a lower level as intended, but the free access of air
and the fact that, with their use, proper stirring of the soil is
neglected renders them undesirable.
Pages:
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342