The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-09-01
The Value Of Irrigation.

alton of the value of irrigation by failing
to understand the principle that underlies
this application of water to the soil.
Chemical analysis has demonstrated
that the water in lakes, rivers, springs,
and in wells even, contains, both in solu-
ton and suspension, certain mineral, veg
etable, and animal matter. Suppose that
a single gallon of water from a lake or
river (no unusual thing contains fifty
grains Of the above substances, and that
10000 gallons are discharged in twenty
four hours upon three acres of land, and
that this discharge is kept up for sixty
days, there would be 1895 pounds depos-
tied in the time above specified. Most of
this weight is fertilizing matter in q solu-
BILE state, and it is laid at the very roots of
these plants for their immediate ABSORB
lion. Besides, this is the most appropri-
ate food for these plants. They cannot
absorb solid material. Every thing that
enters into their composition must first
be reduced to a fluid, and this is the reason
why irrigation aids in their growth in such
a marvellous manner.
Still further. Portions of these con-
stituents of the water are not immediate
ly available. 1t may take months and
perhaps years to fit them for plant food,
and thus it is that not only are the grow.
ing crops amazingly helped, but the fer
tility of the land is greatly increased.
Let any meadow or pasture be irrigated
for five years, all the crops taken off, and
then let the irrigation cease, and that
same field would yield much more than it
did before the application OF the water,
and far more than contiguous soils that
never had been watered at'ali-thus dem.
onstrating- hat water applied to land
performs the double Office of increasing
present product. and also imparting q fer
tllIty that outlasts the appncatlon.
Take another view of this subject.
Every n believes that rain acts. q most
important part in the promotion of Plant
grOwths. Could the water that falls on
al acre of corn from May to September
be distilled, every particle of mineral and
vegetable matter taken therefrom, that
acre might have any amount of fertllizine
material in other forms applied to it, and
yet it would have such a lack OF one OF
the most available sources of plant. food,
that it is a question whether a single ear
Of corr would come to maturity. The ex-
pertinent has been repeatedly tried on 8
small scale, and the failure is always and
exactly the same.
vi Jul IL WOalu i1ahc SpHlc UlllcI-
eDce whether the manure applied TO the
land was in an available shape, like guano,
or less so, as in the common stable manure
or ground bone.
WHAT PLANTS ARE MOST BENEFITED.
Probably grass. Any meadow that can
be sufficiently watered can be made to
produce, if the soil is originally good and
not too porous, from three to four tons OF
hay annually to the acre. This has been
repeatedly effected ia this country, and
much more than this in other countries.
In some ATTITUDES where everything is
most favorable, the crop of grass is FREE
quently cut as often as once in six weeks,
and the yield per acre has been from four
to six tons in a single season.
1t has been suggested that the hay from
irrigated lands is not as good as that from
others. 1T the water is permitted a cou-
stsnt and large flow, VIC presume that
there would be reason for the supposition.
But ali this can be remedied by stopping
the water occasionally in the dag time, or
on such days as the sun shines, letting il
on to the soil in cloudy and rainy weather
and at other times in the night.
OF course the larger yield will make
the hay c%oarser, but the hulk will far
naOio 'iei oohni'CHoatC loi any RICK III lEC
intrinsic value.
Next to meadows, perhaps pastures
should be irrigated, and in this way cow
can always be supplied with the best
mllk-producing food. One of the bes,
CultiyatOrs in Central New York has re.
peatedly stated that irrigation was To him
OF more value than soiling to his neigh.
bors.
Next to meadows and pastures, Indian
corn cannot have too much water after
the appearance of the silk and tassel, il
the soil permits of a ready absorption
In fact, there are no crops raised on our
American soils that would not be bene
fitted by a judicious use of water and
when we consider that on almost any
soil, irrigation will double and sometimes
quadruple the crop of hay, toithout cost,
except for the first outlay, its value is al
once apparent-Afar1A and Home.