14 
The Ecotiomical Application 
rearing of young stock the most profitable mode of converting 
the grass into money. After stock-feeding for tlie first three 
years, I therefore turned my attention principally to the dairy, 
and the change worked an improvement on the balance-sheet. 
For some time past my milk was sent daily 24 miles by rail, 
and the butter went once a week a distance of 60 miles. 
It will be seen from this that a very large number of stock can 
be kept upon a few acres of Italian rye-grass cultivated in this 
manner, and the land will be found to increase in fertility : you 
may almost insure a rapid succession of growth when placed 
under favourable conditions as to liquid manure and water. If 
more grass is raised than is required for feeding, it may be left 
for seed, and will in this way yield a large return. I have har- 
vested as many as 79 bushels per acre in one crop ; this was 
from the second year's growth. 
We now come to the cost of pumps, pipeage, and tanks, which 
depends on the price of iron at the time, the locality, and the 
market from which the remaining apparatus is purchased — cir- 
cumstances which will make the experience of one man differ 
largely from that of another. I will, however, endeavour to take 
a fair estimate of expenses for laying down the quantity of land 
before mentioned at a rate at which it can be executed in many 
districts. The excavation of the tanks will cost from 4(7. to 6c?. 
per cubic yard, and there will be 208 cubic yards in each tank ; 
the walls to be of brick, 4^ inches thick, laid in cement : they 
will cost from 18Z. to 25Z. each. The price of iron pipes is now 
5Z. 5*. per ton. There is supposed to be a stationary engine on 
the farm (but better still if there is a water-wheel). The irri- 
gation-works will employ 4-horse power for 50 days in the season, 
and, therefore, must be charged with one-sixth of the first cost of 
the engine ; the power required in most cases being small, unless 
the fluid be forced to a great height, will not make a great demand 
on the coals. The expenses of carrying out the system will stand 
thus : — 
£ s. d. 
Engine J of first cost 25 0 0 
Circular briclc tanks 50 0 0 
Pumps and fitting 45 0 0 
Metal pipes, 4 in., 206 yds. at 2s. Qd 25 15 0 
Drains, lead, laying, hemi), &c 3 5 0 
Surface metal pipes, 3 in., 220 yds. at Is. M. .. 19 5 0 
Galvanized pipes, 2J in., 80 yds. at Is. 2d 4 14 0 
Metal branches, collars, cramp iron, &c 4 10 0 
Gutta-percha pipe, 2j in., 50 yds. at 7s 17 10 0 
„ „ 3 in., 4 yds. at 9s 1 16 0 
Cocks, plugs, brass joints, and spreader 8 0 0 
Contingencies 10 0 0 
214 15 0 
