PROCEEDINGS OF THE SUMMER MEETING. 65 



crops will stand this outlay, it is certainly a good investment upon many 

 grown by the horticulturist, as will be seen from the fact that a crop worth 

 one hundred dollars if irrigated, is only half as valuable without it, which 

 gives a net profit of one hundred per cent. 



Many cases can be cited where crops that would not have been worth 

 one hundred dollars per acre, if they returned the cost of harvesting and 

 marketing, without water, were worth from three to four hundred dollars 

 when given two or three irrigations. 



Where failures have been met with, it has been generally the case that 

 too much has been attempted for the amount of water at hand. Good 

 results can not be expected without a supply sufficient to wet down to the 

 roots at least orce in ten days in a dry season, and if this is done there 

 •can be no question as to the results. 



Mr. Monroe called out Mr. M. B. Williams of Kalamazoo, who had 

 been making some experiments in the way of irrigation of his fruit farm 

 near Douglas. 



Mr. Williams: We decided this season to see what could be done in 

 the way of watering a portion of our ground, but did not get our plans 

 into operation soon enough to secure very decided results. We only began 

 three weeks ago, too late to save corn, but it helped some with the straw- 

 berries. We started with the idea of using a wind-mill to pump the water 

 from a brook to the requisite hight, the top of a ridge, whence the flow of 

 water would be toward the river, but we found that the mill had not power 

 enough to elevate water for any but small tracts. So we got a ten-horse- 

 power engine and have placed a four-inch pipe along the ridge. We have 

 intended to tap this with other pipes, but have found that the water will 

 run far enough in open trenches. The supply from the stream was found 

 to be inadequate also, and next season we shall pump from the river. 

 From a four-inch pipe the water will run in a quite respectable brook. 

 Whether one dollar expended in irrigation can be made to return more 

 than ninety cents of increased yield is something we are not yet able to 

 decide. Prof. Taft's figures correspond closely with our own, as to cost 

 of plant and operative expenses. One difficulty, that of carrying water 

 over undulations, we have not yet solved. The stream can be banked up 

 and carried over slight depressions, or may be led around the little eleva- 

 tions. If I were to select land for irrigation, I would choose that which 

 is level, for the head of water will carry it some distance; at least, a very 

 slight descent is sufficient. It would be difficult to make use of storage 

 tanks but reservoirs may be used if not too expensive. Generally, water 

 enough can be obtained from tubular wells, for the supply is practically 

 without limit, but it would probably be too expensive. In our present 

 experiment we have to elevate about forty feet, and can supply enough 

 water for twenty acres. 



