STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 285 



above. Other'parallel ditches connected by transverse ditches were constructed to 

 tlie bottom of the slope intended to be cultivated. The earth wa.s then thoroughly 

 cultivated over and between and nearly as deep as the top of the ditches. The 

 grounds thus prepared by Mr. Cole for his first experiment were two acres in 

 extent, which was planted mostly to strawberries. The results appear to have 

 been so remarkable as to challenge the credulity of those who had not made per- 

 sonal examination. A visitor who inspected carefully Mr. Cole's place on the 7th 

 of July last, writes concerning these strawberry plants, which were planted in Oct. 

 1884. "I never saw anything like it. There was a full crop of most remarkable 

 berries, remarkable in size, color and quality, the yield was certainly very large; 

 one plant of older setting, had enough berries I thought to fill my hat, if all ripe 

 and green had been picked at one time; and there was no core, no stem, they were 

 tender and juicy all the way through — not good berries to transport a long distance 

 to market, and the foliage was wonderful. I measured one leaf that was five and a 

 half inches across. An apple tree standing in this improved land reported as 

 worthless, its fruit gnarled and valueless, before the land was trenched, is now bearing 

 largely and its fruit of fine quality." Another visitor reported the results were 

 astonishing both as to the size of the fruit and the quantity produced. It is no 

 exaggeration to say that more strawberries per acre in bushels can be grown by Mr. 

 Cole's new agriculture than the old agriculture can produce of potatoes under the 

 most favorable circumstances. Another advantage claimed by Mr. Cole for his 

 method is that in the locality in which he resides, it furnishes a constant supply and 

 flow of pure spring water from the lowest trench, and that in the coldest weather 

 the surface of the soil only is frozen, that frost will not be able to penetrate to any 

 depth beyond a few inches, because of the constant flow of spring water. 



In calling the attention of this Society to this New Agriculture of Mr. Cole, I 

 prefer to state the bare facts and leave to each one such application or inferences as 

 may seem proper. That it is a new departure well worthy of careful examination and 

 experiment is certain. It also occurs to me that a statement of another method of 

 irrigation, which I saw in use in California orchards in 1883 might prove of interest, 

 possibly of value, to some of the younger and more enterprising members who desire 

 to experiment in this direction. And it is my opinion that by the profuse use of 

 water in our gardens and orchards we can very largely increase the profits of our lands 

 and labors. 



IKRIGATION IN CALIFORNIA. 



An enterprising California fruit grower laid pipes made of cement and sandjunder- 

 ground through his entire garden and orchard grounds, which were between Sac- 

 ramento and San Francisco, where the rainfall is usually sufiicient to secure a good 

 crop of fruit. By means of these pipes he was able to keep the trees supplied with 

 any amount of moisture desirable; by drawing a plug he could water any four trees 

 in any part of his orchard. The pipes being porous, leaked the water slowly when 

 kept full and thus kept a constant equable supply ever present to the whole area in 

 which the pipes were laid. The quantity of his fruits was largely increased and the 

 appearance and quality improved, and he was able to command higher prices for 

 his product than other growers. This success led to the introduction of the system 

 in the more arid parts of California, and the finest orchard of oranges, lemons, limes 

 and olives I saw anywhere on the west coast, was near the southern limit of the 



