THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 79 



in the practical work that has engaged his thought for years. 

 Still, when I see a crop of strawberries much larger than I have 

 ever seen under other conditions, no dead leaves, no runners, 

 growth most luxuriant and long succession in bearing, I must say 

 that results are convincing. There were other proofs about which 

 I am not so well prepared to judge. For instance, an apple tree 

 standing in this improved land was reported worthless, its fruit 

 gnarled and valueless before the land was trenched, now bearing 

 largely and the fruit of fine quality. Of course I cannot say how 

 much difference there is between the tree as it now appears and as 

 it was before the land was improved. I observed, however, a young 

 tree, the trunk five or six inches in diameter perhaps, its growth 



most vigorous, the limbs smooth as if recently washed with lye 





 foliage, fresh, full and green. But on inquiry I learned that it had 



only ordinary treatment ; the limbs had not been washed, and its 

 vigorous growth was attributed to the system of trenching and 

 irrigating that increased the yield of strawberry plants and the 

 size of fruit, the effect being visible in growth of all kinds. There 

 were no weeds on the ground occupied by strawberries it was 

 absolutely clean. 



" Prof. LAZENBY. There are three or four questions that I would 

 like to ask. "What distance apart are the cross ditches? 



"G. "NV. HOFFMAN. I can not say precisely. I asked Mr. Cole, 

 and he told me three or four rods, leaving me to infer that he had 

 exercised no care to place the cross ditches at regular intervals. 

 You will understand that these cross ditches tap the main trench 

 two feet above the bottom, that they are but two feet deep and 

 serve only the purpose of drawing off surplus water, or, in other 

 words, equalizing water in the trenches. 



" Prof. LAXENUY. What is done with the subsoil taken from the 

 main trenches? Is it carted away? 



