202 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the stools were scattered; in June it commenced to shrivel, the leaves 

 curled, and there was a poor prospect for a crop. . 



On the 12th of June water was turned on that plot, covering one half 

 of it at the rate of 1,000 barrels to the acre. That was all the water we 

 gave it, except at one corner, which we watered afterward at two differ- 

 ent times. Within ten hours after irrigating, the grass looked entirely 

 different. It was green and growing again. The trial went on, and at 

 the time of harvest the result was remarkable. We found that with- 

 out water we had a head, or perhaps two heads, to a stool; using water 

 once, we had a dozen fair stalks to a stool, and with water three times, 

 there were still more, and they were far larger. 



The measurements were as follows: Irrigating three times, the stalks 

 averaged 3 ft. 9 in. high, and the best were 4 ft. 3 in. The heads of the 

 best were five inches long, and on the average they were 2^ to 3 inches 

 The yield was at the rate of 5,360 pounds to the acre. Where the land was 

 watered once, the yield was 2,230 pounds, while without water the best 

 heads we could find were only li inches long, and the hay weighed 800 

 pounds to the acre. 



Although we did not apply water until nearly the middle of June, we 

 had over six times the yield, by the use of water three times, and a gain of 

 nearly three fourths of a ton by the use of water once. It took no time 

 to apply the water, as it was allowed to run without attention, and as we 

 used the boiler-house pump, where the steam was always up, there was 

 no expense for pumping the water in our case. Of course, each one 

 would have to figure up for himself how iiuch it would cost to pump the 

 water, but usually from three to five cents will pay for pumping 1,000 

 gallons, under the average conditions, using steam, and at that rate a 

 gain of two and one fourth tons of hay would be secured at an expense 

 of 14.80, when three waterings were given, and of three fourths of a 

 ton, at a cost of |1.60, for one applicatioH. 



For distributing the water the hydrants were so arranged that an 

 ordinary fire hose could be attached if desired, but in most instances it 

 was found desirable to distribute it in small streams, as the water, com- 

 ing from a 2^-inch pipe, with a heavy pressure, would wash the soil. 

 Therefore it was turned into a series of troughs which had a two-inch 

 hole every three and a half feet along one side, and back of these were 

 placed gates made of zinc or galvanized iron, that could be opened at 

 pleasure. The troughs were sixteen feet long, and three were used in a 

 series. 



We used, in making the furrows, a small hand garden plow, and it 

 did better work than the cultivator. The man would prepare furrows in 

 fifteen rows, turn the water on, and if it was acting all right would go 

 off and make fifteen more and then move the troughs. We could run 

 the water in these furrows half across the garden, or nearly four hundred 

 feet, and it would take perhaps a half hour to soak that length, and the 

 fifteen openings, covering a space three rods wide, would make one third 

 of an acre to which we were applying water. 



The pipes are arranged so that two men can apply water to different 

 sections at the same time; each can move his troughs, apply the water, 

 and cover two acres per day. The next day he would throw the soil 

 back, and within forty-eight hours, or before that, if dry enough, he 



