THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



133 



try. not counting the human variety, and 

 they are worth $106,272,770, an average 

 of $4. 10 per head. Iowa is the banner 

 hog state, with 3.737,970, and an average 

 value of $5.67. Missouri is second with 

 3,074,429, and Texas is third, with 2,944,- 

 063. The state with the least number of 

 hogs in it is Nevada, with 11,126, an aver- 

 age of one hog to every four persons in 

 the state. New York has 632,524 hogs of 

 an average value of $6.61. The highest 

 priced hog is found in Connecticut, where 

 his average value is $9.29 and the state 

 carries in stock 53,737 head of this elegant 

 specimen. The Connecticut hog owes his 

 value to his diet of wooden nutmegs. 

 Ohio is well to the front with 2,284,662, 

 and Rhode Island bristles all over with 

 14,280, of an average value of $7. Illin- 

 ois, in which state Chicago is located, has 

 2,240,401. The lowest priced hog is a na- 

 tive of Florida, and his average is but 

 $2.02. He is the famous razor back, and 

 he can root up the fifth row of corn 

 through the cracks in the fence. Ex. 



HOW TO IRRIGATE A GARDEN. 



"After many seasons of experimenting 

 I am convinced that the single furrow 

 system is the best r-nd most perfect plan 

 for irrigating the garden," says Joel Shoe- 

 maker. "The seed must have moisture 

 at the proper time to thoroughly germin- 

 ate and there is but one way to supply 

 this demand, by conducting the water to 

 the proper place. I have tried beds and 

 squares with the water flowing over, 

 around and under by seepage and the 

 seeds require from one week to three 

 months to germinate. In some of my 

 beds having irrigating furrows on either 

 side with seed filling the space of two feet 

 between many plants have seeded while 

 other vegetables were just coming above 

 ground. 



The most successful plan I have adopt- 

 ed is to mark out the furrows with a hand 

 plow, about twelve inches apart, and 

 plant with the seeder on the ridges be- 

 tween the ditches. If the water is seen 



through the furrows before using the seed- 

 er the plants will come quicker and more 

 uniform and the machine will not fill the 

 marks for irrigation. When the plants 

 are large enough to be irrigated the water 

 courses along on either side at the roots 

 where moisture is needed and a uniform 

 growth is obtained. The furrows should 

 not have any obstructions such as clods or 

 weeds to prevent the water from passing 

 through as quickly as possible. If the 

 soil is loose and in good condition no 

 ditch should have water in it more than 

 one hour at a time, or the plants will suffer 

 from over irrigation. 



Cultivation is of course necessary after 

 each irrigation atid should be given as 

 soon as the surface is dry enough to stir. 

 The best results from plowing are ob- 

 tained immediately following the applica- 

 tion of water instead of just before as is 

 generally supposed. I use the cultivator 

 teeth freely on small plants and the plows 

 when vegetables are large enough to ad- 

 mit of hilling. The deeper the irrigating 

 furrows are cut the better the plants will 

 grow If plants become stunted and ap- 

 parently worthless from flooding, seepage 

 or percolating too much surface water, 

 the single ditch system, cut deep enough 

 to drain the water away will effect a cure 

 and insure a crop.'' 



WORTH QUOTING. 

 Mr. John Gr. Hall, Superintendent of 

 Irrigation at Edgemont, S. D., wrote the 

 following for the Edgemont Express, Fall 

 River Co., S. D., which we think will be 

 of interest to our readers: 



SELECTION OP FARM SEEDS. 



This season of the year the farmers 

 should study out the peculiarities of his 

 different fields and satisfy himself what 

 products are best adapted to the different 

 soils of his farm. For instance, we select 

 the sandy soil for potatoes, vegetables and 

 root crops, the heavy for wheat, oats, corn 

 or any product that makes its growth 

 above the ground. Care must be taken to 

 prepare the soil in the best manner for 



