14 



« 



towns, to seek the introduction of a water-supply, because they 

 saw the increased profits from their land in its future use. 

 Mr. Moore's words which I have quoted are proof of the rea- 

 lization of their hopes. 



I believe that on many farms a few acres could be profitably 

 treated by irrigation, using wind-mill power, if not steam, lay- 

 ing 1 1-2 in. or 1 1-4 in. pipe judiciously under ground and 

 having faucets for 1 1-4 hose placed over the land at proper 

 intervals. This land to be used more as a market-garden, 

 with heavy manuring, careful and intelligent culture, and 

 certainty of large yields, letting the remainder of the farm be 

 cultivated in the best manner possible without such works. 

 A visit to the gardens of Arlington and Concord would be valua- 

 ble and interesting. I find the following facts stated in a 

 recent number of the Salem Gazette, and taken from the New- 

 buryport Herald : 



" A truck farm in Merrimac, has, to a large extent, escaped 

 loss from the long drought by the running of an iron pipe from 

 the river, a distance of about a mile and a half, into which 

 water is forced by a steam pump, and distributed over the 

 premises by sprinklers, supplied in all directions. This pre- 

 caution against a loss of growing crops by drought has b en 

 very largely successful, amply repaying the outlay. The 

 apparatus will be on hand for future use when required." 



It can be borne in mind tliat where several farmers might 

 decide to unite in introducing a small water supply for irri- 

 gation on neighboring farms, and who have no public supply* 

 in their vicinity nor one where they can secure reasonable 

 rates for their purposes, that water containing the most 

 vegetable matter in suspension and salts in solution, that is 

 water unfit to drink, may be more valuable for their purposes 

 than water that is purest and most satisfactory for domestic 



