FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 335 



pails, putting on from a barrel to a barrel and a half to each tree on the surface of 

 the ground every other day. This proved to be of little benefit as the water would 

 dry up before it reached the roots of the tree, and would only revive the tree and 

 fruit during the night. In the day time the trees would again look withered. 



My second plan was to dig three or four large holes down to the roots, say from 

 three to five feet from the tree, according to its size, and then apply the same 

 amount of water as before in these holes, and when soaked away, covered the surface 

 a little with dry dirt and stop evaporation of the moisture. This latter mode with 

 the same amount of water, or even less, proved to give good results, and was a pay- 

 ing business, so much so that the trees and fruit would revive, commence to grow, 

 and mature the fruit for one week without applying water after giving them several 

 good applications. In irrigating and applying water to small fruit I would prefer 

 and have practiced mulching, either along the rows and hills with some close mate- 

 rial which will pack close to the ground in order to retain the moisture on the sur- 

 face of the soil. In raspberries I have done this, applying through the mulch and 

 cultivating between the rows. If no mulch is used I would draw a small furrow near 

 the roots of strawberries and raspberries and apply the water in a continuous stream 

 along the plants, and if water is not used daily, it would be best to dust a little dry 

 earth on top of the soil in order to stop too much evaporation before applying again. 

 With me there is not a particle of question but what irrigation will pay in certain 

 locations and on small fruits, provided water can be obtained at a small cost. The 

 principal point in irrigation is to have a good supply of water in the first place, 

 and not at great cost, and to so place the water near the roots of the plants and trees 

 that they may receive the full benefit before it evaporates. 



FARMING IN SCOTLAND. 



ALFRED R. LOCKE, BELDING, AT IONIA COUNTY INSTITUTE. 



Their methods of agriculture are rude in many instances as compared with ours. 

 They depend greatly upon hand labor. Instead of wagons for the handling of pro- 

 duce, they use carts drawn by one horse, and while in many instances they are con- 

 venient, yet when one sees both cart and horse nearly concealed by a load of hay or 

 grain, the advantages of our wagons are conspicuous. Their field plows are small, 

 turning a narrow furrow, and the soil is turned only to the depth of four or five 

 inches. This on many farms is, necessary as the rock comes within a few inches 

 of the surface. Very few use improved harrows and cultivators, and fewer still har- 

 vesters and binders. Field work is done by both women and men, and it is a very 

 common sight to see women taking up their beat after the sickle or the reaper, or 

 using the hoe and the harrow tilling the soil. It is also the duty of the housewife and 

 the girls of the family to look after the cows and attend to the milking. In all the 

 departments of farm work we find neatness and dispatch. The housewife is neat, 

 and although her duties are divided between the farm stables and the house, there is 

 no negligence in her work. Her butter is the finest, her cheese is the best of any 

 produced. Scotland butter sells in the market at from four to six cents per pound 

 more than any other make. The pains that are taken in the manufacture of cheeses 

 always brings for them an extra price over those foreign made. 



THE COMING WOMAN. 



MRS. WM. MASON, KENOCKEE, AT ST. CLAIR COUNTY INSTITUTE. 



I believe husbands will rebel against the following suggestions which I make 

 to you: Whenever you spend in a foolish or unwise manner ten cents or more just 

 drop into a purse for your wife the same amount. The aggregate in one year would 

 give her a nice sum that would bring forth its fruit in her purchasing something 

 with which to embellish the home, besides saving her the great annoyance of being 

 obliged to ask for every penny she needs, and perhaps listening to the reply: "What 

 did you do with the 50 cents I gave you last week?" 



