New-York tribune., 1885-07-14
THE NEW AGRICULTURE.
MR. COLES EXPERIMENT ArwELLsyrLLR
suBrrRRANEAs RaIoArros-MKrHoDs AND pE

|
the Genesee Valley among promising grain fields.
fragrant meadows and shady pastures, and an.
other hour along the southern tier bring me to a
prosperous. hill-girt village, lying like speckled
| egg In a birds nest. In this pretty village OF
Welsville is the home of Mr. A. n. Cole, tho vet.
'eran editor and horticultural experimenter His
residence is situated on eastern slope command
| ing views of the village and surrounding country.
| found here company Of about 100 gentlemen
ministers, politicians, physicians, the press and
neighbors who like THE TRIBUSE correspondent.
had been invited to witness the results of
" The New Agriculture" as Dir. Cole has named
his new method Of irrigation. Mr. Coe
expressed dis pleasure at seeing The Tribune rep
resented, and remarked that it was Horace Greeley
who gave him his first insight INTO this method Of
agriculture, by relating the pcculiaritics of sec.
ton of country in California. Near Los Angeles
river disappeared from view and followed a sub
terranean for distance of twenty-five miles
on an average of twenty feet below the surface Of
the soil. The land surrounding this portion OF
country was desert; but that Immediately over
the subterralcan river was covered with lnxuraut
vegetation He also spoke Of a similar mysterious
disappearance of q river in the Mcsa Valley New.
Mexico Ii was the knowledge OF these lost rivers
he said, that gave birth TO the ideas which have
grown into the New Agriculture. In speaking of
II
Greeley mentioned the fact that vegetables and
trees growing there, sent their roots down until
they reached the river water beneath Mr.. Cole
says that Professor Roberts, of Ithaca, has told
him that he has traced red clover roots to depth
of eighteen feet, that growing in bed Of
gravel everything water
Mr. Cole has been stadying irrigation since he was
seventeen years old, but his present system flashed
upon him within the past few years. He has not
yet extended bis working model over more than two
TO three acres. shall attempt to explain what
saw, and to state the claims Of Mr.. Cole clearly
as can, considering brief and frequently inter.
rupted conversation.
We were first shown patch Of straw berries con-
tanning nearly two acres. These plants were grown
in hills about eighteen inches apart each way.
mnched with forest leaves. literally fertilized with
ard manure and irrigated after the method
was told by the former owner of the hillside that
when he sold it TO Mr. Cole it an unproductiye
piece of ground. Tie soil proper was not over
ten or twelve inches deep and rested uDon
tenacious claysy bard-pan, which was
impervious to water. He said the frosts acted 50
seriously upon this soil, on account of the surplus
water not being able TO escape through the subsoi
that it was almost impossible to keep plants alive
in it during winter. Eyen the fence posts would
be thrown out by the frost In a very short time.
A prominent contractor who was walk
ing by my side at the time, said
that all that section of the country wasundef-
laid by this peculiar subsoil, which a great draw.
back to plant growth. was also informed by tas
same gentleman that this part of AlIegany County
was not favorable for strawberry growing or other
fruit except apples and that the supply Of small
fruits is received largely from other sections. Mr.
Colo has planted numerous varieties vt straw
berries upon his side hill, among which
| recognized the Bidwell. Sharpless aud
other familiar varieties The fruit was of aston
ishing size and grew in great abundance. While
live in strawberry country, and am myself .
strawberry grower. l cannot remember when l
have seen 80 fine display of Strawberries growing
upon the vines as l saw here. There were, how
ever evidences of high culture. A gentleman by
my side echoed my sentiments by remarklng that
we could increase the size of fruits in our own
gardens by such thorough cultivation this. 10
gretted that Mr.. Cole did not have plot Of straw.
berries growing near by which did not receive any
benefit from his method of irrigation, for then We
could have compared results Adjoining the straw
berries were growing different kinds of garden
crops, also currants. raspberries. blackber-
ries potatoes and few fruit trees. At
one point. where the ground was ter.
raced, l noticed, growing on the ragged edge
row of onions called attention to the fact that
| while these onions were on the very brink, there
was no indication of their being disturbed by wash
ing of the soil, as might have been expected u
such position In fact everything showed that N
no place had the rainfall run down the surface =
ordinarily, to the detrment of anything growing
thereon as the water passed into the drains under.
lying.
We were next shown trenches in which men wsre
digging These trenches run horizontally across
the slope at depth of from to feet, tho distance
apart depending on the quantity of stone removed
from the soil in digging, Mr.. Cole depends en-
trely upon the stone secured in this way First
there are placed In the bottom of the trenches
about 15 inches la depth of round stone
averaging from @ to inches in diameter.
This IS covered with from to @ inches OF
small fat store, which are thrown the smaller
stones which are found In excavating, then GOV.
ering of straw, then earth to common level.
should Judge the trenches on Mr.. Coles farm were
about twenty feet apart These main trenches have
no outlets like ordinary drains, as they are d.
signed as reservoirs for the surplus water that
soaks into them from the surface. The trenches
arc connected throughout the field by shallow
drains leading from the upper TO the lower trcuchs
continuously, until the last drain discharges
the surplus water into the highway gutter Ih
cross drains are made smaller than the main
trenches and are simply deep enough to escape
being disturbed bv the plough. They are never ~
Deep within two three feet, as the main trenches
from which and to which they are laid. lhs
surface water goes into the main trench which n.
| tains 1t until full enough to discharge into tne
| next lower trench, through the shallow lateras
| until il is absorbed by the growing plants. rms
| the foundation of the New Agriculture. -,
Mr. Cole claims the following desirable resu,u
| from his new method: a. The soil is Thoroughly
drained, thus rendering earlier and later grown
of plants possible the growing season being lengtf
eued thirty days (2.l All surface water is ayodes.
| as the water descends to tine trenches immediately
upon falling. and the subsoil is softened 3l ihew
| is but little, if any, freezing during the sevcre*
| Inv heny