FRUIT. 221 



My plan for distributing the water, is to convey it from the 

 reservoir to the upper end of the pear tree lot, where it falls into 

 an artificial channel or ditch, which extends across the lot at 

 the ends of all the rows of trees, strawberries, &c. To tliat side 

 of the ditch next the ends of the rows, is fitted a two-inch plank 

 ten or twelve inches wide, set edgewise, and througli the plank, 

 at intervals of four feet and a half, corresponding with the dis- 

 tance of the rows from each other, a round drain-pipe of an 

 inch bore is inserted, with a cork to each, by which the whole 

 or any portion of them may be closed when desired. Each row 

 of trees, strawberries, &c., is thus supplied with an equal quan- 

 tity of water. When the water has run down the whole length 

 of the rows, it falls into a similar ditch as that at the upper end, 

 and is from thence distributed over the grass field below, or let 

 into a reservoir in which is put strong manure, for the purpose 

 of making liquid manure, which is distributed in rivulets over 

 the mowing land — a method of spreading manure which is 

 found to be of great advantage, and requiring little labor. 



That part of the water which is not taken into the head pipes 

 as it passes, (and this is much the largest part,) falls into a 

 channel which conducts it to another pear tree lot arranged 

 with strawberry beds, where a part of it is turned through chan- 

 nels between the rows, as before described, and a part runs into 

 an artificial fish-pond, tlie out-flow of which is conducted to a 

 small workshop in the garden, and by means of an over-shot 

 water wheel, six feet in diameter, turns grindstones, works a 

 turning-lathe, circular saw, hay-cutting machine, corn-sheller, 

 pump, &c., &c. 



In regard to some of the effects of irrigation, I consider the 

 hay crop more than doubled by water alone, without the appli- 

 cation of liquid or other manure. 



The pear trees, which are mostly on quince stocks, were 

 imported from France ; part of them planted in the spring of 

 1857, and the other part, from the same nursery, in the spring 

 of 1859. They were two years from the bud. The principal 

 fertilizer they have received is the water applied by irrigation, 

 as before described. On some parts of the grounds the irriga- 

 tion has been more thorough than on others. Under such 

 circumstances the trees have made more than twice the growth 

 of wood. Tlie difference between those which have been ivell 



