A B C OF FLORIDA TRUCKING 23 



a method that would place within the hands of the user an 

 absolute control of his water distribution. Not only has this 

 been accomplished, but the more recent installations of the 

 Skinner Irrigation System have entirely eliminated the labor 

 required in irrigation. Inasmuch as no other system has 

 ever been devised which has proved these essentials, a de- 

 scription of the Skinner system and the conditions which 

 demand such a method of watering are worthy of con- 

 sideration. 



Probably few growers realize the importance of water- 

 ing; but scientific men, who have investigated this problem, 

 are authority for the statement that from 80 to 95 per cent, 

 of every growing crop is water. This means that at least 

 four-fifths of every vegetable which is placed on the market 

 is simply water. It is also worthy of note that from 270 to 

 600 pounds of water is taken up by the plant and breathed 

 into the air for every pound of solid matter that is added to 

 the plant. These statements are surprising, but they have 

 been verified to a degree which removes all elements of 

 uncertainty regarding their proof. Inasmuch as this is true 

 it emphasizes the importance of the correct application and 

 distribution of water and explains the fact that the irrigated 

 crop yields returns from 200 to 500 per cent above the 

 returns which can be secured from crops which depend 

 solely upon rainfall. 



The users of the Skinner system in Florida state that 

 on cabbage, which possibly is regarded as the least suscept- 

 ible to drought, the average unirrigated crop is possibly 

 worth $150.00 per acre, whereas the average crop irrigated 

 with the Skinner system is worth about $500 per acre. With 

 crops, such as celery and other valuable products, the com- 

 parison is even more forcible, and the experience of celery 

 growers of a year ago has brought out the fact that the 



