UNDERDRAINING THE ORCHARD. 



for pumping water into strawberries, and 

 so securing the greatest size and yield. 

 It contains 12 plants each of all leading 

 varieties. Each plant is allowed 2^ 

 square feet of land. Six of the largest 

 and most productive varieties yielded 

 an average of a little more than one 

 quart to the plant, 18,360 quarts per 

 acre. The average for the whole bed, 

 including many shy fruiting varieties, 

 was 4 of a quart per plant, or 13,115 

 quarts per acre, 400 per cent, increase 

 over 3,200 quarts,, the average yield in 

 the State. These berries were so puffed 

 up in size and beauty by extra condi- 

 tions that their selling price was 50 per 

 cent, about average market prices. 



If with water you can float 400 per 

 cent, increased yield into market and 

 soak the price up 50 per cent, more, 

 does that not show profit enough to 

 keep alf soil pumps well oiled and leave 

 a good' margin for outside fun? Three 



hundred and forty of my big Japan 

 plums, 82 per cent, water and 18 parts 

 solid, made a bushel that sold at $4.80, 

 while 720 of same varieties 26 parts solid 

 and only 74 of water, made a bushel 

 that sold the same day in the same 

 market at $2.56, or over $1.00 per bar- 

 rel for the extra percentage of water in 

 the larger plums. Open up the water- 

 courses of the soil, and be ready for the 

 flood tide of prosperity ; it is of no use 

 to dam it with " I can't :" 



My big peaches — 100 to the bushel — 

 92 parts water to 8 parts solid, solid at 

 $5 ; the same variety, 400 tQ the bushel, 

 were 84 parts water, r6 of solids, and 

 sold at 70 cents per bushel — $4.60 for 

 the water and 40 cents for the solids in 

 the large fruit, and 58,7 cents for the 

 water and 11.3 cents for the solids in 

 the small ones, or $5.64 per gallon for 

 extra water. 



UNDERDRAINING THE ORCHARD. 



7 OCATE drains midway between the 

 rows of trees. The depth of the 

 ,±ri drains should be from four to five 

 feet, not less than four and as much 

 deeper as the outlet and convenience 

 will allow. The tile should be two or 

 three sizes larger than would be neces- 

 sary to use in ordinary land draining, to 

 give aeration to the soil, and not be 

 liable to obstructions from small roots. 

 If the drains midway between the rows 

 and as much as four feet and laid with 

 five or six-inch tile, the roots of the trees 

 will not likely reach the drains in suffic- 

 ient numbers to seriously affect the 

 drainage. The deeper the drains the 



deeper the roots will penetrate the sub- 

 soil. If the drains were eight feet deep 

 the earth midway between the drains 

 and directly under the rows of trees 

 would be affected as deep as seven feet 

 in a few years' time, and the roots of 

 the trees will penetrate as deep as the 

 subsoil is drained within a reasonable 

 limit, say ten feet, possibly more. Trees 

 so deeply rooted are the better secured 

 against injury from the extremes of the 

 weather. With the sufficient under 

 drainage of a fertile, retentive clay soil, 

 the intelligent orchardist with persistent 

 energy is master of the business. — 

 Orange Judd Farmer. 



215 



