The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-10-21
IRRIGATION IN THE EAST.
RESULTS or EXPERIMENTS CARRIED
OS ~ NEW JERSEY.
IrrisaunE Plant. would PAY by Giving In
creased Yields 60 Eastern farmcrs-sI,-
500 Lost In One Hay Crop BY Drought
Statistics Of the Uncertainty Of Rain.

Statistics Of the Uncertainty Of Rain.
WASHINGTON. oct. IS. -The ONCE Of Expert
meat stations Of the United States Department
OF Agriculture will soon issue Bulletin No. ~.
entitled Irrigation in New Jersey" II was
prepared by Prof. T.. Is Voorhees, Of the New
Jersey Experiment station aud describes his
experiments In irrigation tor 1893.
It is generally thought that the Necessity
for irrigation In the United States exists only
In the region west of the Mississippi River.
but repeated crop failure. In the Fast and Sic
cessful farming in the West have called atten-
ton Ia the importance Of controlling the moist
ure Of soils rather than accepting the cOndi-
tions a. they exist. Prof Voorhees, cstimates
the loss to the hay crop Of New Jersey from
the drought In May and early June, 1899. at
81 .5O0.O OD. while small fruits and vegetables
were even more seriously affected
To show the frequency of such drought- a.
that Of 1899. the bulletin cites the rainfall records
Of Philadelphia. The rainfall records in Phila-
delphia from 1925 Ia 1895. seventy years, show
that In * per cent. ~ the ysirs there was a
deficiency Of over one inch for one month. or
that in sixty-two years out Of the seventy there
was one month In the growing season from
April 20 August IN which such a marked def
cheney occurred IA to cause a serious shortage
Of crop. and that for the same period there
we're thirty-nine years In which the deficiency
extended throughout TWO months, while In
twenty-one years II extended throughout three
months. or in 80 per cent. OF the years included
In this record there were three months during
the growing period Ia which the average rain
fall was deficient one inch or more.
1T Is thus observed that a wide series Of
crops would be likely to suffer In more than
one-half Of the years for which the record II
available. while a still larger number would
suffer In nearly one-third II the years, for II
must be remembered that even a slight de-
nclcncy in one month may result IN serious
reduction In yield and consequent loss II il
occurs at a time when the crop is making it,
largest development.
The experiments conducted by Prof Voor-
hees and reported in rhi- bulletin were for the
purpose Of determining whether irrigation
during these short periods Of drouth would
result Ia sufficient increase OF yield TO pay for
the works necessary to obtain the supply Of
water The tests were made on mail fruits.
Careful records were kept Of the Yields Of platS
witch received Identical treatment. except
that some were irrigated and Others were not.
The Yields OF the irrigated plats over and
above those not irrigated were "a follows
Blackberrie'. Logs quarts per acre, worth
SOS u, rispberries. 800 quarts per acre. worth
s32 20 c%urrants, s52 quarts, per acre worth
SIS ~. The increase In yield would not be so
marked every year as in 1899. as the drouth OF
that year was exceptional.
The bulletin contains detailed descriptions
and statements Of cost for u number ~ small
irrigation plants In New Jersey. All ~ these
ure pumping plants. The cost Of plants large
enough 20 supply ten acres ~ small fruits and
garden crops has varied from $3.50 To 500.
Records Of the returns from these plants have
not been kept. but the owners ara all satisfied
that their installation has been very profitable.
and in nearly every Instance have stated that
they have made the cost ~ the plant In the
increased crops the first year.
SO far Ms climatic conditions are concerned.
New Jersey may he considered typical Of the
whole eastern half ~ the United States JudR-
ing from the results reported In this bulletin
there IL no question but that irrigation for
fruits and market gardens even in regions
Of abunditnt rainfall. IL IA profitable undertaking.
The work in New jersey Il II part Of an in
vpetigAtinn ~ the problems ~ irrigation now
being carried on nv the once Of Experiment
Stations in different regions NJ the United
States. Owing To the greater importance NJ
irrigation in the West, where faming is i'm
possible without It's aid. the greater part NJ the
work is being done there CHEYENNE. Wvo., |
being its headquarters. The results IN New |
Jersey show that no agent ~ agriculture or |
horticulture is more effective than water, |
applied when needed. and that the Eastern
can well AFFORD TO pay more attention
10 the subject. !