13 



WYMAN BROTHERS, ARLINGTON, MASS, 



This plant has been in operation for twelve to fifteen years. The 

 original cost was about $5,000, bat $2,000 has been spent on it since. 

 The water is pumped from wells by the side of a lake and stored in a 

 cistern with a capacity of 100,000 gallons. The cistern is used only 

 when little water is needed for the greenhouses and ordinary wasli- 

 ing. In irrigation proper the pumps are connected directly with the 

 distribution pipes. One 4-inch main carries the water over the farm, 

 and to this are attached 3-inch laterals. This system is arranged to 

 cover 50 acres, only parts of which are irrigated each year„according to 

 the crops. From the hydrants on the 3-inch laterals 2-inch pipes are 

 laid on the surface, so that with 100 feet of hose, usually 1 inch, every 

 part of the land may be reached. Cabbage, cucumbers, squash, and 

 celery are irrigated by the furrow method, using hoe cultivation, but 

 the lettuce, beets, onions, etc., are sprinkled. The plant is being 

 run to its full capacity. There is one man at the engine, two or three 

 men carrying pipes, and six or seven men using the hose, depending 

 on the method used and the crop, or a total of from nine to twelve 

 men. These irrigate, on the average, from 5 to 6 acres per day, put- 

 ting on an inch of water, as nearly as can be estimated from the 

 capacity of the pumps, which exceeds 10,000 gallons per hour. In 

 dry weather the crops are irrigated every two or three da3^s, or are 

 given 2 or 3 inches per week, according to the crop. It is claimed by 

 this firm that irrigation makes the difference between profit and loss 

 on the market-garden crops that are grown, but there was no definite 

 statement inade as to the profits of the business. 



F. H. COOLEDGE, V^ATERTOW^N, MASS. 



This is one of the largest of the plants described. It is possible to irri- 

 gate 100 acres, if necessary. While a number of small storage tanks 

 of perhaps 11,000 gallons capacity are provided, these are not depended 

 on. The pumps, with a capacity of 4,000 to 6,000 gallons per hour, are 

 placed in driven wells and are connected directly with the distribu- 

 tion pipes, and connection with the cisterns is shut off. Mr. Cooledge 

 aims to have 100 pounds of pressure, as part of his land is hillside. 

 The sprinkling method of irrigation is used exclusively, a perforated 

 nozzle being attached to a 1^-incli hose. The crops irrigated include 

 cabbage, lettuce, squash, radishes, beets, celery, carrots, peas, etc. 

 When irrigating it requires one man at the pump and from eight to ten 

 men at the hose. The water main to carry the water from the pump is 

 4 inches in diameter and is buried, but on the fields 3-inch pipes are 

 laid on the surface of the ground, and are taken up in the fall and 

 put down in the spring. The pipes are laid so that with 100 feet of 

 hose everj^ part of the farm can be reached. He estimates that from 

 eight to twelve men will water eight to ten acres daily, depending on 



