The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-22
IRRIGATION IN THE EAST.
Results of Experiments Carried on
In New .Jeraey

In New jersey.
The Office of Experiment Stations Of the
United States DEPARTMENT of Agriculture
will soon issue bulletin No. 81, entitled
Irrigation in New Jersey" 1t was pre-
pared by Prof. B. Voorhees,. of the New
Jersey Experiment Station, and describes
his experimef1tsIn irrigation for 1899.
IL is generally thought that the neces-
sity for irrigation in the United States
exists only in the region west OF the Mis-
sissippi River. but repeated crop failures
IN the East and successful farming in the
west nave called attention to the import
ance OF controlling the moisture Of soils
rather than accepting the conditions as
they exist Prof Voorhees, estimates the
loss to the hay crop of New Jersey from
the drought In May and early June, 1899,
at 81 100000. while small fruits and veg
etapies were even more seriously affected.
10 show the frequecy Of such dfoughts
as that of 1899. the bulletin cites the rain
fall records Of Philadelphia: 1.-The rain
fall records in Philadelphia from 1925 to
1888, seventy years, show that In IS per
cent Of the years 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 sea-
son from April to August In which such
q marked deficiency occurred as to cause
a serious shortage of crop. and that for
the same period there were thirty-nine
years in which the deficiency extended
throughout two months, while in twenty
one years it extended throughout three
months, or in 30 per cent of the years
included in this record there were three
months during the growing period in
which the average rainfall was deficient
one inch or more.
1T is thus observed that wide series
Of crops would be likely to suffer in more
than one-half Of the years for which the
record is available. while still larger
number would suffer in nearly one-third
of the years, for 1t must be remembered
that even slight deficiency In one month
may result in serious reduction in yield
and consequent loss Of it occurs at time
when the crop is making its largest de-
velopment."
The experiments conducted by Prof.
Voorhees, and reported In this bulletin were
for the purpose of determining wheth-
er irrigation during these short periods Of
drought would result in sufficient increase
Of yield to pay for the works necessary
to obtain the supply of water. The tests
were made on small fruits. Careful rec
ords were kept Of the yields OF plats which
received identical treatment, except that
some were irrigated and other were not.
The yields Of the irrigated plats over
and above those not irrigated were as fol-
lows: Blackberries, 1O3s quarts per acre,
worth s93.42; raspberries, 1929 quarts per
acre. worth $3.50; currants. S52 quarts
per acre. worth $500. The increase in
yield would not be so marked every year
as in 1899. as the drought of that year was
exceptional.
The bulletin contains detailed descrip-
tons and statements of cost for a num-
Der Of small irrigation plants in New Jer-
sey. All OF these were pumping plants.
The cost of plants large enough to supply
ten acres Of 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 are all salts
fed that their installation has been very
profitable. ard in nearly every instance
have stated kf.at they have made the cost
OF the plant In the increased crops the
first year.
cerned. New Jersey may be considered
typical OF the whole eastern half of the
United States. Judging from the results
reported in this bulletin. there is no ques-
ton but that irrigation for fruits and
market gardens, even In regions of album
dant rainfall. is a profitable undertaking.
The work in New Jersey is part :of an
Investigation of the problems Of irriga-
tion now being carried on by the office
OF experiment stations in different regions
OF the United States. Owing to the great
er Importance of irrigation In the West.
where farming Is impossible without Its
aid. the greater part Of the work is being
done there. Cheyenne, Wyo., being its
headquarters. The results In New Jersey
show that no agent of agriculture or hor-
ticulture is more effective than water.
applied when needed. and that the East
ern farmer can well afford to pay more
attention to the subject