230 STORRS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 
from the canal, the water percolating through the soil a few 
feet below the surface for a distance of about four rods. ‘This 
is a very peculiar and unusual condition, and cannot well be 
accounted for. It may be due to a hardpan bottom, which 
slopes nearly uniformly in the same direction as the surface. 
A second plan of irrigation was adopted fora part of the 
farm a few years ago. Ata point near where the same brook 
just referred to enters the farm adam and small pond were 
constructed. The water of this pond is now used in the irri- 
gating about two acres of the bottom land along the brook. 
Most of the soil of the irrigated area is a gravelly loam, 
much of which has been washed down from the surrounding 
hills. About two acres of the bottom lands are of a more com- 
pact soil with a hardpan subsoil. This area has been under- 
drained and much improved. ‘The surplus water used in irri- 
gation is now readily conveyed away through the under drains. 
Mr. Albiston has found the use of irrigation especially profit- 
able on strawberries. Since he has irrigated this crop he 
rarely ever fails to obtain large yields, while before irrigation 
was employed he says failures from drouth were a common 
thing. In 1894, thirty-two square rods of land planted with 
Crescent strawberries produced at the rate of 10,400 quarts per 
acre. In 1895, with a very severe drouth in strawberry time, 
Mr. Albiston claims that his crop was the best that he ever 
produced. The black-cap raspberries and blackberries have 
each year produced exceptionally fine crops under irrigation. 
Potatoes have been irrigated during seasons of drouth. In 
1894, which was an exceptionally unfavorable season for 
potatoes, the crop obtained by irrigation yielded at the rate of 
300 bushels to the acre. Mr. Albiston is especially fortunate 
in being able to irrigate on quite an extended scale at a very 
small cost. Under conditions of this kind irrigation must pay 
a very fine profit. 
IRRIGATION ON THE FARM OF JOHN LEEK, OF HAMDEN. 
On this farm about five acres are under irrigation at the 
present time. The land is low, nearly level, lying between 
the slopes of hills, with a small stream of water passing 
through the irrigated area near the centre. ‘The surface soil 
is a fine, gravelly loam that has apparently been washed in 
