THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 67 



Free Press, began to put in operation a system of agriculture 

 based on underground irrigation, an idea entirely his own. He 

 had been studying the system a number of years before that time, 

 but had not until then carried it into practice. There were draw- 

 backs that need not be mentioned here and there was, of course, 

 a town full of people who laughed at the idea as a crazy notion 

 sure to come to nothing. But Mr. Cole persevered, and it is safe 

 to say that yesterday he was able to demonstrate his success so 

 entirely as to ensure him the title of the proudest man in western 

 New York and perhaps out of it as well." 



From beginning to end of a two column article, commendatory 

 throughout, the correspondent of The Express drew a faithful 

 picture of what he saw on this occasion. 



We now give the report of Mr. Charles A. Green, sent to our 

 place as special correspondent of the New York Tribune. In mak- 

 ing the report Mr. Green dates his letter at Clifton, July 8th, on 

 the day succeeding our exhibition: 



" A short ride from Rochester up the Genesee Valley among 

 promising grain fields, fragrant meadows and shady pastures, and 

 another hour along the southern tier bring me to a prosperous, 

 hill-girt village, lying like a speckled egg in a bird's nest. In this 

 pretty village of Wellsville is the home of Mr. A. N. Cole, the vet- 

 eran editor and horticultural experimenter. His residence is 

 situated on an eastern slope commanding views of the village and 

 surrounding country. I found here a company of about 100 

 gentlemen, ministers, politicians, physicians, the press and neigh- 

 bors, who, like The Tribune correspondent, had been invited to wit- 

 ness the results of "The New Agriculture," as Mr. Cole has named 

 his new method of irrigation. Mr. Cole expressed his pleasure at 

 seeing The Tribune represented, and remarked that it was Horace 

 Greeley who gave him his first insight into this method of agri- 



