410 IRRIGATION PRACTICE 



Waters conducted experiments under Missouri con- 

 ditions, and, while the work was not continued long 

 enough to give averages for a variety of climatic con- 

 ditions, it was found that a great increase in the yield 

 resulted from the application of irrigation water. As- 

 paragus, grown without irrigation, was thin and covered 

 with rust; when irrigated it was plump and free from rust. 

 Yield and quality were increased by irrigation. Onions 

 and corn both yielded larger crops under irrigation. 



Crane, working under South Dakota conditions, found 

 that every crop he investigated yielded twice as much 

 when irrigation water was applied. His studies were 

 almost entirely with artesian water, and the increase in 

 crop-yields proved abundantly that whenever such waters 

 can be obtained they may be used with great profit. 



Voorhees carried on extensive investigations, chiefly 

 during the years 1898 and 1899, to discover if the use of 

 irrigation water influenced materially the yield of crops in 

 New Jersey. He found, as expected, that the season is the 

 important factor in determining the value of irrigation. 

 If the growing season was an abundantly wet one, irrigation 

 had less effect than when the season was relatively dry. 

 The averages of the results obtained by Voorhees for the 

 two years in question are exceedingly instructive. 



Blackberries, several varieties of which were tried, 

 showed an increase, due to irrigation, of nearly 77 per 

 cent of the yield without irrigation. Raspberries, repre- 

 sented by several varieties, increased over 37 per cent, 

 varying from 70 per cent to a loss when the natural pre- 

 cipitation was high. Currants, represented by a number 

 of varieties, increased over 28 per cent, varying from 91 

 to a loss. Gooseberries, represented by a number of va- 

 rieties, increased 3.3 per cent, varying from 109 per cent 



