HOFWYL. IRRIGATION. 573 



better deserved public esteem and confidence. It does not come 

 within my province to speak of it in this place as a literary insti 

 tution ; but as a farm it may be considered as a model well worth 

 studying. I have already spoken of the cows at this place, of 

 which there were sixty, the superiors to which, in condition and 

 produce, have not come within my view. 



The most remarkable improvement which I witnessed in this 

 place was in irrigation. The land irrigated was in the shape of a 

 bowl or basin, of which one side was wanting. The water, after 

 turning a flour mill, was brought a considerable distance in a race 

 way on a bank, and then was carried round through successive 

 rivulets formed round the sides of this semicircle or amphitheatre, 

 watering the intervals between these gutters or trenches, and 

 afterwards spreading itself over an extensive piece of flat land : 

 thus, at pleasure, watering one hundred and fifty acres of land. 

 Nothing which I have seen could be better managed ; and the 

 success of the improvement has been a valuable compensation 

 for any expense which has been incurred. The land is kept 

 continually in grass, and the water is let on several times in a 

 season. It was deemed inexpedient to keep the water on more 

 than half a day at a time. 



I shall find no more suitable place than this to mention the 

 irrigation in the neighborhood of Milan. This is a level and 

 most fertile country. A good deal of rice is cultivated in its 

 neighborhood. The fields have their trenches, and cross ditches, 

 and embankments made with great care. The water is brought 

 from a neighboring lake, and these fields are irrigated at pleasure. 

 Where there are facilities for it, or where even they can be 

 formed within any reasonable expense, there are no more suc 

 cessful improvements than irrigation. Even simple pure water is 

 of great fertilizing power ; still more when it brings with it the 

 washings of cultivated fields, or other enriching matters, which 

 it may collect in its course. A diversity of opinion prevails as 

 to the length of time during which water may be allowed to 

 remain on the land. The passage of the water over the land is 

 preferred to having it remain stagnant ; and an irrigation of a 

 few hours duration is generally considered more eligible than a 



longer continuance. 



The farm at Hofwyl presents all the improvements which 

 modern art and skill could bring to it, with the most improved 



