Artesian Water
Categories: Soils, Fertilizers and IrrigationI have a large tract of adobe soil, a black clay top soil. For about
five months in the year there is not sufficient water on the place. I
have sunk wells in different parts, but with very poor results, the
further we went down the drier and harder the soil got. What little
water we did obtain was unfit for domestic use. Can you give me an idea
as to what might be the result of an artesian well in such soil?
proposition than that. Artesian water comes from gravel strata overlaid
with impervious layers of rock or clay in such a way that water in the
gravel is under pressure because the gravel leads up and away to some
point where water is poured into it by rain falling or snow melting on
mountain or high plateau. As the water cannot get out of this gravel
until you punch a hole in its lid, its effort will be to shoot up to
something less than the elevation at which it gained entrance to this
gravel - as soon as your puncture gives it a chance. Geologists who know
the locality may be able to tell you that you have little or no chance,
but no one can tell you whether you have a good chance or not until he
has tested the matter by boring. The quality of the artesian water is
determined by its distant source and the bad water you have found is
therefore no indication of the quality of what may be below it. No one
should enter an artesian undertaking, except to tap a stratum of known
depth, without a long purse. Probably one in a thousand of the bores
made into the crust of the earth yields as many gallons of artesian
water as gallons of various liquids used in boring it - and yet some of
them are good wells to pump from because they pierce other strata
carrying water, but not under pressure causing it to rise.
More
-
Alfalfa On Adobe
Is adobe land good for alfalfa? Is it harder to start than in other soils or not? How much seed is required to sow an acre? Also state what time alfalfa should be sowed. Alfalfa will thrive on an adobe soil if the moisture is kept right - esp... Alfalfa Over Hardpan
I have land graded for alfalfa and some of the checks are low and water will stand on the low checks in the winter. There is on an average from two to three feet of soil on top of hardpan and hardpan is about two feet thick. Will water drain off... Alfalfa Sowing With Gypsum
I intend sowing alfalfa this fall on land that has some very compact hard spots. I aim to doctor these spots with gypsum at the rate of about 1000 pounds per acre and cultivate the gypsum in thoroughly two or three weeks before sowing the alfalf... Alfilaria And Winter Pasturage
Will alfilaria (Erodium cicutarium) grow well on the hills of Sonoma county partially covered with shrubs? I want something that will be food for stock another year. I have heard of alfilaria and that it grows well without being irrigated. Al... Alkali Gypsum And Shade Trees
Kindly advise how to apply gypsum, and how much, to heavy, sticky soil, the worst sort of adobe and heavily saturated with alkali. We want to plant shade trees. Eucalyptus and peppers succeed fairly well after once started. Gypsum seems to help,... All The Nitrogen From Clover
The Pennsylvania station has shown in a test of thirty years that when good clover is grown in a four-years' rotation of corn, oats, wheat, and clover, the fertility of the naturally good clay loam soil may be maintained, and even slightly increased,... Almond And Peach
With water-table at 18 feet, which root is best for almond trees? The experience around here is that the peach root starts best. Which root is most durable? What is the life of the peach root and of the almond? It is not merely a question of d... Almond Hulls And Sawdust
Is there any fertilizing value in the hulls of almonds? Would pine sawdust from the lumber mills be a good substance to mix in and plow under in a three-acre adobe patch in order to loosen and lighten the soil for truck gardening? Almond hull... Almond Planting
I am contemplating the planting of about five to eight acres of almonds: what variety is best to plant? Before planting so many almonds, you should determine how satisfactory the almond is in bearing in your location. Unless you can find sati... Almond Pollination
My almond trees look healthy but the fruit seems to be diseased. Is it necessary to have male and female trees, and how can one distinguish them? The almond is monoecious and has perfect blossoms, therefore, there is no such thing as male and... Almond Seedlings
I have been told that almond trees raised from seed, no matter what kind of seed planted, will produce bitter almonds. Is this a fact? It is not a fact. The majority will probably be hard-shell, sweet and bitter, but others will be soft-shell,... Alsike Clover
A variety of clover that may have gained more popularity than its merit warrants is alsike clover. It is more nearly perennial than the mammoth. The roots do not go deep into the subsoil like those of the red or the mammoth, and therefore it is better... Amount Of Application
In common practice fertilizers are not applied freely enough when they are used at all. The exception to this rule may be found in the case of small applications to cold and inert soils to force growth in the first few weeks of a plant's life. It is d... Amount Of Manure
Vivian states that the amount of manure that may be made from feed can be determined by multiplying the total weight of dry matter in the feed by 3. This assumes that bedding will be used in sufficient amount to absorb the urine, and that will require... Amount Per Acre
The amount of lime that should be applied to an acre of land depends upon the degree of its acidity, the nature of the soil, the cheapness of the lime, and the character of the crops to be grown. The actual requirement for the moment could be determin... An Abuse Of Grape Pomace
I got in an argument with a neighbor of mine who stated that grape pomace is not a fertilizer. Is it so? My neighbor says that two years ago he had two apricot trees in his yard, and they were fine bearing and healthy trees. After making his win... An Easement In Bloat
What can be done for bloating? It does not seem to be generally known that to put a bridle on a cow or put a stick in her mouth and tie tightly with a string or strap up over her head, so as to keep her jaws working, will relieve bloat. We hav... An Excess Of Nitrogen
Too much nitrogen, due to heavy manuring or other cause, produces an excessive growth of stalk or straw, at the expense of grain production, in the case of corn, wheat, and other cereals. It produces a rank growth of potato vines and partial failure ... An Old Succession Of Crops
In the corn belt of the northern states some time-honored crop-rotations have been formed by corn, oats, wheat, clover, and timothy. The number of years devoted to the grain and to the sod has varied with the soil and the desire of its owner. A common... Analysis Of Manure
As has been stated, the content of the manure must depend chiefly upon the character of the feed. We are accustomed to combine feeding stuffs in differing proportions for horses, cows, pigs, and sheep. Van Slyke names the following approximate percent... Animal Bone
The original source of phosphoric acid as a fertilizer was animal bone, just as hard-wood, unleached ashes were the source of potash. The organic character of the animal bone made it appear more truly a manure than could any rock or other inorganic su... Apple Budding
What is the best time to bud apples? Apples are budded in July and August and remain dormant until the following spring. ... Apple Root-grafts
I have an old apple orchard and would like to have two or three of the best varieties positively identified, so that I can order these kinds from the nursery for next year's planting. Old California apple orchards have many varieties no longer... Apple-leaf Aphis
I am sending herewith a small piece from one of my young apple trees. If you can, will you kindly tell me what the insects are an it, and what I had better do for them? The apple twig which you send is infested with the eggs of the leaf aphis... Apples And Alfalfa
I have recently come across a proposition to sow apple orchards in the interior of southern California with alfalfa. The apples are said to be superior and the crop heavier, to say nothing of a half or two-thirds of an alfalfa crop in addition t... Apples And Cherries For A Hot Place
What kind of apple do you think would do best in a dry, hot climate? What do you think of the Early Richmond cherry in such a place? Apples most likely to succeed in a dry situation are those which ripen their fruit very early. The Red Astrach... Application Of Manure Ashes
Having recently got a lot of manure plentifully supplied with redwood shavings that had been used with the bedding, and being afraid to use the same in that shape, as it takes such a long time for the wood to rot, I reduced the pile to a heap of... Applying Thomas Phosphate
When is the best time to apply Thomas phosphate slag on orchard land? As Thomas phosphate is slowly soluble, it can be applied at any time during the rainy season without danger of loss, and for the same fact, it should be applied early during... Apricot Propagation
Can Royal apricots be grafted into seedling apricots? Do the scions do well? What is the best time to graft them? The apricot is grafted readily by the ordinary cleft grafting, amputating above the forks if the tree is low-headed enough to all... Artesian Water
I have a large tract of adobe soil, a black clay top soil. For about five months in the year there is not sufficient water on the place. I have sunk wells in different parts, but with very poor results, the further we went down the drier and har... Artichoke Growing
Is the Globe artichoke a profitable crop to raise commercially? Near Pescadero a company has been formed to raise it for Eastern shipment. Is it a very profitable crop to raise? Are certain varieties worthless? Considerable quantities of Globe... As A Catch Crop
A leading use of the cowpea is that of a catch crop, either between other crops or in a growing crop, such as corn. Early maturing varieties can be brought in between main crops of the rotation in warm latitudes. The growth prevents the leaching of pl... As To Use Of The Land You Lose Time By Growing The Seedlings In Place
The peach does well on the almond root if soil conditions favor the almond. Perhaps it gives longer life to the peach, but the profitable life of the peach tree in a proper soil does not depend on the root; it depends upon the treatment of the top in ... Ashes
Hard-wood ashes have ceased to have much importance as a source of lime for land, but their use is held in high esteem even by those who regard fertilizers as mere stimulants and doubt the efficiency of lime. Hard-wood ashes, unleached, clean and dry,... Ashes And Poultry Manure
It is said that ashes mixed with chicken manure is not good. I use ashes altogether on the drop boards because I can keep the boards cleaner. The refuse is then scattered around the fruit trees. Wood ashes and lime should never be used as you ... Asparagus Growing
What is the average commercial yield of asparagus to the acre in California? Also, how long it takes asparagus to come into full bearing, and what yield could be expected after two years' growth? Is asparagus resistant to moderate quantities of ... August
... Avoiding Crotches In Fruit Trees
How can I avoid bad crotches in fruit trees? Crotches, which means branches of equal or nearly equal size, emerging from a point at a very acute angle, should be prevented by cutting out one or both of them. The branching of a lateral at a lar... B Wintringham
... Bad Conditions For Potatoes
Our potatoes were planted early and were frosted several times while young. As we come to harvest them we find them with very large green tops but the potatoes are about the size of a hen's egg and from that they run down to the size of a pea. T... Bad Food For Chickens
My chicks are about three weeks old and have always been strong and sturdy, but when taken sick first appear a little dumpish, then the head seems a little heavy and the neck lengthens out. As the disease advances they become staggery. ... Bad-tempered Jerseys
Jersey bulls are apt to become vicious after a time; is it so to the same extent with bulls of the other named breeds? The Jersey bull is conceded to be crosser and more dangerous than other bulls, but no bull should ever be allowed to have a ... Balanced Rations
What is a balanced ration for milk cows and brood sows? When plenty of alfalfa is available many dairymen feed that alone. It is better to feed a little corn, grain hay, beet pulp or the beets themselves to balance up the ration. Some of the b... Bananas In California
Is there any reason why bananas would not grow and bear in the vicinity of Merced if they had plenty of water? Or would the cool nights at certain seasons keep them from bearing? Would they do better in the Imperial valley? Bananas would suff... Barley And Alfalfa
I have some alfalfa which is a poor stand. Can I disc it up heavily and seed in some barley for winter pasture? You can get barley into your alfalfa as you propose, but you should not seed until fall. The more barley you get into your alfalfa,... Barley For Hay Feeding
Should the barley for hog feeding be rolled, ground or fed whole, dry or wet? Also, how much should be fed and how often to get best results? To obtain the best results, the barley should be ground into a meal (not too fine) and have the hulls... Barley On Moist Land
What would you do with land subject to overflow by the Sacramento when that river rises 20 feet, and which you wanted to plant to barley this season? Would you take a chance on the river rising that high this year, or wait until after that dange... Barnyard Manure And Alkali
In spots my land is hard and has some black alkali. Will barnyard manure help the hard land if cultivated in? Use stable manure because that would not only furnish nitrogen, if your plants need any more, but it would add coarse material and ul... Barren Heifers
I have three heifers, 3 years old, which have run with the bull right along and have failed with calf; have had three different bulls to them; what can be done? There is a possibility of contagious abortion causing these heifers to fail to br... Bartletts Solidly Without Reference To Preparation For Pollination
Taking the matter the other way around, the Bartlett will do for pollination of the Comice probably, if that should be necessary. ... Basic Slag
When iron ores contain much phosphorus, its extraction by use of lime gives a by-product in the making of steel that has agricultural value. The ores of the United States usually do not give a slag sufficiently rich in phosphorus to be valuable. Nearl... Bean Growing
I want to plant beans of different varieties. The land is rich, black loam with a little sand. When is the best time to plant? If planted early, what shall we do to keep the weevils out of them? It is desirable to plant beans as early as you c... Bean Growing
We have a small field of beans, and would like to know which is the best and most profitable way to crop them. Cultivate the beans so that the plants may have plenty of moisture to fill the pods, then let them dry and die. Gather the dry plant... Bean Weevil
How can I keep certain insects from getting into my dry beans? I have finished picking the crop. Every year a little, short, stubby beetle gets in them before spring and makes them unfit for use. You have to do with the bean weevil. The eggs a... Beans As Nitrogen Gatherers
I grow string beans in my rotation to restore nitrogen, but I see it stated that not all beans are valuable for this purpose. Are the common bush varieties nitrogen gatherers? Probably they are all doing it in various degrees. Pull up or dig u... Beans On Irrigated Mesas
Would white and pink beans do well on the red orange land at Palermo with plenty of water? I have in mind hill land, the hills being very red and running into a dark soil in the lower part. How many beans could I get per acre? Probably nothin... Bees And Pear Blight
A few years ago, I planted alfalfa between my pear trees and the trees bore a very heavy crop that year. Then blight made its appearance, and it was claimed that the bees carried the blight. I therefore plowed under the alfalfa and destroyed wha... Beets And Potatoes
Which is the best for dairy cows, plain red mangels or a cross between these and sugar beets? Can you suggest a more profitable variety of potato than the Oregon Burbank? If you can get a cross which gives you more tonnage than a mangel and a ...