126 



OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



one half to two thirds of the water (allowing one miner's inch continuous 

 flow to ten acres of ground) is wasted — for the portion of the water which 

 is soaked up by the cultivated ground is lost to the tree, because in the 

 cultivation the moisture in the cultivated soil goes off into the air. To 

 save this immense proportion of loss, it follows then as a natural 

 sequence that the water must be placed below the cultivated ground, i, e 

 sub-irrigation must be resorted to. 



Sub-Irrigation has always given satisfactory results as to a proper 



distribution of water, but 

 ticed has been unsatisfac 

 economic standpoint, owing 

 have become broken or fill 

 no underground valve hav 

 economical and at the same 

 to roots. We have tried and 

 lute and almost perfect sys 

 an orchard be piped between 

 pipe at the depth of about 

 surface, and that a hydrant 

 the square formed by four 

 very cheap and simple de 

 ing but a short piece of pipe 

 threads on one end, say sev 

 slots cut down through a 

 pipe is screwed down into a 

 start the flow of water, this 

 tially unscrewed, which per 

 through the slots. Any 

 through the slots is effect 

 is turned off by screwing 

 sion about four inches deep 

 ter is left around each hy 

 turned on sufficiently when 

 this depression. Rev. C. F. 



the system heretofore prac- 

 tory from a practical and 

 to the fact that the pipes 

 ed with roots, and clogged — 

 ing been invented that was 

 time tight and impervious 

 can recommend as an abso- 

 tem of sub-irrigation, that 

 each row with one inch iron 

 eighteen inches from the 

 be placed in the center of 

 trees. This hydrant is a 

 vice. It consists of noth- 

 with an extra number of 

 en or eight ; there are two 

 portion of the threads; this 

 tee in the main pipe. To 

 pipe with slots in it is par- 

 mits the water to run out 

 thing that would grow 

 ively cut off when the water 

 down the pipe. A depres- 

 and three inches in diame- 

 drant, and the water is 

 it appears at the bottom of 

 Loop has such a system of 



Slot Valve. 



sub-irrigation at Claremont, except that the valves are much more expen- 

 sive, costing about 35 cents each. Dr. Loop says that the system has 

 given him perfect satisfaction, and he is of the opinion that he does not 

 use half the amount of water that he formerly used, and that he saves 

 more than half the expense ordinarily incurred in cultivation, etc. 



Other systems have been invented, and some patented, but all, so far 

 as known to the writer, have proved failures. From the best information 

 that can be gathered, all cement systems have proved failures; although, 

 when first put in use, they did the work designed for them with satis- 

 faction. Cement pipes have not proved a success, owing to the fact 



