The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-20
IRRr0ArfoN nv cALrr0RNIA.
A Farmers Account Of How he Doubled his
Crops-'rbe PROFIT Of the system.

Nv first experience in irrigation in Cali
fnrnia that gave rlsc TO the Idea OF rrgatinR be-
fore planting the crop was ~ ~ ana occurreq s
wear patch OF potatoes, when nnlsheu pl,lnu,
ing about the last OF June. there still remained
In my enclosure about three acres IMPROVED ana
covered with grass | had some potato seed
left which was anxious to plant. TOOK tno
grass OF part of the three acres and wet 10
thorourhIytthe water being handy and powed u
deep and planted In every third furroW as
plowed the second time. Dnished planting
Having still a small lot Of inferior seed left,
l. determined to plant II upon the remaining
plished 10y pursuing the same course as did
with the piece planted in July, and finished
planting about the middle Of August.
Frost was late that year, and al the paintings
did we'll Those planted In June upon the land
prepared before the winter rains dried out,
yielded the most per acre. Those planted In
July yielded larger, smoother and better favored
potatoes than the frst planting. Those planted
those planted In July, but yielded less.
1t may be observed II 1t had not been for the
water ! could not have planted the last two
land was dry and hard. Potatoes brought "a
high a. sixteen cents pound That year. The
second experiment worthy OF mention under
this to mel new idea was during the memorable
dry year of 1851. In the month Of June. after
all hopes Of any further rains had ceased, cast
about for piece Of land suitable to raise lat e
potatoes upon, that could irriRate. found u
at Vallejo Mil now Niles station, Alameda
county The land was IN possession OF some
Portuguese with "A crop of barley upon II ready
for the mower. | rented the lands OF the agent
for S3JD per acre for the balance OF the year,
and bought out the possession Of the P0rtu-
gucse, they removing their crops then upon the
land and | also rented OF Jose Jesus Vallejo
the right To use the waters of Alameda creek
when not wanted for the use Of his mill. ! thus
obtained the possession Of 100 acres OF land
suitable for my purpose and u limited supply of
water for wetting IL.
Being Joined In my enterprise by my brother,
William Y. Homer. about this time, we COM
menced work upon the bitches soon after the
lst Of June. aud by the middle OF the month we
were planting potatoes, and continued to plant
up to the middle OF August. After this we
sOwed some barley We also set out upon the
la acres several thousand cabbage plants in the
month Of July.
All Of the crop did well, and the gross pro
ceeds OF the venture was near SlO.uVO We did
no irrigating after the crops were planted
excepting some ~ the cabbage.
We wet the land thoroughly and followed
with the breaking pillow three days after the
wetting. and 10y narrowing immediately after
| the plowng the land WAS put In good condition.
We planted In every third furrOw at the second
| Flowing and a. soon after the breaking as cir
cumstances would permit.
Thus by the use OF water the two crops were
taken from the land the same season. and the
| last worth many times more than the first. The
first cr'.i would have been quadrupled in value
had " ~ tier irrigation been applied 10y wettinp
| the land before sowing and the last crop would
| In all probability have been increased In guam
| tity by the operation. a. then the land having
been nled with water few months before. less
would have been required to oil 1t for the SECOND
| crop, and the bitches required for the first wet
| ting could have been made partially availabl,
for the wetting for the second crop. III ",
| could have been thus assisted. our labors would
| have been shortened Al least twenty days. which
| would have materially increased the yield O
! POTATOES. IA those planted the last three weeks
and the poor quality Of the seed at that late
/ period.