The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-09-30
Errisatsng Meadow Lands.

The subject Of grass lands of the State,
their condition and capacity, and their I'M
portancc as the basis of successful hus-
bandry, since the two past dry seasons,
seems TO be 4 subject CT more erave>im-
nortance than heretofore. 1t may be very
true that water cannot be obtained i'll all
meadows, III i'll seasons and 1T all times,
but yet upon every farm there is 4 brook or
Ri, from which i pond may be made and
filed from the accumulated water of spring
aud winter rains and suow$,.and By proper
bitches taken over the meadows in May and
June, aud thus made useful, which now
ruus to waste; while Il brook of fair size
can lie used, and may be sufficient without
i pond.
We have little experience in irrigating,
which We will give for the benefit Of 9th
crS. Some seventeen years ago we col
iccted the water that run in highway
some distance; run it into small pond,
and then, ny bitches, over half an acre Of
meadow. This simple transaction cost half
Il days work for two men and team, and
no expense since. We are sure that we
have obtained twice the quantity of hay
for the past siNtecu years, or IN other
words, eight tons Of hay extra in that
Time. worth OH an average $40 per tom
$50 Tor So worth of work irrigatlng. The
quality of the Grass has also improved. 1t
is, the larger part, now blue grass (po0
pratensis), very thick and tail, from TWO
feet six inches to three feet above the cut
ter bar, which proves this grass the most
reliable for irrigated meadow, rs it steadily
and surely runs out all others in our rlea-
dow but on dry soils it is not success
with me, aad we think it waste OF seed
to SOW it there.
We were so we'll satisfied with this little
experiment at irrigatin2 that we concluded
a
| meadow Of some twenty-five acres, fiat,
vita very suitable brook running through
it. This meadow had grown the grass for
dairy of from fourteen TO sixteen head OF
dairy stock, but last season 1t was short
500 worth OF hay, which had to be pur-
CHASED to carry over sixteen head on this
farm. We did not feel disposed to shorten
I'D on the number of head of stock, but to
Increase the fertility and capacity OF this
large meadow. TO manure the whole was
out of the question, for that would have
taken ten times the quantity made; be.
sides, what was made was to be applied and
wol ked into the surface of some spring grain,
being then newly seeded to insure hne
catch; but in the mean time the brook
gently run through the long meadow, ana
learned to say: look at me where L run
the grass never fails-I am at your service,
sir. True, indeed, you are NOBLE ele-
ment, and / will take you, not as a last
resort, but us first choice. am FAMILIAR
with your goodness. l know you enter
more largely into the production or all
forage plants than any other element, be-
sides YOU do sometimes become rIled ana
angry, aud do some damage, but then you
are the richest in the valuable deposits you
leave in your course. With these Thoughts
beside the running brook we parted aud
prepared for action. (rhis might be called,
in modern parlaEce, surTey.)
1t Was some time in April last that, with
a strong team, three good men, wagon, bar,
plow and horse, and various other tools,
might be seen earnest men, making more
long and strange bitches, and faster than
any Paddy ever dreamed of, and all in and
through the big meadow where ran the
murmuring brook. Ii johnson dispensed
with Paddles te till Il ditch by blowing in
the soil with a long eYener, we thought we
could make one in the same way by length
ening out chain in the connection of team
and pillow. IN word, it was a success.
TWO long main ditches were quickly made;
side bitches by u s.Dgle furroW; dams
built with stoue and sod, mixed with
willow boughs-the whole flashed in u
day. at cost not. to exceeds even or eight
dollars, and fifteen acres Of meadow land
| irrigated, as near as we could estimate.
This work. that was. done in day, is per-
manent, and will last for years, with but
very little expense; but every week
through May and June of each year the
main bitches should be looked over, to see
that the water is- being turned out at: the
proper places to flow the meadow. This is
a mere chorc, and u very pleasant one at
thut, and soon learned. The main bitches
should have bu: slight fall, and the sue
ditctes always lead out on The higher
grounds, as the lower places will take care
OF themselves The whole thing is simple,
quick learned, and but small cost, and the
! best-paying labor done on farm. We be-
| lcye that $50 would not put the hay IN
the barn this year that this days work did.
| Country Gentleman.