HOCKINGS' GARDEN MANUAL. 



15 



greater elevation, would be at command for this pur- 

 pose, or could be made available at a reasonable out- 

 lay. Were such circumstances taken advantage of, it 

 may be safely affirmed that the benefits would be so 

 striking as to induce more costly operations. It cannot 

 be too clearly impressed that, in time of drought or 

 in hot weather, a mere sprinkling from the watering- 

 pot is often injurious, while a good flow of water run- 

 ning along the alleys among the growing crops for 

 half an hour in the evening two or three times a week 

 would produce the utmost luxuriance of growth. Mr. 

 Knight, one of the first authorities in all matters con- 

 nected with gardening, says in reference to this subject: 

 " The quantity of water which may be given with ad- 

 vantage to plants of almost every kind, during warm 

 and bright weather is, I believe, very much greater 

 than any gardener who has not seen the result will be 

 inclined to suppose possible ; and it is greater than 

 I myself could have believed upon any other evi- 

 dence than that of actual experience. 7 ' 



It has been found on careful experiment that only 

 about one-fifth of the rain-fall reaches the water chan- 

 nels so as to be available for irrigation ; but that 

 quantity stored up and applied judiciously to the farms 

 around the great centres of population would produce 

 the most valuable results. 



The average annual rain-fall in Brisbane for five 

 years was nearly 56 inches, which bears favorable 

 comparison with Sydney, where on an average of 

 fifteen years the returns indicate only 49 inches. It 

 will thus be seen that it is not from insufficiency of 

 rain that we suffer, but the means of storing it up and 

 applying it to the land. One inch of water is equal to 

 22,627 gallons on an acre of land. 



There are two classes of persons who will be 

 especially benefited by the development of any simple 

 and easily managed system by which the produce of 

 the soil may be increased. These are the agriculturists 



