Discussion on Irrigation. 113 



also quite interested last night in the matter of the irrigation of 

 strawberries. It is a subject of particular importance as regards 

 strawberries. They are composed of about ninety per cent, of 

 water, and if not watered in the proper season they become soft and 

 deteriorate. 



Mr. Smith, of AVisconsin — It is about twenty years since I com- 

 menced irrigating in a small way. I described the machinery last 

 night — a tank filled by a wind engine supplied from Lake Michigan, 

 the rubber hose ibeing in sections of fifty feet. The ground being 

 dry. the watering should be done as often as twice a week. The 

 cost of preparing for this irrigation was about $1,000, to keep 

 thirteen acres of berries in good condition. It has been the gen- 

 eral opinion that watering in the hot sun in the early part of the 

 day is not beneficial. The only diiference I have found is, that it 

 takes probably fifty per cent, more water on account of evaporation. 

 My rule is, for this reason, to water at night. 



Mr. Hale, of Connecticut — Do you know how much this in- 

 oreased your crop? 



Mr. Smith — No; but it has on some occasions made the difference 

 between no crop at all and a very good crop. 



Dr. Hape, of Georgia — Do you water with a hose, or sprinkle it ? 



Mr. Smith — I sprinkle it. My soil is a light, sandy loam, and 

 never bakes under any circumstances. My experience has been 

 that I have never put on enough water, and if I had used a suffi- 

 cient quantity the berries would have been much larger and finer. 

 It might be possible, of course, to put on too much water. 



Prof. Gulley, of Mississippi — I have had something to do with 

 the garden department. We had a windmill which did not furnish 

 sufficient water for an acre of ground. At the same time we suc- 

 ceeded by steam-power in watering four or five acres per day. I 

 don't believe it is possible to water with a windmill on any large 

 area of ground. 



Mr. Pefer, of Wisconsin — Mr. Smith's garden is located, per- 

 haps, very little above the source of water supply. He says his 

 land is better than sand. I don't consider it so. 



Mr. Hale, of Connecticut — A gentleman in the eastern part of 

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