FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
that means it has in solution quite a quan¬ 
tity of mineral matter such as lime, so¬ 
dium and other salts. However, there is 
one great danger which I can anticipate 
in this sulphurated water. The sulphur 
in the water might become sulphuric acid 
and have a tendency to sour the land if 
continuously used. However, this can be 
found out only by experience. Another 
thing in connection with artesian water 
that may be mentioned in comparison 
with water that comes from lakes and 
creeks. The surface water contains quite 
a good amount of ammonia salts or nitro¬ 
gen ; not enough to do any harm to the 
person who drinks it, but enough to be 
appreciated by the plants. These are not 
contained in the artesian water which is 
practically free from nitrates or nitrites. 
Mr. Gillett—We do not have arte¬ 
sian water, but presume a good many 
people here in this section do. I had some 
of the water to drink last night and 
would like to know if the flavor of the 
fruit is influenced at all by the flavor of 
the water. 
Mr. Christiancy—I think My. Gillett’s 
method, as I have tried it, is a failure. Mr. 
Allen, when he started irrigating 
three of his groves, tried running the 
water through furrows after the Califor¬ 
nia method and failed with it, and then he 
piped it. He put clown a three inch main 
and put down five artesian wells to supply 
the water and then put a standpipe in ev¬ 
ery center; the trees were some 20 by 20 
and some 25 by 25. He never had any 
success. 
I think it would be a good idea to let 
the artesian water run to waste and I 
would have a subirrigated grove. In one 
of those three groves I have never been 
c“ 
able to neutralize the soil by the use of 
any amount of ashes or fertilizer, and I 
suspect it is the sulphuric acid. I took up 
the pipes and we started in last spring and 
replaced the system intended to use hose. 
The pipe that had been used was wrought 
iron pipe and buried about eighteen inches 
and' showed no rust on the outside and on 
the inside a coating which the plumber 
said was caused by artesian water. The 
pipes that were about nine inches of the 
surface were rusted from the outside but 
not from the inside. The inside had the 
same coating caused by the artesian water. 
Mr. Mead—Speaking of the two wat¬ 
ers ; I would be in favor of the pond wat¬ 
er because you get more or less organic 
matter in it. 
Mr. Waite—I would like to ask the 
gentleman who spoke of the continuous 
pipe what proportion of cement and sand 
he used in making that pipe where it was 
used as a drain or sub-irrigation. 
Mr. Williams—To make pipe that is 
entirely water proof so that the water 
will not seep through, I use three parts of 
sand to one of cement. 
Dr. Richardson—Will that porous pipe 
permit roots to obstruct it ? 
Mr. Williams—<No sir. 
Mr. Waite—How far apart should 
those pipes be in clay soil and sandy soil ? 
Mr. Williams—In different soils, of 
course it would vary. The usual practice 
here is to put them about twenty-five feet 
apart. In soil very sandy and porous it 
would be far better to put them not to ex¬ 
ceed fifteen feet apart. 
Dr. Berger—I would like to have one 
question settled. The statement was 
made that the leaves of the tree absorb 
moisture. Now, will someone who real- 
