342 



THE FARMERS CABINET. 



VOL. I. 



For the Fdrmera' Cabinet. 



Importance of Irrigation. 



BY SAMUEL MAINS. 



The Memoirs of the Philadelphia Agricul- 

 tural Society, contain many valuable papers 

 on Agricultural Science, but unfortunately 

 the circulation of the volumes published by 

 the Society, (at long intervals,) has been 

 very limited. On looking over a volume 

 published in 1825, my attention was forcibly 

 arrested by an article on the importance of 

 irrigation. Since that article was penned, 

 great and important changes have taken 

 place in the agriculture of the country — 

 many farms then almost ruined by a bad sys- 

 tem, have been reclaimed, and not only pre- 

 sent evidences of great fertility, but have 

 abundantly remunerated their proprietors for 

 all the expense and labor bestowed upon 

 them. Yet there is still room for much 

 greater improvement, not only in the imme- 

 diate vicinity of the city, but throughout the 

 whole country. The following are extracts 

 from the communication referred to, and you 

 are requested to give them a place in the 

 Cabinet, at your earliest convenience. 



Cast your eye upon a map of Pennsylvania, 

 and within a range of thirty miles around 

 this city, you will see one of the best watered 

 districts in this country ; a district closely 

 intersected with numerous streams of the 

 finest water, most of which 1 know from ac- 

 tual levels taken in various directions, have 

 their sources at an elevation of from 300 to 

 500 feet above the level of the tide. The 

 great elevation from which these streams 

 flow, besides being favorable to a great sup- 

 ply of water, afford an opportunity of spread- 

 ing it over a great extent of surface. 



VVithin the limits above mentioned, and 

 from which a great portion of our small arti- 

 cles for market are produced, I have no hesi- 

 tation in saying, there are 50,000 acres of 

 good arable land over which water might be 

 commanded at pleasure, if the farmers v;o«ld 

 unite in an arrangement to convey it from 

 one farm to another, furnishing each by turns 

 with a copious supply two or three times a 

 week. 



I had an opportunity of seeing the good ef- 

 fects cf an arrangement of this kind in the 

 Island of Maderia, where, although no rain 

 falls from the month of May to October, the 

 finest vegetables of all kinds are produced in 

 abundance by means of irrigation. Channels 

 for conducting the water are made at great 

 expense, and carried over the roughest 

 grounds for miles together: the distribution 

 of the water (I was informed) was fixed and 

 regulated by the laws of the Island ; similar 

 regulations connected with irrigation exist 

 jn different parts of Europe. 



Irrigation is one of the most ancient prac- 

 tices connected with agriculture ; and in 

 some countries even at this day, is deemed 

 of the first importance, and without which 

 their population could not be supported. 



In the early settlement of this country, and 

 for nearly a century afterwards, farms were 

 valued in proportion to the quantity of land 

 capable of irrigation. In offering a farm for 

 sale or rent, during that period, no man ever 

 forgot to mention, that it "contained so many 

 acres of watered meadows," and that " more 

 might be made:" but since the introduction 

 of plaster, and red clover, watered meadows 

 are almost wholly neglected, particularly in 

 the farming districts nearest the city, where, 

 above all others, the practice ought to be 

 continued, and if properly managed, would 

 be immensely profitable. 



It is worthy of remark, that in many remote 

 parts of this state, particularly those settled 

 by Germans, and their descendants, watered 

 meadows are highly valued. I am informed, 

 it is a prevailing opinion among them, that 

 the disease called slavering in horses and 

 cattle, does not occur in those fed on the hay 

 or grass from watered meadows, and I am 

 inclined to think there is truth in the opinion, 

 for I remember well when the disease waa 

 unknown in the neighborhood where I was 

 brought up, viz. a few miles this side of 

 Downingstown : hay was then seldom made 

 from any other, than ground occasionally 

 overflowed with water. 



It is an erroneous opinion, that spreading 

 water over land renders it unfit for the 

 plough, or growth of grain. It is in many 

 situations the cheapeet method of enriching 

 and restoring worn out lands than can be re- 

 sorted to, and upon a dairy farm its advan- 

 tages must be incalculable. 



In the climate of our country, experience 

 shows, that we may regularly look for a pe- 

 riod of great drought between the months of 

 June and October; the present season is 

 another proof, that however abundant and 

 seasonable the rain may be in the fore part of 

 summer, and however cheap, and plentiful, 

 butter, vegetables, and other things may be 

 in the early part of the season, yet a few 

 weeks of dry weather will have the effect to 

 increase the price upon the consumer, while 

 the articles are of inferior quality, and scarce- 

 ly to be had in the market. 



There is no way of counteracting the ef- 

 fects of drought so effectually, as by spread- 

 ing water over the lands. Every kind of 

 grass, grain, or vegetable may be improved 

 or preserved by a skilful application of wa- 

 ter ; even fruit trees may be benefitted, and 

 the fruit improved by it. The quality of but- 

 ter, as well as the quantity in dry seasons, is 

 greatly improved upon watered meadows: 



