State Agricultural Society. 447 



the ordinary way, and devoted to the ordinary crops. We would urge 

 this consideration, at this time, for the reason that this is the season of 

 the year when farmers should be at work at their gardens, whether they 

 introduce this system of irrigation and drainage or not. 



Fourth — This underground irrigation will, in our opinion, prove one 

 of the most effective and economical means of reclaiming alkali soil or 

 of freeing the soil of a superabundance of this offensive property or 

 ingredient. Water, passing over soil, dissolves the alkali that is on the 

 surface and carries the solution away with it. This is is evident from 

 the fact that in all alkali districts, the low places, where the water ac- 

 cumulates and remains until carried away by evaporation, are strongly 

 impregnated with this material. 



Taking all things into consideration, the underground irrigation for 

 all small plots of land, such as gardens and small orchards, is the cheap- 

 est, as well as the best. 



Pipe, two inch bore, can be had at five cents the running foot, and ono 

 and one fourth inch bore at three cents the running foot. Water will 

 readily soak eight feet each way from the pipe, so that a line of pipe 

 once in sixteen feet through a garden will be a plenty. The cost of 

 thus putting it down is but a trifle compared to the advantages we have 

 shown will accrue. The pipe can be had of 1ST. Clark & Co., of Sacra- 

 mento, or can be made by any other similar manufacturing establish- 

 ment. 



Those who would have good gardens on dry land will do well to try 

 the underground irrigation. 



This system of irrigation and drainage will act to free the ground of 

 the alkali, in both capacities — that is, when used for irrigation, as well 

 as for drainage. In the dry season, the water being introduced below 

 the surface, percolates upward, bringing the alkali in solution to the 

 surface, and the action of the sun and air upon it neutralizes it — or 

 evaporation carries much of it off in the air. In the wet season the 

 water draining from the soil and running away through the pipes carries 

 the alkali with it. Thus with this system of pipes we are at all seasons 

 improving our land and benefiting ourselves. 



