Morning journal and courier., 1885-07-29
Experiments In Irrigation

A year ago there were remarkable stories current of experiments in subterranean 1rrl- gation by A. N. Cole of Wellesville, western New York. MT. Cole claimed to have made discovery which was to revolutionize agri- culture, and obtained patent upon it. A few days since a party of 100 people visited MT. Coles house upon invitation to witness the results of the operations upon an experi- mental plot of something over two acres. Ths party were first shown a patch of straw berries containing nearly two acres. The fruit, says a correspondent of the New York Tribune, was of astonishing size, and grew in great abundance. While live in straw berry country, and am myself strawberry grower, I cannot remember when have seen so fine display of strawberries growing upon the vines as I saw here. There were, how ever, evidences of high culture. Adjoining the strawberries were growing different kinds of garden crops, also entrants, rasp- berries, blackberries, potatoes and few fruit trees. At one point where the ground was terraced I noticed growing on ragged edge row of onions l called attention to the fact that while these onions were on the very brink there was no indication of their being disturbed by washing of the soil as might have been expected in such position. In fact everything showed that in no place
 
 dinarily, to the detriment of anything grow ing thereon, as the water passed into the drains underlying.
 We were next shown trecnhes in which men were digging. These trenches run hori- zontally across the slope at depth of from five to six feet, the distance apart depending on the quantity of stone removed from the soil in digging, as MT. Cole depends entirely upon the coal secured in this way. First there are placed in the bottom of the trench es about eighteen inches in depth of round stone, averaging from six to eight inches in diameter This is covered with from four to six inches of small fiat stone, over which are thrown the smaller stones which are found in excavating, then covering of straw, then earth to a common level. I should judge the trenches on MT. Coles farm were about twenty feet apart. These main trenches have no outlets like the ordinary drains as | they are designed as reservoirs for the sur I plus water soaks into them from the surface. 1 The trenches are connected throughout the | field by shallow drains leading from the up | per to the lower trenches continuously, un- l til the last cross drain discharges the sur | plus water into the highway gutter. The l cross drains are made smaller than the main | trenches and are simply deep enough to es cape being disturbed by the blow. They | are never so deep within two or three feet
 as the main trenches from which and te
 which they are laid. The surface water goes l into the main trench, which retains it unti full enough to discharge into the next lower
 trench, through the shallow laterals, or un
 til it is absorbed by the growing plants
 This is the foundation of the new agricul | ture.
 MT. Cole claims the following desirable re
 suits from his new methods: Q) The soil i
 thoroughly drained, thus rendering an earlie
 and later growth of plants possible, tn
 growing season being shortened to 30 days (2) All surface water is avoided, as the wate
 descends to the trenches immediately upol
 falling, and the subsoil is softened. G.
 There is little, if any, freezing during tn
 severest winter, therefore no loss by heavin
 of frost. (4.) There is permanent suppl
 of moisture ready to be taken up by plan
 growth as fast as it is needed. That there | permanent supply he shows from the fac
 that the lowest cross-dam discharging pun | stream of water in the dry season. Thu
 from the dry and barren hillside come pei
 petual streams and abundant verdure. NJ
 Cole estimates that it has cost him $500 pe | acre to make his model of about two acres (
 irrigated soil, and that each acre thus in
 proved is worth $5, ,00O. He claims it ma pay large dividends on such investment
 owing to the increased yield thus secured He thinks he can grow ten tons of hay pt acre, 300 bushels of strawberries, 200 or 3t I bushels of black raspberries and other croI I to correspond, and that the size of the fru , will secure more than ordinary prices. The correspondent of the Tribune was asl . ed on every hand, "What do you think this New Agricultures' I reply frank ! that, while I consider MT. Cole claims t, , l much, there appears to be in it much that novel and useful. Others who try simil a experiments in different soils and locatio 1 may not be able to obtain as good results n do not doubt that an acre of ground can . | made to yield an increased harvest by t -- new method, but whether it is paying i e vestment is another question, and would C l. pend upon circumstances. For high g g dening, near large cities, where the subs . is tenacious, it would doubtless be prof
 able. For general field culture of comm -e farm crops, should hesitate to recomme 5, it until had investigated further, owing r. the great expense to be incurred.