IRRIGATION. 



dates to Feb. 6, and the area in Bengal 

 planted in sugar cane is reported at 843,- 

 000 acres, of which 812,000 were planted 

 this year. The gross output of raw sugar 

 in Bengal alone is estimated at 857,000 

 long tons, or about one long ton per acre. 

 While the Indian peasantry is the poor- 

 est in the world, hundreds of thousands of 

 them dying at times of famine, yet they 

 consume all of their sugar at home, seem- 

 ing to thoroughly appreciate the great food 

 value of sugar and molasses that we are 

 only now beginning to learn. 



OVER-IRRIGATION INJURIOUS. 



Too many inexperienced horticulturists 

 depend on "water cultivation." The ex- 

 cessive use of water is injurious to the 

 land. Arid land is naturally more fertile 

 than where eqcessive rains fall, for the rea- 

 son that copious and continuous rains leach 

 the soil of the fertilizing elements. But 

 if excessive irrigation is practiced, the 

 same results will ultimately be reached. 

 Many farmers are ruining their land by the 

 "water cure." Moderate irrigation, fol- 

 lowed by such cultivation as will make a 



"dust cover" and thus preserve the moist- 



ure and at the same time save the fertili- DEEP WELLS AND CANALS. 



zing elements, is mueh to be preferred. No The following table .showing the differ- 

 soil can give up its fertility without moist- ence in cost and profit in rice growing by 

 ure, but too much water will not only wash canals and deep wells, was prepared by J. 

 away its fertility, but will make the soil A. Lambert, a well known authority: 

 heavy, and in that condition it cannot give DEEP WELLS. 



up the necessary plant food. After each 300 acres irrigated by wells will 

 irrigation have the soil thoroughly culti- produce 13 1-3 sacks per acre 



vated and pulverized. If this sort of work 4,000 sacks at $4 $16,000 



is done early in the spring, so as to con- Expenses. 



serve the winter moisture, then two irriga- 120 sacks seed at $5 per sack 600 



tions, followed by thorough cultivation are Interest at 8 per cent, on $7,500 



all that are needed and are far better than land value 600 



a constant application of water without Cost of labor to cultivate and har- 



cultivation. "Irrigation and irritation" vest, at $10 per acre 3,000 



should go together. Some soils are abso- Threshing and sacking 4, 000 lacks, 



lutely damaged by the constant application at 20 cents per sack 800 



of water, for they will cement and in this Expense of irrigating at $3 per 



condition give up no plant food. acre 900 



F. WALDEN, Zillah, Wash. Interest on well improvements 



($2,000) at 8 per cent 160 



THE INDIAN SUGAR CROP. 



The marvelous quantities of sugar that Total $ 6,060 



are made from sugar cane in that mysteri- Revenue 16,000 



ous country, the far East, are occasionally Expense 6,060 



heard from, but are really never fairly ap- 

 preciated, as, like the American hay crop, Profits . .$ 9,940 



which surpasses the cotton crop in value, Or $33.13 per acre. 



it rarely ever enters into the markets of CANALS. 



the world in competition with other sugar 300 acres irrigated by canals will 



and hence attracts no attention. The produce 10 sacks per acre, 3,000 



Louisiana Planter has received Calcutta sacks at $4 $12,000 



