The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-03

farmers who pay very low prices must run
the risk oil getting poor goods. 1t is
cheaper In the end to patronse nursery
men whose price-lists are such as to war
rant them ip taking pains to take up
plants with care and pack properly
Mr.. Curtis, while agreeing with Mr.. Full
Ter, was inclined to the opinion that owing
to the pressure of business in the hurry
ing season, the nursery hands not unfre-
quently are too hasty in removing stock /;
nevertheless, he believed that scarcely one
farmer In ten knows how to set tree
Mr.. Ely detailed an experience with forty
pear trees, purchased of Ellwanger &
Barry. They laid some weeks in Albany
still longer in New York, and when hhey
reached his place at Norwalk, Conn.,, the
leaves were two inches long. They were
set out with care, aud 10 ten days the leaves
all turned brown and fell off. A month
later they started fresh again, and now
five years later every tree is alive and
vigorous. He mentioned this circumstance
to show that when properly packed trees
will endure hardships at the hands of ex-
pressmen and still live.
IRRIGATION IN CALIFORNIA.
W. S. Powell, Visalia, Tulare County,
Cal: Having large practical experience
in irrigation and constructing canals for the
same in this State, where the science of irri-
cation is better understood than in any
other portion of the Union, I purpose Civ
ing some conclusions drawn from sixteen
years observation of the practice and re-
suits Of artificial irrigation
/. Construct your main ditch from the
source of water supply to the land to be
irrigated sufficiently large to carry all the
water you want, giving it a grade of not
less than eighteen inches nor more than
six feet to the mile, depending upon the
size of the ditch and the soil through which
truns.
2. Construct your lateral bitches so as
to command the highest part of your land,
for it is maxim in this business that if
you thoroughly irrigate the high places
the low ones will take care of themselves.
8. When you irrigate do it thoroughly !;
wet the ground at least eighteen inches
deep.
4. After irrigation, always Except it be
grass or grain land) stir the surface-soil as
soon as its condition will permit. This is
imperative if you wish to enjoy the full
benefit of irrigation and enrich your land
every time you water it.
s.. Don't irrigate too much thorough
wetting every three weeks, where there is
no rainfall, is amply sufficient. Too much
irrigating causes spindling, unhealthy
growth.
8. For gardens, small fruits, &C., irrigate
under the surface by means of covered
tiles or boxes, and You will see growth
on poor soil that will far surpass the
growth on the richest land unirrigated. /
have been experimenting the last five
years on this peculiar system Of irrigation
Tor gardens and small fruits, and know it
to be a thorough success. Any person
having small piece of land and the COM
mand of little water can have a GER
tainty of a crop and bid defiance to the
seasons.
DR.. Trimble--Important observation
that about stirring the surface. The best
farmers in Pennsylvania don't use plough
often in corn, but cultivate soon after
each rain.