THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 39 



would not be unreasonable. There would then be left less than 

 twelve inches of water to meet the necessities of the growing crops. 

 That this sufficiently accounts for the low average of our yearly 

 production of grass and grain, is not at all improbable. The supply 

 of water then becomes the measure of the fertility of our soil, and 

 our climate, subject to torrid drouths in the midst of the growing 

 season, is the obstacle to success which meets the farmer, rather 

 than the impoverished soil a condition, indeed, mainly due to a 

 poverty of water." 



" To remove this obstacle to successful cultivation, it is only nec- 

 essary that a system of irrigation be adopted. An adequate sup- 

 ply of water, ready for use in case of emergency, will render the 

 farmer, the gardener, or the fruit grower, to a very large extent, 

 independent of the vicissitudes of the season, and secure, beyond 

 accident, a full reward for his labor. If, with a system of irriga- 

 tion, a proper system of drainage be also adopted, the cultivator of 

 the soil will have removed two adverse influences, against which he 

 is now called upon so frequently and so ineffectually to strive." 



" To irrigate economically and successfully, however, is a business 

 which requires a large amount of technical knowledge and skill, 

 and the expenditure of a considerable amount of capital, either in 

 money or labor. Irrigation belongs, in fact, to a highly advanced 

 condition of agriculture, and can only be applied to land of high 

 value or capacity in the hands of intelligent owners." 



Now, here is this eminent author of a most remarkable book, 

 wherein is found a larger amount of research than is combined in 

 all others on a similar subject which it has been our fortune to 

 come across, reaching the conclusion that only by methods of irri- 

 gation and drainage successfully combined, can the former be made 

 advantageous; and equally concluding that in this way, and this 

 only, can anything like a full measure of production be realized; 



