264 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



From the Albany Cultivator. 



IRRIGATION. 



Eds. Cultivator,— I have long been aware of 

 the importance of fertilizing land by means of 

 water and what can be more rational, when 

 by chemical analysis we find that the water of 

 many streams, contains a large quantity both 

 in suspension and in solution of animal, ve- 

 getable and mineral substances, and also that 

 it is a compound, even in its purest state, of 

 hydrogen, oxygen, carbonic acid, &c.1 By 

 the same analysis, also, we find that the prin- 

 cipal ingredients for the support of plants, are 

 these identical substances. Here, then, the 

 wonderful effect of irrigation upon the soil, is 

 at once accounted for; and with regard to this 

 wonderful effect, [ will here refer the reader to 

 Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopedia, and es- 

 pecially to the articles under the heads of Irri- 

 gation — Agriculture — France. It has long 

 been practised to a greater or less extent, in 

 every habitable country on the globe, between 

 the 60th degrees of north and south latitude. 

 The Hon. Daniel Webster, on witnessing in 

 England, the great effects of irrigation, made 

 particular inquiry as to the rules, results, &c. 

 which, with his usual clearness, he communi- 

 cates to his agricultural friends after his return 

 home. 



If in the cool and moist climate of England, 

 three crops of hay and grass are obtained in 

 one season, and their irrigated lands rent for 

 double the price of other lands, why may not 

 the American farmer realize at least equal ad- 

 vantages in a more favorable climate'? Indeed, 

 the farmer who has the power of fertilizing a 

 portion of his land with water, has a treasure 

 in his possession, and he who neglects to avail 

 himself of its benefits, is certainly slow in the 

 comprehension of his interest. That water 

 operates as a powerful fertilizer to the soil, 

 when made to flow over it, is fully proved by 

 the fact that on up-land which has been irri- 

 gated and used for pasture or meadow, the 

 water being afterwards withheld, and the land 

 subjected to the plough, an unusual heavy crop 

 of grain is always the result — far exceeding 

 the product of other parts of the same field not 

 irrigated. Thus water, when applied to grass, 

 on lands adapted to grain, performs the double 

 office of increasing the growth of the former, 

 and at the same time imparting a durable fer- 

 tility to the soil for the benefit of the succeed- 

 ing crop of grain. Rye, however, even when 

 growing, is much benefited by slight irrigation 

 after the appearance of the blossom, and In- 

 dian corn can scarcely be watered too much 

 after the appearance of the silk and tassel, and a 

 luxuriant growth will be the result. It is pro- 

 bably the hayfield, however, from which the 

 farmer may derive the greatest advantage from 

 irrigation. A meadow, for instance, which 

 will produce 3 to 4 tons of first quality hay per 

 acre (which has been effected by this means, 

 even as far north as Vermont,) for an unlimited 



term of years, without the expense of any other 

 manure; but in case he consumes his hay on 

 his farm, conti ibuting largely towards his stock 

 of manure for other fields — such a meadow 

 may well be regarded by its owner as of great 

 value. Indeed, let a comparison be made 

 with regard to the nett profit, with almost any 

 other crops obtained from an equal quantity 

 of land, for a term of years, and it will be 

 found that the amount of laborand otheritems 

 of cost required to put the crop into a market- 

 able state, will throw a large balance in favor 

 of the irrigated meadow. It therefore becomes 

 a question to the farmer who possess the means 

 of irrigation, whether it would not promote his 

 interest to set apart his irrigated lands, even if 

 suitable for grain, as permanent meadow, and 

 exempt them from regular rotation. 



Objections have been made by s%me, that 

 the hay of irrigated meadows is less nutritive 

 and less palatable to cattle than other hay.— 

 This objection will only apply where the water 

 has been allowed to flow too profusely and too 

 late in the season; and this may be entirely 

 avoided by winter and spring irrigation, pro- 

 perly conducted. As increased fertility of 

 the soil is an object with every farmer, I am 

 decidedly of the opinion that from the first 

 freezing of the earth in autumn, to the entire 

 cessation of freezing in spring, is by far the 

 most suitable and proper time for fertilizing all 

 lands with water. An argument in favor of 

 this, is, that several months of each year are 

 added to the time for the water to impart its 

 fertility; which is so much clear gain of lime 

 in addition to the common method; and the 

 earth is kept through the whole winter conside- 

 rably above the freezing point, and should a 

 sheet of ice extend over the entire field, it will 

 do no injury but protect the earth beneath from 

 freezing. 



Professor Davy ascertained that the tempe- 

 rature of the earth beneath a lid of ice, on a 

 water meadow in England, was 14 degrees 

 warmer than the air above, in a very mild 

 wintry day. In this case, on the water being 

 withheld, at the time above stated, the field 

 will be several weeks in advanceof other lands, 

 and an early crop may be put in, or if the field 

 is designed for meadow or pasture, it is here 

 that the first green mantle of spring is spread 

 out, and it is here that the farmer's cattle find 

 the first herbage of the season, and indeed lin- 

 ger latest in fall, for with a few judicious wa- 

 terings in summer, it holds out later in autumn 

 than other lands. I can point to a piece of til- 

 lage up-land, which a few years ago, was a 

 dry, barren spot, but is now like a rich garden, 

 made so solely by water. A stream of what 

 is called hard water, (rendered so probably by 

 the sulphate of lime it contains,) has been di- 

 verted from its course, and spread over the 

 surface for about six months of each year, and 

 by filtering into and through the soil, has de- 

 posited an immense amount of fertilizing mat- 

 ter, as was clearly shown by a recent crop of 

 Indian corn. The hills below the line of ditch, 



