AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 423 



saved and distributed over the greatest possible amount of surfiice. 

 The same is equally true of pasture, and even plowed soils may- 

 be vastly benefited by an additional supply of water, as some 

 experiments in the culture of hops by my friend the late Mr. Fer- 

 guson of Delaware county, in this State, during life an esteemed 

 member of this body, fully show. 



I have taken occasion sir, a number of times previously, to 

 advocate here that great and wide doctrine on w^hich American 

 agricultural practice is founded — a free use of the resources of 

 nature for improving the soil — and I take pleasure in adding in 

 consonance with w^hat I have previously said, these remarks on 

 irrigation. 



Prof. James J. Mapes remarked that the subject of the day — 

 "irrigation," should be considered witli reference to the soil to be 

 w^atered, and its lower strata. That drainage is first in order to 

 deliver the soil to a' suitable depth from surplus water, Avhich 

 suffuses the roots of plants to their damage or death. The Profes- 

 sor illustrated on the black-board his method of determining the 

 •courses of water beneatli the surface. He uses a borer of about 

 two inches diameter to bore holes about four or five feet deep in 

 regular alternate spots about ten feet apart. He has laths pre^ 

 pared with a coating of lime and molasses. These he puts into the 

 holes. The water rising in these holes according to quantity is 

 shown by the loss of coating on the low-er ends of the laths, with 

 such accuracy that on examination we trace the lowest point or 

 channel of the w^ater oil the entire field, and then lay our drain 

 pipes accordingly. He uses pipes of two inches bore, as all suffi- 

 cient for all ordinary under-draining. 1 he Professor explained 

 the very great importance of this system in order to suit plants. 

 He also remarked on the very singular difficulty there is in making 

 a proper mixture of soils with manure. Take for instance equal 

 quantities of white and black sand, work at them for hours in 

 effort to effect a homogeneous mixture and you will fail, and yet 

 every particle of soil and every atom of manure should be equally 

 united to render the supply to the roots easy and perfect. One 

 of my fi'-dds, seven acres, w^as fit for plowing ten days ago ! 



Mr. Pardee said that the club was aware of the valuable experi- 

 ments tried by President Pell on his large farm at Pelham, and he 

 for one would be pleased to get a full account of his drainage 

 from himself. 



Mr. Pell said that if the club pleased, he would render an 

 account at the next meeting of the club. 



