32 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



garden-crops, it should be harrowed and rolled after ploughing, 

 and then ploughed, harrowed, and rolled again. The roller 

 is an indispensable tool in the garden, and is most useful in 

 packing the surface of the soil just enough to prevent exces- 

 sive evaporation in time of drouth. For this purpose it is 

 often made to follow the cultivator in the celery-field in dry- 

 weather. 



Weeds have little chance to be very troublesome in a well- 

 ordered garden. The continual hoeing and ploughing kill 

 the few that come up, and no skilful gardener will suffer 

 them to go to seed on his land ; and the manure is suffered to 

 ferment before being applied to the land in order to destroy 

 the seeds it always contains. The only very troublesome 

 weeds are those which grow and mature their seeds very 

 rapidly, such as purslane, chickweed, and the like. Even 

 these will yield to thorough culture. 



Market-gardens have not as yet been irrigated to any great 

 extent in Massachusetts. Some of the most successful gar- 

 deners of Arlington apply water only to their hot-beds and 

 early cucumbers : a few of them use the large hose, however, 

 in the field to water their early cabbages and lettuce, and 

 late cauliflowers and celery in time of drouth. And there 

 are some who water their strawberry-beds with profit. 



There is good reason to believe that this practice is profit- 

 able and likely to increase : in some seasons the rainfall is 

 sufficient for the growth of vegetation ; but we often get a 

 month or six weeks almost rainless, with hot, drj^ winds, very 

 trying to the succulent vegetation of gardens. When water 

 is applied, it should be put on in sufficient quantity to thor- 

 oughly soak the ground to the depth of the roots ; and, as soon 

 as it has soaked in, the land should be cultivated or hoed. 



Frequent sprinkling of the surface is objectionable : it 

 makes a crust upon the surface, and draws the tender root- 

 lets to the surface, where they are likely to dry up if not con- 

 stantly watered. To water land effectually requires an inch 

 in depth applied every five days, or twenty-seven thousand 

 gallons per acre. To apply this amount of water with an inch 

 and a half hose and a head of forty feet would require about 

 seven hours. If a three-fourths-inch hose were used with the 

 same head, it would require about six times as long to apply 

 the same quantity. Where water may be cheaply had and ap- 



