VARIOUS NATIONAL SOCIETIES. 135 



applied at the rate of 100 to 150 bushels per acre. To show their value for 

 this purpose, he mentioned that a large part of his potato field was one year 

 heavily manured with barn-yard manure; to the rest of the field ashes were 

 applied. During the severe drouths that followed, the vines upon the manured 

 part of the field laid down and died, while upon the part having ashes he 

 secured a fair crop. The next step is thorough cultivation, the loosened and 

 pulverized soil acting as a mulch. 



The drouth this season has been unprecedented in Wisconsin, yet by follow- 

 ing these plans, Mr. Smith had marketed 1,000 bushels of strawberries from 

 three and a half acres of ground, the sales reaching $2,216. He also has 

 80,000 cabbages that are in fine condition, as the result of heavy manuring and 

 almost constant cultivation; while his neighbors, who have neglected these 

 things, have almost nothing. If compelled to say which he would give up — 

 under-draining, heavy manuring, or thorough cultivation — he would be at a 

 loss which to drop. Were the soil light and sandy, he probably would drop 

 under-draining. 



He had tried irrigation; had water-works that cost him $1,000. It was costly. 

 A large amount of water must be applied, or there is more harm than good as 

 the result. The application of a little water forms a crust upon the surface; 

 then, when it does rain, the water runs away, or is evaporated. If the soil is 

 light and porous and recently cultivated, it is surprising to see how much good 

 even a sprinkle of rain will do; it soaks down to the right spot. It requires 

 an enormous amount of water to saturate the soil to a depth of six inches, 

 while the application of water in the shape of rain is much more beneficial 

 than when applied artificially. 



Mr. N. Ohmer, Ohio, emphasized the importance of cultivating in drouth. 

 Several years ago they had it very dry, two months without rain. Had four 

 acres of Kittatinny blackberries ripening and continued to cultivate them while 

 picking. Had 562 bushels on the four acres, which sold for $3,000. 



The valuable paper of Mr. Smith called out many questions which he 

 answered about as follows: He commenced underdrainiug twenty-five years 

 ago. If he was to omit any one of his remedies for drouth, did not know 

 which it would be. His father laid the first underdrain in the United States. 

 He uses for lateral drains two and one-half inoh tiles ; puts them three feet 

 deep, a dozen emptying into a six inch main. In draining orchards should lay 

 the drains half way between rows of trees and they would not become clogged ; 

 he expended about $15 per acre on his land, $10 for the tile, and $5 for laying 

 them. Whereupon Mr. Harrison of Ohio arose in great surprise and observed 

 that his tiling cost him never less than $45 per acre. A few words of explana- 

 tion showed that the latter gentleman paid more for his tile, laid them closer 

 together and deeper in the ground and used larger tile. 



Mr. Matthew Crawford, Ohio, referred to the fact that it cost about as much 

 to dig the last foot of a three and a half foot ditch as all above, as an explana- 

 tion of the difference in cost of draining by Mr. Smith and Mr. Harrison. 



Mr. Albaugh, Ohio, and Mr. Harrison both declared that in the future they 

 would lay nothing less than three inch tile. Frank Ford, Ohio, said small tile 

 will not fill up with silt as soon as large; the water is concentrated and flushes 

 out the silt. Would lay tile not less than three feet deep, and four feet would 

 be better. Has had experience showing favorable effects of ashes in drouth. 

 Mr. Harrison thought the flushing all theory, and would warn against trusting 



