Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-08-25
agricultural.


4 fertilizer of great value to the farmer
brun, in our rocks and we do not doubt
that it might be available to a far greater
extent than it is. If part of the water
from any of the small brooks which make
their way down through the numerous
valleys of th. hilly rr@'on, should be
turned aside in the spring and made to
run along the upper side of Il field OF
grass with small outlets along its course,
even though the brook should entirely dry
up during the summer, the change in the
quality of grass thus irrigated, would be
surprising To one who never saw the cX-
pertinent tried. The following article on
this subject, from the Boston J0urnN Of
tHe1uiSty4, we would commend us well
worthy of pcrll~al:
One Of the most serious Osbtacles en-
cOuntcred bv husbandmen in this country
is drought. In our excessively hot sum
mcrs there is usually Il great deficiency OF
rain. There are but few who practice
irrigation, although many farmers have
facilities for retaining water and turning
streams upon their lands when 4 pirchcd
drought prevails.
There i not the slightest doubt that
irrigation might he carried on much more
extensively than it Is, and that, too. with
profit. Our country is intcrscctcd with a
network of streams and rivulct>, and only
the skill of man is needed To turn the
water to useful purpose. The amonnt
of water. however required TO irrirltc IN
acre Of ground in the hot summer months
when rain has been withheld for several
weeks, Is enormous. If the mean, OF
irrig itiOn are ut hand, it is not we'll to
4 l. l,.,E
water i, let on, As in this case the advan-
tagcs are in a measure lost, and the labor
greatly increased. We have had some
experience in irrigating vines. and III 5
experience leads us to suggest that nc
more than two or three days should elapsC
If er Il rain before water is allowed to flow
in moderate quantities, and two days Later
more should he applied. The intervals
should not exceed two days in hot weather
AMI. bv this management the earth i
kept in retentivc and absorptive condi
ton, and plants flourish luXurlantly.
The plan usually adopted in watering
plants, flowers, etc, is erroneous. mas
much rs the interval between the rain and
the Watering pot is too extended. If one
has valuable plants out of doors i'll sum
mcr time, which it is desirable to nouriS}
ana sustain against trOuGnt, II Is ID Tier u
assume ut once that drought is certain
rather than to wait for rain, through DAYS
and weeks, or months. In u day or tive
after Il rain, watering should commence
and the amount applied need not be large.
If the practice i continued every other
day, the plants will at no time suffer from
either redundancy or want of water, and
if the rainfall is scanty. the plants cannot
suffer H. they will if watering is only res
ortrd to when it i absolutely necessary to
sustain life
Water is not alone needed to supply
moisture to plants; it is required to rem
der soluble the food in the soil which they
consume. The most complex vital changes
20 ON i'll the soil and in the plant under
the influence of water, and if it is withheld
for considerable time check is expert
cnced which no subsequent supply can
remedy.
Irrigation iced not necessarily be IN
expensive undertaking. fla stream can b:
secured ut an altitude, so that gravity will
cause it to flow into Il cultivated field the
Labor of turning ii from it, toned
channel may not be great. The subject i
worthy the attention of farmers. and W,
hope many mountain or hill side stream
will be made in the future to add to the
crops on farms in all the sections of oul
country. BoSt0H JOurHul Of tHontiStrV.