SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 335 



savings few berries that would otlicrwisc become over-ripe, was entirely obviated, 

 and a picking once in four or five days would be very large and a rapid gather- 

 ing at tiie least possible outlay, was accomplished. 



4tli. The fruit becoming more mature without losing its firmness, was more 

 luscious, and yet scarcely anything was lost in tlie character which every berry 

 picked for market must have to hold its shape until sold. 



5th. Tiie vigorous vines gave protection to tiie berries from the direct rays 

 of our very hot meridian sun, whicli preserved even those which were over-ripe 

 from so soon losing flavor. 



We were invited to inspect the simple method of irrigation and while 

 walking to the fountain head we had ample opportunity to view the vegetable 

 garden, which we found in a most flourishing condition. The cabbages and 

 tomatoes particularly attracted our attention, because of their forwardness. 



** How's this?" we inquired; ^^your method of irrigation puts back your 

 strawberries but puts ahead your vegetables." 



** Cabbages,'' he replied, '*are advanced, to be sure, because it is leaves we 

 are after, and our method tends to a very rapid growth of foliage. But w4th 

 tomatoes I need to make this further explanation; the fruit develops in size 

 very rapidly, but should we continue to regularly apply our water, the ripening 

 process would be retarded the same as with strawberries ; but as soon as the 

 fruit is of fair size, we withhold the water, and they ripen rapidly. We have 

 found that there is a good deal of study contiected with properly and 

 economically employing irrigation in the garden." So we thought, after 

 witnessing this anomalous state of tilings. 



'* We water," said he, *' only to supplement the rain. If the season is a 

 wet one, we employ our artificial system little or not at all, and in such sea- 

 sons get no profit from our investments; but generally some time during the 

 season we get a drouth that shortens some crop, then we irrigate that crop, 

 and have the advantasre of our neisfhborins: sfardeners." 



The fountain supply from which the water was taken wc found to be a spring 

 "dammed up at a point which was a little higher than most of the garden. 

 The water was conveyed in a wooden conduit made of two-inch plank, ren- 

 dered water-tight by the use of coal-tar. It was, perhaps, eight inches wide 

 and a foot deep. At intervals of about eight feet auger holes were bored near 

 the top of the conductor. The rows of vegetables and vines run at right an- 

 gles to tiie line of tlie conductor, and are so arranged that each alternate space 

 between the rows comes opposite a hole in the conductor. When the water is 

 wanted in any particular locality, a cut-off is made just beyond the opening at 

 this point, and the water being let on at the fountain-head pours out in a nice 

 •stream and follows down the row. The surface of the ground has been carefully 

 graded, so that the progress of a stream of water let on is slow, giving plenty 

 of chance for the water to settle about the roots of the plants. Having once 

 ^•^ecured a place with the natural arrangement of a spring at some point higher 

 than the general surface, this process of irrigation is an inexpensive one. 



The question has often been asked me whether a wind-mill could not be success- 

 fully employed in irrigating fields of strawberries, and, having had no experi- 

 ence, I have ventured the opinion that a wind-mill might be profitably employed 

 for this purpose. But when I saw the amount of water actually used here to 

 irrigate a small garden, I saw that an ordinary wind-mill would be a small 

 affair to accomplish such results. Upon inquiry, I found that Mr. Dunkley 

 had first tried a wind-mill aud found it entirely inadequate to accomplish his 

 purpose. 



