216 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the other Early Mastodon, a kind having exceedingly large ears, origi- 

 nating in Yates county, New York. During the last week in August, Mr. 

 Lonsbury brought to my office stalks of the latter, which were only a fair 

 sample of the whole, which were then eleven feet high, and the "Pony"' 

 kind was not much shorter. Every stalk in the field, practically, had 

 a well-developed ear upon it, many having two. Planting was done May 

 15, and on the 12th of August the kernels were so far matured as to show 

 their dents. 



The field was irrigated by two methods, part of it by running the water 

 over the surface, between the rows, the other by simply stopping the ditch 

 (a flowing brook) and letting the water soak out through the soil. There 

 seems to be no difference in result between the two treatments. Five 

 applications of the water were made, the first June 17, the others at 

 intervals of about two weeks. Cultivation followed as soon as possible 

 after the first three waterings, but after that the pumpkin vines pre- 

 vented. Another portion of the irrigated land was in cabbages and pota- 

 toes, both of which crops grew wonderfully. The corn was planted only 

 three feet apart between hills, Mr. Lonsbury thinking that sufficient in 

 view of the advantage of irrigation. The soil is a dark loam, not mucky. 



In the autumn, Mr. Lonsbury brought me samples of the crops. The 

 pumpkins, to begin with, were of the common variety, but of most uncom- 

 mon size. The cabbages were Burpee's All-Head Early, and produced 

 many heads ten to fifteen pounds in weight, although it is not a large- 

 growing sort. I have not learned as to the yield of potatoes, but it was 

 very large and the tubers were in fine condition and quality. At the 

 time of bringing the samples, Mr. Lonsbury had not husked the Early 

 Mastodon corn, but the Pony kind had been found to yield at the rate of 

 160 bushels of ears per acre. The result was on the whole so satisfactory 

 as to convince Mr. Lonsbury of the practical utility of irrigation, in his 

 case, at least. He will next season convey the water to his field of straw- 

 berries, and use it if necessary. 



The second experiment was made by Messrs. George E. and Perry P. 

 Weed of Saugatuck township. Adjoining their peach orchards is a brook, 

 and a small one, too, it seems to be for the accomplishment of so much 

 good as it is capable of doing. A dam makes a pond, and from this the 

 water is taken by means of a hot-air compression engine of a few horse- 

 power. Water is taken along the highest land in the orchards by means 

 of 3,800 feet of two-inch pipe. At distances of eighty feet ar? plugs for 

 use of hose and troughs. By use of these they practice the basin system 

 of irrigation, the same as that of Mr. Stearns of South Haven. The earth 

 is scraped back from the tree several feet and about ten barrels of water 

 applied to each tree, the earth being replaced so soon as the water dis- 

 appeared. This was done each two or three weeks, and this is deemed 

 sufficient for such a dry season as that of 1895, although the watering 

 should have begun earlier and therefore been applied once or twice more 

 in the fore part of the season. It was not applied till the middle of 

 June, by which time the very light soil had become exceedingly dry. 

 This equipment is sufficient for ten to twenty acres of orchard, but in the 

 case of these gentlemen it can be extended simply by use of more pipe. 



They applied the water to their strawberries, using hose and practic- 

 ing surface irrigation. Two pickings had been made before application of 

 the water, and the fruit had grown small in the heat and dryness, but 



