The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-01-08
THE NEW AGgICuLTUnE.
Universal Sab-Irrigation Only Lit
tie Way on.

tie way bH.
New York saa.
The Stua was the first paper in the
world 10 take the responsibility OF de-
claring that irrigation is to become all
peryading. and that not a decade is
likely TO pass before tillers Of the soil
will be everywhere irrigating their
lands. None will think OF attempting
to- farm It without doing so, ana sub
irrigation at that Mr.. A. n Cole. of
Wellsvilie, Allegheny county. writes
10 say that letters from all parts Of the
United States continue 10 reach him
making inquiries touching what
he terms his new agri-
culture" Mr. Coles system is at
tracing attention in every country OF
the world, since il does not call for
springs, streams, ponds or lakes, but
wherever his methods are applied
these make an appearance, and when
they come they come to stay. Wher-
ever dews distil rains descend, SHOWS
fall, and ice melts along the mountain
sides, there Is NJ. Cole at home with
his magic wand Of Sub-irrigation.
10 is only four years since NJ. Cole
nppeared before the American public
with his theories for a system of all
pervading irrigation. So revolution
AIRY and startling were his theories,
that not an agricultural journal nor
an agricultural writer could at first be
fosnd, outside Of the HBsJdadmda of
Elmira. y. Y, W. A. Armstrong,
editor, to take a position by his side.
Nov. however, scarcely q newspaper
arsf nj, f.n
tally since the sun opened its columns
to this all-important subject. which
has not made more or less mention of
il; while scarce public speaker dis
coursIng on issues connected with
agriculture and horticulture, holds
back from expressing an opinion upon
it.
Most emphatic OF these utterances
are those Of Col. IL. W. Wilson, in u
recent address before the Massachu-
sets horticultural Society, as fol-
lows
About 5000 gallons of water are
ordinarily required to give an acre of
land proper saluratiun, and no irri-
Cation can be at all satisfactory which
attempts 10 do any less, A the gar
dcner has often observed, both in the
greenhouse and the garden, a slight
watering proves only an aggravation.
and otteBtimes an injury, while the
only benefit is derived from Il thorough
drcnching, su In our climate, with or
binary soils such as are fousd 90 be
advautageouSly cultivated, il will rs-
quirc about two inches in depth, over
the entire surface, - make useful If
rigation Of almost any crop. THIS,
with what will be lost by leakage and
evaporation, viii amount 10 50,W9
gallons
For vegetables aud small fruits the
value of water would be greatly in
creased in dry years. while for straw
berries the benefit would be greater
than anything Of which culiiyatOrs
have hitherto dreamed. Drouth * the
constant dread of the strawberry
grower, as the strawberry is a thirsty
plant and seldom gets water enough.
"Oi sub-irrisatiou. one great advan-
tagc Of this method is that il avoids
the enormous evaporation and conse-
queut loss OF heat and moisture suS-
tanned whenever the surface Of the
ground is moisteued in summer. II
has been successfully used on q big
scale in California.
1t is very evident from common eX-
pcrience that injurious drouchts are
increasing in frequency. and the care
full consideration of the subject will de-
vclop the following simple hut signifi-
cant truths:
That, whatever the cause Of this
deficiency OF moisture, whether from
the destruction OF the forests or not.
the simpieS; and cheapest remedy at
the hands OF thea riculurist is irrica-
ton.
That whenever a supply OF water
can be obtained, the cost III pumping
ID sill not exceed three cents per 1900
gallons Toy an amount OF. 49, Al gallons
per day pumpri 90 a height of 30 feet
above the surface ol the water. which
cost Viii include the necessary repairs
and depreciation and interest on the
cost oi tAF urcr- arv fixtures and res
c-,Nir, This is less than Cnc-sixth the
qri.s charged 1y the a.ty 81 Boston Tor
uIs.rrf water. ami considerably less
than she N-i-r charged for irrigation
Ia asp place where the present genera
ton has Constructed the works and
v'rN, TO make them pax a rcWuuera-
tive income.
That huulI e brook or spring not
Dc available. there arr but ieW places
whore an adequate supply may uot lie
obtained by stalking wells
That the cost and Arrangement nf
the work WIZ vary So much with the
different locations and circumstance
nat 40 ~ehe .uir al cost can be given
bat She eases vii be rare where 800
a. SiU0. directly expended. Mil no,
furnish ample water for the irrigation
az IS acres o. tilace land
Thai the preservation 81 q single
cgop 3u a wear ut unusual 9ruuch.
would reimburse tire hole expense.
That the positive assurance az iul-
mlnity from the effects ~ drought
should indurr all cgitlystor, 20 sevsre
AI oacc the means 81 irrigating their
isua q possible
That, besides the Sreavity AFFORDED
lr the csse 81 40 excessive draoghi il
VIII be found that waser can Dc used
very rTuatahy lea almost ANY season
w.ti q great variety ot crops"