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THE NEW AGRICULTURE: 
 
 OR. 
 
 THE WATERS LED CAPTIVE. 
 
 BY 
 
 / 
 
 J^. 1<T. OOLiE. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 1885. 
 
 THE AMERICAN ANGLER. 
 
 NEW YORK. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1885, by 
 
 WILLIAM C. HARRIS, 
 in the office of the Librarian of Congress, ^.t Washington. 
 
 - '4J 
 
 1/ 
 
DEDICATION". 
 
 This volume is respectfully dedicated to Dr. J. H. Vincent, of Plainfield, New Jersey. 
 
 A. N. COLE. 
 Home on the Hillside, N. Y., October 1st, 1885. 
 
PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT. 
 
 In announcing the publication of this book the publishers would 
 state that the claims of the author in behalf of his discoveries and 
 methods seemed, when first presented to our attention, well nigh 
 incredible. It was not until after a personal examination, at the 
 "Home on the Hillside," of Mr. Cole's system of cultivation and an 
 inspection of some of the wonderful resultant products, that we 
 became thoroughly convinced that he has practically substantiated 
 the claims set forth in this volume. 
 
 He could not have selected a more unpromising piece of land for 
 testing the merits of " The New Agriculture." It was a steep and 
 sterile hillside of Allegany hardpan, thinly covered with a soil, 
 which was surface-washed and gullied by heavy rains and sun-baked 
 in dry weather. 
 
 His system of culture based upon underground irrigation and 
 fertilization maintained constantly and uniformly the year around 
 by means of his own devising, after thirty years of investigation 
 and study, has transferred this waste of ground, which nobody 
 thought could be made profitably productive, into, comparatively 
 speaking, a Garden of Eden. He simply makes " The New Agri- 
 culture " a willing Handmaid to Nature. He gathers and conserves 
 in his trenches or subterranean reservoirs all the waters from dews, 
 rains and melting snows, which, after equable filtration through 
 the soil, are released at the foot of the slope in a never-failing stream 
 of pure water at spring temperature. It would seem that not more 
 than one-fifth of this fertilizing moisture is absorbed by a maximum 
 crop. Fungus, that deadly foe to root growth, is completely elim- 
 inated. Drouth is forestalled and the ground in winter no more 
 
freezes than around a natural spring. The producing season in 
 that latitude is elongated from forty to sixty days. 
 
 As to the exjjense of the new tillage, the improvement of the land 
 in productiveness and the economies of the system in all ways, largely 
 dispensing with the cost of jDlowing, sjDading and weeding and the use 
 of expensive manures, turn every dollar of outlay into five at least 
 in a short sjjace of time. In a word, the roots of trees, shrubs 
 and plants are constantly supplied, but never in surfeit, with the 
 amount of moisture needed for their healthy and raj^id growth and 
 for the perfect development of leaf, bud, flower and fruit. These 
 magnificent results are not, with us, matters of conjecture, nor have 
 they been accepted without personal and careful inspection at 
 Father Cole's " Home on the Hillside." 
 
 Wm. C. Harris. 
 
 H. H. Thompson. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 The Life of A. N. Cole. By Hon. John H. Selkreg 11-11 
 
 Chapter I. — The Discovery, Development and Publication of the New 
 
 Agriculture to the World 15- 81 
 
 Chapter II. — Circulation of Water on Land — The Wonderful Mesilla. . 82- 99 
 Chapter III. — Description of The New System — "Home on the Hill- 
 side " — The Hot Water System 100-110 
 
 Chapter IV. — Practical Kesults of the New System 111-131 
 
 Chaptbb Y, — The Influence of the New Agriculture upon the Health 
 OF Man and Domestic Animals — Communication from the 
 Hon. John Swinburne — Thk Bane of Fungus by Professor 
 
 C. K. Earley 135-170 
 
 Chapter VI. — Reclaiming the Great American Desert 171-178 
 
 Chapter VII. — The Expense of the New System 179-18C 
 
 ChapterVIII.— 1850— 1885. "The Home on the Hillside" Then and Now.. 189-206 
 Chapter IX. — Manuring under the New System — The American Pomolog- 
 ICAL Society — A Welcome for All at the "Home on the 
 Hillside" 207-223 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 pobtbait of the author frontispiece. 
 
 Basswood Cottage 23 
 
 "The Home on the Hillside " 46 
 
 The Old Apple Tree 63 
 
 Single Plum, natubal size 76 
 
 Qboup of Plums, natural size 85 
 
 diagbams of the new system 103 
 
 Thk Strawbkbrt Bouquet 125 
 
 Stbawberky, natural size 139 
 
 DiAGBAM OF Infected Stables and Outhouses 155 
 
 Gboup of Peas 175 
 
 Single Tomato Plant 181 
 
 Teellis of Tomatoes 187 
 
 Single Tomato, natural size 193 
 
 Specimens of Apples, natural size, from Old Apple Tree 199 
 
 Quince, natural size 209 
 
THE LIFE OF A. N. COLE. 
 
 The life of the author of this book has beeu an eventful one and into it has been crowded 
 far more than can be found in that of ordinary public men. Knowing this and deeming a 
 brief biographical sketch of Mr. Cole would be of interest to the general reader, the following 
 has been prepared from memorandums procured from him and from others who have held 
 intimate acquaintance with him during his life. 
 
 Asahel N. Cole was born on the 15th of October, 1821, in the town of Freedom, Cattaraugus 
 County, N. Y., and is therefore 64 years of age at date of the appearance of this volume. His 
 father, Daniel Cole, was a descendant from the family settling Cole's Hill, at Plymouth, Mass., 
 and his mother, of maiden name Joanna Williams, was a lineal descendant of Roger Williams, 
 of Rhode Island. 
 
 Enjoying a very retentive memory and possessed of an exceedingly active mind, it is not to 
 be wondered at that Mr. Cole has made his mark in political and other circles, and was con- 
 nected with large enterprises, which commenced by him were before completion appropriated 
 by others who enjoy the fruits of growth planted by his hand. 
 
 When but four and a half years old the father and mother of the author died. Thus thrown 
 upon his own resources, he early commenced the " battle of life," and even now when above 
 three score he has all the energy of youth and the fire of mature manhood in his nature. 
 
 He was adopted by foster parents residing at Pike, at that time part of Allegany, now Wyom- 
 ing Coiinty, N. Y. Up to the age of sixteen, when his foster father died, he had received the 
 barest elements of a common school education. Starting out he sought emiiloyment as best 
 he might in canvassing the state of Ohio for an agricultural and horticultural publication en- 
 titled the Buckeye PLOtrGHBOY, published at Cleveland. His early study of odd numbers of 
 this little monthly and Poor Richard's Almanac beyond doubt had much to do with the impor- 
 tant discoveries set forth in this volume. 
 
 The year 1839 was spent in Michigan, our author having by this time gained, through his 
 limited studies, sufficient knowledge to commence teaching school, which he continued 
 to do until the year 1814, and then deciding to abandon his plans of becoming a minister of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, for which he had prepared himself, he turned merchant and 
 lumberman, working hard in the woods for a livelihood. 
 
 Divisions in the Methodist Church, growing out of the issues of slavery and anti-slavery, 
 were the occasion of this new departure. Young Cole, interesting himself in politics, became 
 an ardent Free Soiler, and, having patrons in the persons of Gerrit Smith and James S. Wads- 
 worth, both large landowners in the timbered sections of Allegany County, his acquaintance 
 and agreement with them politically brought, not only the gentlemen above named but many 
 others, leaders of the free soil movement, to the side of a man from ten to twenty years 
 
12 LIFE OF A. N. COLE. 
 
 younger than themselves. AMien the revolutionary period of 1848 was reached, and A. N. Cole 
 was but twenty -seven years of age, he was better known by, and more closely linked with, 
 Joshua K. Giddings, Gerrit Smith, James S. Wadsworth, William H. Seward, Charles Sumner, 
 Salmon P. Chase, John P. Hale, John Van Bureu and others of like political affinities, than any 
 man of his age in America. 
 
 "What made him esi^eciallj- a most important factor in the politics of the period was his close 
 attachment to and alliance with Horace Greeley, whose acquaintance he formed so early as 
 1843. Mr. Cole became the trusted personal, private and confidential correspondent of this 
 great journalist, and thus remained to the close of Mr. Greeley's life in 1872. 
 
 In the meantime Mr. Cole had, so early as 1852, assisted by General James S. Wadsworth, es- 
 tablished the Genesee Valley Fkee Press as a Republican paper at his home in Allegany 
 County. In the columns of this, the pioneer Republican newspaper of the country, appeared 
 the first call for a convention to organize the Republican party. This convention met at 
 Friendshii5, N. Y., in May, 18.54, and dates the birth of the Republican party, though the town 
 iif Angelica, N. Y., succeeded in 1884 in establishing her birthright by showing that the first con- 
 vention called for nominating candidates convened at that jDlace about the middle of October, 
 1854. The celebration of the birth of the party took place at Angelica just before last fall's 
 (1884) election. A. N. Cole presided, having been for years acknowledged and recognized as the 
 Father of the Republican Party. 
 
 It is not however, in politics or public life where Mr. Cole has won his proudest laurels. 
 He never held but one important i^ublic trust, that of readjuster or reassessor of income taxes 
 in the Second district of Brooklyn for a period of about one year of the first term of President 
 Grant, receiving his appointment from Secretary Boutwell. Mr. Cole held court in revenue 
 cases with such energy, force and knowledge of the revenue laws as to gain his admittance to 
 practice in all the courts of the state, receiving his diiiloma at a general term of court held at 
 Poughkeepsie in May, 1868, Before this, however, he had been waited upon by the solid New 
 York delegation of Republican Senators and Members of Congress from the State of New York 
 for appointment to the office of Internal Revenue Supervisor for the Metropolitan District, but 
 Pi-esident Johnson interposing objections the Hon. Silas B. Dutcher received the appointment. 
 
 Vp to this period Mr. Cole had only been known as a journalist of wide influence, but he had 
 also won laurels without number at Albany for his advocacy of measures for improvement of 
 the cities of New York and Brooklyn, and as early as 1877 saw carried through the experiment 
 in Greenwich Street testing the question of practicability of the elevated railroad system as 
 now in operation in the metropolis. General John A. Dix and the Hon. S. L. M. Barlow, asso- 
 ciated with others, employed Mr. Cole as advocate and attorney, breaking the powerful combi- 
 nations of opposing interests to the system of rapid transit now existing. 
 
 The energy and earnestness of Mr. Cole up to this period had produced a marked impression 
 on the public, and he was recognized as the trusted and confidential friend of the highest officials 
 iu national and state governments. He was selected to have charge of the bill reorganizing the 
 Erie Railway, which when jierfected and passed saved that great work from wreck and ruiu. 
 
 Governor Cornell in 1880 signed the bill granting to a company to be organized, the aban- 
 doned Genesee Valley Canal for railroad purposes. This achievement came of seven 
 
LIFE or A. X. COLE. 13 
 
 yearB of persistent labor on the part of Mr. Cole, saying to the population of the Gene- 
 see Valley a magnificent property otherwise lost. The syndicate finally securing the grant, 
 mortgaged it for two millions of dollars, while the solitary individual (A. N. Cole) who practi- 
 cally did the work secured a merest fraction of the amount for labor and expense in sacuring 
 the grant. Twice in his life the author of the New Agriculture, worked down and out, has 
 succumbed for a few months at a time, and his work has seemed at an end, the tax upon his 
 energies being such as to apparently break him down. 
 
 About four years ago his neighbors were astonished by the growth of fruits and vegetables 
 of marvelous size, beauty, profusion and perfection upon his grounds. He was understood at 
 first as making experiments in under drainage, nor did his nearest neighbors and most inti- 
 mate friends have an intelligent conception of the methods under which he was proceeding — 
 those of subsurface, subterranean or underground irrigation, better known as " The New Agri- 
 culture." 
 
 And so it is that, to a man who never had to exceed three years of education at school, has 
 been left the discovery of the fundamental laws governing the movements of the waters upon 
 and beneath the soil, which the writer of this brief biography, the publishers of this volume 
 and many others who have visited "The Home on the Hillside" unite in believing will effect 
 a revolution in the present systems of agriculture. J. H. Sei-kbeo. 
 
 IxHACA, N. Y., October 15, 1885. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE DISCOVERY, DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLICATION OF " THE NEW AGRICULTURE 
 
 TO THE WORLD, 
 
 That there is a divinity shaping the ends of mortals, the author 
 of this volume deems a certainty. In no other way is it possible to 
 account for the inevitable. Solomon had it right when he said : 
 " There is a time for all things under the sun." The time would 
 seem to have come when the waters may be so controlled, as to 
 pass them through soils, rather than allow them, as hitherto, to find 
 their way from summits to plains and valleys along their surfaces. 
 What has been done by the individual in this respect, is to be done 
 ere long by the multitude. The immensity of such an undertak- 
 ing, is calculated to discourage, at first, the bravest and most hope- 
 ful. The Chinese wall, the pyramids and other evidences, all along 
 the track of time, indicate that great undertakings have only to be 
 persevered in, and the end is ultimately reached. 
 
 Were every farmer or land-holder having lands situated on hill- 
 sides, slopes and inclines, to put but a single acre in condition to 
 
16 THE NEW AGKIOULTUKE. 
 
 gather in, house, husband, handle and control the waters falling 
 down during the year, such would be the scene of transformation, 
 as to make an end of hesitation and doubt. Could a model acre be 
 shown in each county of every state and territory of our Union, a 
 decade would not pass before spades would everywhere be found 
 to be trumps, and such would be the multiplication of means for 
 holding and handling the waters, as to result within a single gen- 
 eration, to an ajDproach to transformation of the earth's surface. 
 
 Upon the author of this volume has devolved the work of making 
 a beginning. As things look at this time of writing it seems prob- 
 able, that by the tenth of July, 1885, two acres of a model five un- 
 der treatment, will be in condition to show what can be done to 
 control and use the waters for jmrposes of agriculture and horti- 
 culture. Not under three years, however, will our model five acres 
 be so perfected, as to make a complete demonstration of anything 
 like the utmost possibilities. How it has all occurred that the au- 
 thor has been the one to find out the way, and seeking and finding, 
 to lead the van of this, one of the greatest of works yet devolved 
 upon man, will be understood as the story is told of a lifetime 
 spent in following the waters. I was eight years of age when I 
 read in " Poor Richard's Almanac" that : 
 
 " If the farmer or gardener would know the difference in fruit- 
 age, between a tree left to turf about its roots, and one where the 
 soil is loosened, let him try the experiment." 
 
 In our garden were plum trees bearing, to a most gratifying de- 
 gree. These were on rich soil, with wash from the barnyard. Bait 
 for trout-fishing was here obtained ; the angle or earth-worm, in 
 abundance. To loosen the soil about the roots of these trees, be- 
 came correspondingly a pastime and profit. That the plums wovild 
 grow larger, and their flavor be improved. Dr. Franklin had said, 
 and of course he kncAV. Suffice it to say that the loosening seemed 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 17 
 
 to call for a pushing away at the trunks, till their roots took only 
 weak hold in the ground. It was, if we recollect, in the spring of 
 1829, when we were scarcely nine years of age, that the trees thus 
 treated, refused to put out bud or blossom, nor so much as gave 
 evidence of life. From that hour, losing faith in Poor Kichard's 
 Almanac, we followed thereafter our own inclination and methods. 
 How many were the jilants taken up and put back into their own 
 or new j)laces we cannot now say. To examine their roots, and find 
 out their ways of germination, became a passion. Nothing so dis- 
 turbed us as the wrong end ujd in which the beans came out of the 
 ground. "WTiy again should the potatoes grow beneath the soil, 
 and the balls upon the tops of the vines, was a i^uzzle to us. Peas 
 the fourth of July, and cucumbers the middle of that month, with 
 which to give keener relish for our trout, was an ever yearning am- 
 bition. 
 
 We think it was at about the age of twelve, when we came across 
 a newspaper mention of an exjDeriment which we decided to forth witlii 
 make. This was one with which nearly everybody has become 
 familiar ; that of a tight barrel set on end, and filled with round 
 stones so far ujd as the open bung, then shingled with flat stones, 
 and these covered with straw and a coating of coarse manure, fin- 
 ishing up by filling the barrel with rich earth, and planting on this 
 a hill of cucumbers. The handiest barrel was accordingly seized 
 upon, that used by our foster mother for pounding clothes. We 
 began operations in earnest, but conflict ensued, since it was im- 
 possible to convince our maternal guide that her pounding barrel 
 was the spot in which to grow pickles. Threats of castigation did 
 not deter us from persistence, and promising our mother another 
 and better barrel within a few days, we went defiantly ahead with 
 our "gardening." The maternal word was kept to the letter, but 
 
18 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 this was something of daily discipline, and so we did not seriously 
 object to it, in view of the harvest in prospect. 
 
 Our experiment was made with care, since we had found out thus 
 early, that what was worth doing at all, was worth well doing. Our 
 one hill of cucumbers did wonders, and yet came far short of a 
 barrel of pickles. We estimated them at a half bushel, but now, 
 having gotten over the ardor of youth, we are bound to admit that 
 they would have filled only a peck measure, and possibly have come 
 short of that by at least " one pickle." But the pounding barrel 
 having been ruined, and the " rod in pickle" having been applied, 
 and the crop falling far short of our expectations, we resolved not 
 to give it up so, but repeated our exj^eriment the ensuing yeai', 
 well convinced that we could demonstrate the fact that a pounding 
 barrel was a good place in which to grow pickles ; and the second 
 time we succeeded in an eminent degree, since the one hill, in the 
 barrel, j)roduced nearly or quite a half bushel, and doing the i^ick- 
 ing ourselves, and the barrel being in close proximity to a fine 
 patch in the garden, we convinced our foster mother that her boj' 
 was a prodigy in growing cucumbers ; nor told a lie any more than 
 would George Washington probably have done under similar cir- 
 cumstances, but left our mother to tell the story of her boy having 
 grown a full half barrel of pickles from one hill, planted in her 
 pounding barrel. 
 
 In the season of 1840, finding ourself in Michigan, we made care- 
 ful note of the good effects uj^on grasses and grains in proximity 
 to the primeval forests, more especially in fields lying below the 
 level of the wilderness in which the maple, beech, basswood and 
 other like timbers prevailed ; nor did the corresponding dearth in 
 fields on and about the prairies and oak-openings, escape observa- 
 tion. Again, in tracing what we presumed were tracks of hidden 
 waters beneath the surface operating as we conjectured as inlets 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 19 
 
 and outlets, connecting multitudinous lakes, ponds, swamps and 
 morasses, covered in many instances with turf trembling upon their 
 surfaces, we remarked the deep green of the verdure, when con- 
 trasted with that of grasses and grains on more elevated planes, 
 and along undulations. 
 
 From Lower California, far away on the Pacific coast, rumors 
 came of a valley of green amid the sands of the desert, j)ei"ennial 
 in products of the olive and vine, where buried were the waters of a 
 river in subterranean flow, and where the roots of trees and plants, 
 deep dipping down, found nourishment at a depth of from twenty 
 to thirty feet. In reading of the Sahara and other deserts of earth, 
 the oasis was our only solace, and how to grow an oasis, became a 
 study of intensest interest. The artesian well we longed to look 
 upon, nor could we be satisfied till our eyes had seen it. 
 
 Returning to our native state of New York in the autumn of that 
 year, the green of the grasses of Allegany and Wyoming Counties, 
 as seen amid the sere and yellow leaf, begat dreams of a land 
 somewhere hidden from view, in which no deserts are found, and 
 where grasses greenly growing, alongside of flowers unfading, and 
 fruits that perish not as apjoles of the Dead Sea, turning to ashes 
 in the hands of men, but growing ever on amid immortelles of the 
 great hereafter, made the gloomy winter of 1839 and '40, to appear 
 the less dark and dreary, on account of our dreamings. 
 
 The next Spring, Summer and Autumn were spent in looking 
 over, from time to time, that delightful section of Western New 
 York, embraced in the valleys of the Genesee River and its num- 
 berless tributaries, noting, more especially, those outgushing 
 fountains of living waters, appearing as sjDrings, chiefest among 
 ■which are those at Caledonia, Avon and Wethersfield. The Oatka, 
 Honeoye, Tonawanda, Canaseraga, Cohocton, Canisteo and other 
 creeks and rivers, come largely from springs bubbling out all along 
 
20 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 their channel ways. Tracing these waters to their sources, and 
 dwelling upon the methods employed hy the Creator in begetting 
 springs, rivers, rivulets and lakes, we learned lessons of incalcul- 
 able value. On return therefore from Michigan to Wyoming 
 County, New York, we drifted as naturally back to the Cattaraugus 
 of our birth, and Allegany of our breeding, as follows the trout 
 in ascent to the sources of streams amid the forests and among the 
 mountains. 
 
 From early childhood, we had had liquid manures on the brain. 
 So early as 1844, we undertook to grow a few cabbages to impress- 
 ive proportions, for the sole purjDose of convincing the champion 
 cabbage grower of our acquaintance that there were things in 
 heaven and earth not so much as dreamed of in his conceited phil- 
 osphy. AYe had barely set out in life, and occupying a rented 
 house, had the narrowest limits for garden making. A few rows of 
 2)otatoes, a bed of beets, another of onions, lettuce, etc., to which 
 was added a few cabbage plants, made iip the sum of our venture. 
 Near by dwelt the boss farmer and gardener of the neighborhood. 
 Squire C. Our ground was rich, and we could not understand 
 why the Squire had fine cabbage, while ours had scarcely begun 
 heading. 
 
 " What do you do, Squire," we asked, " to make your cabbage 
 grow so raj)idly ?" 
 
 With a mischievous twinkle of the eye, our venerable neighbor 
 answered : 
 
 " That's a secret worth knowing, and if you will not tell anybody, 
 and try it yourself, I'll let you know how it's done." 
 
 We promised, of course ; when coming up closely, the old gentle- 
 man whispered in our ear : 
 
 "I always hoe my cabbage before sunrise." 
 
 Forthwith we resolved to get even with him. Our plants were fine 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 21 
 
 ones, thrifty growing, and we had somewhere heard that weak brine 
 turned upon the soil Avas a good thing for cabbage, and having 
 heard also that hen manure was best of all fertilizers, our mind 
 was made up instanter, to show our neighbor the Squire, what 
 could be done in growing cabbages in absence of early rising. Pro- 
 viding ourself therefore with a solution of salt, hen manure, and add- 
 ing ashes and lime as ingredients, we set about rebuking our neigh- 
 bor for even hinting that we were the identical individual pointed 
 out in Proverbs, 6th chapter, 6th verse, etc. 
 
 Rising early each morning for a week, we " doctored" our cab- 
 bages, in confident belief that, in the course of a month or six 
 weeks, we would be able to show neighbor Couch what a boy 
 knew about growing cabbage. It took just six days to kill every 
 plant as dead as so many Egyptian mummies. From that hour, 
 though sticking to theories of liquid manuring, we gave up that sort 
 of " doctoring" Avhich applies it in allopathic doses. 
 
 On page 65 of Mr. Stewart's book on irrigation for the farm, 
 garden and orchard may be found the following : 
 
 " In applying liquid manure it is always necessary to use it in a 
 highly diluted state, even so much diluted that if it would run off 
 perfectly clear it might be found of sufiicient strength for all pur- 
 poses. The danger lies in using it of too great strength, rather 
 than in diluting it too copiously." 
 
 "NYe did not mention to our venerable Mentor, the Squire, the re- 
 sults arising from our use of liquid manuring, but we ceaselessly 
 sought the rule to follow in compounding them and what propor- 
 tions of j)otassium, ammonia, lime, sodium, magnesia and other ele- 
 ments of liquids and solids are required, for this and that crop, in 
 order to obtain the best results. 
 
 Not far from five years subsequent to our experiment in growing 
 cabbage, we found ourself occupying a home on the banks of the 
 
22 THE NEW AGKICDLTURE. 
 
 Genesee. In our f arin barn yard manures had lain for years in huge 
 piles, from the bases of which ran off streams of liquid, dark as lye, 
 distributing and diffusing their influence over three or four acres 
 of alluvial lying betw^een the barn and the river. In the track of 
 this current of insjoiration to plant growth, stood a pine stump 
 with a breadth of top telling the story of one of those departed 
 giants of the forest, occasionally found in the wilderness of this 
 region at the commencement of the present century. That some 
 jDioneer had attempted, years before, to grub out this stump, and 
 after making a good beginning, abandoned the undertaking, was 
 evidenced by the fact that on its upjjer side toward the barn, was 
 an excavation telling the tale of the undertaker. Into this hole 
 the liquids from the barn had been discharging for years, and 
 sinking below the surface their subterranean track was jDlainly 
 marked by a wealth of verdure the equal to which we had never 
 before seen. Immediately below the stump grew a most wonder- 
 ful blackberry bush, the canes at base averaging an inch in diam- 
 eter, and growing to a length of from twelve to fifteen feet. From 
 this one bush, our family j^icked nearly a bushel of native black- 
 berries, rivaling in beauty, and greatly superior in flavor to any 
 we had ever tasted. 
 
 Here was evidence conclusive that to Mother Earth may at all 
 times safely be left the work of elaboration, combination, com- 
 l^ounding, mixing and mingling of ingredients necessary to the 
 germination, growth and develojDment of plants. 
 
 In Beers' Illustrated history of Allegany County, page 362, may 
 be found a picture of Basswood cottage, the home in the wilderness 
 where we made in reality, our first garden ; hence, what would 
 perhaps otherwise seem inappropiate, becomes fit and opportune, 
 and we make a quotation from the history, as folloAvs : 
 
 "Basswood Cottage, the home to wiaich Mr. Cole and family had 
 
^ 
 
 jgl^^^i 
 
THK ^■E^V AGKICULTURE. 23 
 
 retreated, represented in a-cconipauviuy eiig-raviiig, was a log cabin 
 in the piue Avoods, and is thiis j^ictnred hy the grajDhic pen of the 
 since -widely known journalist, in one of his easy chair letters, 
 appearing in the Elmira Advertiser, under date of February 24th, 
 1S75." 
 
 ••The spot chosen for our dwelling place was as wild, sylvan and 
 rustic as any to be found amid the forests primeval of Allegany Co., 
 X. Y. Our house was one built of logs, ixnhewn, but not rudely so, or 
 without architectural j^reteittions in an humble way — a neat cottage 
 with wings, portico in front, over which ran climbing roses, while 
 ivies twined, and morning glories in sinuous wanderings and wind- 
 ings found their way to the roof of the cottage. FloAvers bloomed 
 in the dooryard, planted, cared for and watered by the ever busy 
 hand of 'Mrs. Easy Chair.' In the rear of the liouse was a lofty 
 hill quite like to a mountain, from the base to the brow of which 
 rose up tall jiines, oaks, mai:)les, beeches, liirches and basswoods, 
 whose shadt)ws fell upon us daily, as the sun went down before its 
 time in the west. In the front and to the north was a carpet of 
 greensward, partially shaded by beautiful trees, jilanted by nature's 
 jjlastic hand, and scattered here and there were maples of second 
 growth Avith spreading branches. On the left was a garden, where 
 was early cultivated that taste for horticulture since grown to be a 
 passion.'" 
 
 Yes, dear reader, it was here, amid the shadows of the forest, we 
 made our first garden. The spot was a jjocket of alluvial, rich, 
 deep and dark, less than an half acre, created by drift from the 
 mountain side above, pure vegetable mold ; no sj^ot could have 
 well been richer in soil, or more naturally productive. Here were 
 groAvn such potatoes, peas, beans, cabbages, turnips and other 
 garden vegetables, as we have never seen until the adoption of our 
 present system of culture. 
 
24 THE NEW AGRICULTUKE. 
 
 Few stone were found in the soil. Here and. there, however, 
 buried and out of sight, was found an occasional pine or hemlock 
 knot, resisting- for generations the tooth of time. Here we found the 
 first clump-foot cabbage, and forthwith, suspecting' something- was 
 not quite right, we dug down, and brought out a huge jiine knot. 
 Here, again, we began exjieriments with Hove^^'s seedling, succeed- 
 ing after a year or two of patient endeavor, in gathering from a 
 bed of thirty hills nearly a pint of strawberries, the largest speci- 
 men of which measured three inches in circumference. So great was 
 our triumph that one of our friends traveled on foot six miles to see 
 that l)ig berry. Were our friend noAvnear by, instead of far away 
 we would, w^ere he to visit us next July, 1885, show him bushels of 
 berries, averaging as large as the one, which at that time, was the 
 greatest of wonders. "Wlien it comes to specimens of our best, 
 viz : Jersey Queens, Jumbos, Manchesters, Monarchs, &c., we 
 could exhibit them by scores and hundreds, measuring from five 
 to seven inches in circumference. 
 
 But the reason of the barrenness of most of our strawberry jjlants 
 in our first garden piizzled and vexed us to find out, as it probably 
 did every other producer in our county. While onions grew to 
 larger size than we had seen anywhere, and cabbages, beets and 
 turnips astonished us Avith their prodigious growth, only about one 
 out of three of our strawberry plants showed berries. The vines 
 appeared sickly, and the roots of the plants did not seem to get 
 firm hold in the earth, and we took to j^ulling them up, and digging 
 down, seeking the cause of infecundity and unthrift. With scarce 
 an exception, we found at the depth of from twelve to fifteen inches 
 the inevitable jnne or hemlock knot, and still more frequently, a 
 flat stone. We found the rot)ts of ovir jalants, reaching deeply down, 
 had come in contact with Imried obstructions, and that disease had 
 foll(5wed. flaking i;se of the S2)ectacles of r.n aged person serving 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 25 
 
 admirably as a microscope, and securing a focus best calculated to 
 bring out the hidden enemy, it did not take long for us to become 
 satisfied that the seed of fungus was nearly everywhere j)resent, the 
 great begetter of disease. Of this seed of fungus we had read much in 
 books, found in the library of a physician, in whose family we spent 
 much time in early life. 
 
 Suffice it to say that we were thirty years old before we became 
 convinced of the baleful influence of this arch enemy of plant 
 growth. We found it amid damps and moulds, and equally amid 
 soils in which was a lack of moisture. Wherever the roots of 
 plants came in contact with sticks covered with mould, or with 
 stones hidden in the soil, more especially with the inevitable flat 
 stone completely destructive of plant thrift, we found fungus, bring- 
 ing decay and death. Nor was this all, for hovering about the roots 
 of plants diseased fi'om infection by fungus, were found parasites in 
 form of the wire-worm, earth-worm and more especially the minute 
 white grub or maggot, the latter fatally destructive, eating away 
 the roots of plants, and bringing not merely disease, but certain 
 death. 
 
 In a few instances, so deep down did we dip to find the offender, 
 as to reach the subsoil, evenly and smoothly descending to the 
 stream flowing alongside our little delta, so rich in surface as 
 to enable us to grow more on our single half acre than was gather- 
 ed from two to three times the area devoted to gardening by neigh- 
 boring farmers. 
 
 During our first year's experience', there came sudden showers of 
 such force and volume, as to bring from off the mountain side above, 
 an amount of soil and debris from the recesses of the forest as to 
 convince us that a ditch, sunk at the base of the hill and connect- 
 ing with the stream traversing the valley, would be just the thing 
 to provide against accidents. Plowing our garden late in autumn, 
 
26 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 we took the precaution to direct the ijlowman to leave a deep fur- 
 row as near the base of the hill as convenient. This was done, and 
 here was found Avhat had seemingly been a channel for waters, or> 
 from conformation of the ground, more probably such a i-ecepta- 
 cle as to send them in even flow along" the subsoil to the stream, 
 leaving the mold in their track, and begetting our little j^ocket 
 of a garden. Api^lying the pick and spade, our ditch was com- 
 i:)leted, but as this in its curve described a crescent, with point ter- 
 minating in the bed of the creek np the stream, discharge of the 
 waters into the creek only took place when the ' dish ' overflowed. 
 To i:)revent our trench from filling with soil therefore, recourse was 
 had to filling it with stone, a quantity of which had been thrown 
 out by the plow, and so a burial spot was made for stone and knots, 
 old boots, shoes and other castaAvays of the household, in jiromis- 
 cuous minglings. Over these was cast the pure vegetable mold, 
 and thus, in descending the hillside, the waters dropj^ed into the 
 trench, and thence flowed along the dip of the subsoil, until in sub- 
 terranean movement they reached the stream. In the sinking of our 
 ditch, not so much as a dream had we, that demonstration was be- 
 ing made of a method which was to ultimate in so modifying ante- 
 cedent systems of farming and gardening, as to amount to what 
 now looks like revolution. And yet so it proved in more ways than 
 one, since it was this crudely conceived and carelessh^ sunken 
 trench, with its surface of sj)onge, that told a story to be yet heard 
 all over the world. 
 
 Not least of good fortunes was the one of emergence, at base of 
 our mountain side, of considerable numbers of minute springs, 
 even in the driest of weather, whose waters in spring, autumn and 
 winter, warmly descending from what may be fitly denominated 
 " ovir great dipper " on the mountain side above, supplied the 
 household with excellent water. Finding the waters lost in the 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 27 
 
 depths of our ditch, "\ve ascended the slope and arrested them by 
 making a second ditch, thus aggregating the waters at the rear of 
 the house, and, the winter proving an open one, we secured a foun- 
 tain of pure water during its continuance. The snows in the woods 
 began melting in February, and their waters descending the hill, 
 striking the surface of our trench, disappeared, only to emerge in 
 the stream beyond, and all along through the spring ensuing 
 seemed to render more crystal-clear the waters of the creek The 
 effect upon the soil of our garden seemed miraculous ; for such was 
 its condition as to enable us to plant potatoes the last days of Feb- 
 ruary, doing so in hopes of being able to mature them in season to 
 avoid the rot, at that time threatening extinction of this most valu- 
 able among root crops. 
 
 Not until within the last ten years have we been enabled to see 
 that it was the waters of rains, dews and spring melting snows, 
 descending from among the damj^s and moulds, mosses, ferns, 
 flags, wild grasses, mucks and minglings of a swamp in the depres- 
 sion of that mountain side above, moving out from under the snows 
 at spring water temj^erature and dropping into our trench and 
 continuing to flow along the incline of the subsoil — not for ten 
 years did we discover that these Avaters removed the frost from our 
 garden, preparing it for germination of seeds two or three weeks 
 earlier than otherwise. 
 
 We see it all now, having found out there was the best of reasons 
 existing why we, that season, grew as fine potatoes as we had ever 
 seen, the frost having been kept out of the ground during March 
 when the Frost King coming in fiercest fury, laid his hand on 
 the lands of our neighbors, freezing them to a considerable depth, 
 fully three weeks after we had committed our seed to the ground, 
 and making an end of crops on every other spot, within, perhaps, 
 an hundred miles in any dii-ection from our home. Nor was it 
 
28 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 alone the condition of the soil as regarded temperature, but so 
 even and uniform Avas the flow of the waters, and so perfectly were 
 food and drink supplied to the tubers, food always in abundance 
 and never in surfeit, that the effects of fungus, about that period de- 
 veloping infection of soils on both sides of the Atlantic, and that 
 very season reducing the potato crop to a point threatening extinc- 
 tion, did not touch our little patch of about a quarter of an acre, 
 and we harvested fully thirty bushels of potatoes in beauty of per- 
 fection. This was so much a matter of surj^rise to our neighbors, 
 that the ensuing spring they took to early j^lanting as a remedy 
 for the blight; but nobody seemed to realize benefits from so doing, 
 since the season succeeding proved equally one of blight and 
 destruction, so far as the potato was concerned. 
 
 That season, the last sjDent in Basswood Cottage, was the one at 
 date of which practically began the work of our discoveries. 
 
 Though meeting Horace Greeley from time to time, from 1843 
 to 1861, counseling with and confiding in him as in none other among 
 public men of our country, it was not until the latter year that our 
 relations became those of intimate companionshij). Though hon- 
 oring and esteeming Salmon P. Chase, Charles Sumner, William H. 
 Seward, Joshua E. Giddings, Gerrit Smith, James S. Wadsworth, 
 Abraham Lincoln and hundreds of others we might name, advising 
 with and confiding in them, Mr. Greeley was the only one we had 
 never found at fault on questions affecting the health and wealth 
 of earth's j^eoples. This deep thinking and profound moral and 
 political philosoj)hei', a second Doctor Franklin, has had no equal 
 in our judgement among the public men of our country. 
 
 John C. Fremont, the Pathfinder, had but little more than made 
 search for those j^asses over and through which, first the weary 
 wagon train, and since then long successions of steam cars have 
 coursed their iron way, linking ocean with ocean, when Horace 
 
THK NEW A(iKICrLXUr.];. 29 
 
 Greeley by stage, on horseback and on foot, made his overland 
 journey to California. At the time of setting out the editor of the 
 Tribune had abetter knowledge of the comj)osition of soils and their 
 adaptation to the growth of this and that crop, than perhaps any 
 man of his day and generation. Profoundly believing the way 
 would be ultimately found to make the desert to blossom as the rose, 
 Mr. Greeley, before starting on his journey, during a most interest- 
 ing conversation on the subject of reclaiming desert lands, said to 
 us that he would not think of going were it not for an irrepressible 
 desire to see and determine for himself whether there existed, in 
 fact, an American desert. On his return, meeting our friend and 
 Mentor at Hornellsville by appointment, he said : 
 
 " I want to see and talk with j'ou. Cole, and tell you all about 
 what I have seen. Let me say to you now that Clark, Lewis and 
 Fremont were greater discoverers than Christopher Columbus. Col- 
 umbus found a new world, albeit his discovery was made at a time 
 when navigators of a half dozen nations were finding their way in- 
 to distant and unexplored seas and oceans, and he only followed in 
 the track of predecessors, though more adventurous as he was braver 
 and more intelligent and intuitive, than others of his day and genera- 
 tion. But, my dear fellow, this new world that Columbus discover- 
 ed is about being rediscovered; and these Horatios all about us, 
 are to find out there are millions of things in heaven and earth they 
 have never dreamed of in their philosophies. The South is a great 
 country, cursed with madmen, fancying themselves statesmen and 
 sages, men who cannot be convinced that the fetters forged for 
 their slaves, and the chains about the bodies of their bondsmen are 
 not those of iron, but of fiax and toe, which, at the touch of fire are 
 bound first or last to turn to ashes all, and the places knowing now 
 the oppressed and oppressor to know them no more forever. 
 
 " I have made a long journey, and seen more, and learned more 
 
30 THE NEW A<tRICUETURE. 
 
 than in all my life before. Ours is the greatest country, and this 
 is the greatest people on the face of the earth. England, France, 
 German}" and all the other nations of Europe are as old men, their 
 energies exhausted, their resources largely "wasted, and their possi- 
 bilities thoroughly tested. There is more of gold and silver and 
 of precious stones in our great American desert, than in all of the 
 countries of the Old "World, and among the hills, along the plains, 
 and in the valleys of the Rocky Mountain and Sierra Nevada and 
 Coast Ranges, and along the Pacific slope, are found greater possi- 
 bilities as regards jiopulation and production than in all of the 
 older sections of our own country, or, in fact, any other jiortion of 
 our globe. I want to tell you aboiit those big trees, and all of the 
 other big and little things I have seen since I have been gone. I 
 will only say now that Sumner had it right. AVe ought to buy the 
 slaves of their masters and j^ay for them, if to do this, as Sum- 
 ner says, it becomes necessary to build a bridge of gold over which 
 these bondsmen may cross in reaching a land of liberty. We can 
 afford to build it. There is money enough in the mines of Cali- 
 fornia now being dug out to liuy the whole South, lands, cotton, 
 corn, slaves and slaveholders, and colonize them all in Africa to- 
 gether, or somewhere else, if need be. But colonization is a fraud, 
 a delusion and a snare. There is work enough, and will be found 
 wages enough, for all sorts of workers inside the boundaries of 
 what has been denominated the great American desert, to employ 
 an hundred millions of white and black men alike. It's all a lie, 
 .that because j^eo^jle are black they will not work. "Who built the 
 l^yramids ? "Who the Chinese wall ? "Who was Hannibal ? 
 
 " The Egyptians were no more a white i)eoj)le four thousand years 
 ago than now. I tell you the Carthagenians had no more physical 
 and intellectual power three thousand years ago than have the 
 Nubians and Abyssinians of to-day. This Avhole thing of black and 
 
THE NEW AGEICULTURE. 31 
 
 wliite, and all this nonsense about Avliite men taking more to work 
 than black ones, is only an excuse for enslavement. Let me tell you 
 that white people do very little work south. John M. Botts under- 
 stands it, as also does Cassius M. Clay. Everybody who knows 
 enough to keep out of the fire. North and South alike, under- 
 stands it, but people are not generally honest enough to confess 
 
 it. 
 
 " I have been out among all sorts of folks who work, and if I 
 
 except the Indians, people of any and all nations will work, only 
 
 give them freedom, free soil, and an opportunity to secure free 
 
 homes. Possibly the Indians will work also, should any be left at 
 
 the close of the j^resent century, which I very much dovibt, since 
 
 whiskey and the vices of mean white men are rapidly making an 
 
 end of our aboriginal tribes, and I think sometimes that the 
 
 sooner the thing is done and the last Indian's grave is dug the better. 
 
 I believe in God and his providence ; you know I do. Cole, but 
 
 what is jDrovidence so far as Indians go, God only knows. Come 
 
 down to the city and see me, dear Cole, and give me a chance to tell 
 
 you about my over land journey." 
 
 Such was the tenor of what Mr. Greeley said at Hornellsville. 
 A month later found us in New York for three or four days, a con- 
 siderable portion of the time being spent in the comj)any of Ameri- 
 ca's greatest journalist. How to reclaim the desert by irrigation, 
 was the burden of Mr. Greeley's every discourse. Artesian wells, 
 windmills, current-wheels and other methods of lifting the waters 
 from levels below to inclines and planes above, was a subject he 
 continually dwelt upon. Mr. Stewart, in his admirable book on 
 page 23 says : 
 
 " The late Horace Greeley, who, although an enthusiast on the 
 subject of irrigation, was nearly correct in his estimate, when he 
 concluded that one artesian well would serve to irrigate no more 
 
32 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 than a quarter section of land, or one liundrecT and sixty acres." 
 
 "WTien discoursing- on artesian wells, we asked Mr. Greeley if lie 
 felt confident that water would be reached in a majority of in- 
 stances, if the experiment of sinking such wells was made in the arid 
 portions of our country. His answer, given in the affirmative, was 
 couiDled with hesitation, and he concluded by saying, that while he 
 was quite confident, he was so doubtful at times about it, as to exj^eri- 
 ence a feeling of despondency, since the resources of the richest 
 portion of our country could only be developed by ample water 
 supplies. 
 
 With his usual clearness of vision, he made frequent mention of 
 a faith within him, that the time would come when those seas 
 and oceans of water, descending in rivers of ceaseless flow from the 
 melting of snows and ices ujion the summits of great ranges, would 
 in some way be arrested, held back and made use of for jDuriDoses 
 of irrigation. Solar evaporation, as he impressively declared, was 
 the great obstacle to success in this direction. 
 
 " Dam up these waters as you may," he said, " and hold them 
 back as you will, or move them forward, that tongue of fire Avhich 
 comes from a sky completely cloudless from April to November, 
 with the mercury ranging from eighty to one hundred and fifty 
 degrees between sunrise and sunset of each day, leaves little hope 
 for such a system of water preserve and supj)ly as will gather them 
 in for mechanical, manufacturing and mining jDurposes, to say 
 nothing of domestic uses or those of irrigation." 
 
 In one of these conversations, Mr. Greeley made mention of the 
 reported existence in Southern California, if our memory serves 
 us well, in the neighborhood of Los Angeles, where, in the midst 
 of a desert, was seen an oasis so remarkable as to occasion surprise. 
 This was a valley, as described to him, of j^erpetual green, along 
 vhich for several miles was found growing at all seasons of the 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 33 
 
 year, such fruits, flowers and profuse vegetation as scarcely 
 anywhere else seen on the face of the earth. DijDping down, at the 
 depth of twenty-two feet, there was found a sunken river three or 
 four feet deep, and a mile or two broad. This concealed river, one 
 of crj^stal waters, was what begat the oasis. To see for himself, Mr. 
 Greeley assured us, so became a passion, and that there were days to- 
 gether, when he felt he could not return home without looking 
 in upon this wonderful valley. He returned, bringing with him 
 the evidence of those he deemed credible witnesses and having in his 
 mind no doubt about its existence, and furthermore that all along 
 this wonderful subterranean river the roots of trees, and even of 
 the wild clover and other productions of Southern California, reach- 
 ed the waters in their dipj)ings down. 
 
 These conversations with our most trusted counsellor and friend, 
 had great influence, and the subject of subsurface, subterranean 
 or underground flow of the waters as a means of irrigation, became 
 more and more a constant study. That a deep covering of earth 
 would shield the waters from solar evaporation was evident. The 
 law of gravity inclining the waters to sink into the earth, and 
 another law, that of capillary attraction, quite as mysterious, magi- 
 cal, powerful and all-pervading, became at once a source of con- 
 stant study and observation. 
 
 While according to Mr. Greeley the credit and honor of being a 
 continual prompter, intensifying our lines of thought, not to him^ 
 however, or to any other one man, but to individuals, here and 
 there met with, in a majority of instances, comparatively speaking, 
 unlearned, or rather, unlettered men, we gained most of knowl- 
 edge. It was during our residence in Brooklyn that from an ex-slave 
 black as Othello, at blackest painted, we learned how lands were 
 reclaimed in the neighborhood of the Dismal Swamp. From the 
 Hollander we found out how dykes were constructed, and from an 
 
34 THE NEW AGRICULTUEE. 
 
 unlettered son of the Emerald Isle we learned how fuel was secured 
 in the bogs of his native Ireland. It was from the Germans, how- 
 ever, that we obtained most valuable information. Intelligent, as 
 a rule, patient workers, staid, steady, sober thinkers, slow-going, 
 and yet sure, we found them always good authority on matters of 
 soil and production, irrigation and drainage. 
 
 Reading the Tribune daily, we never omitted to note what our 
 friend Greeley and his former editorial associates had to say about 
 farming and gardening. Forming the acquaintance and becoming 
 warmly attached to Col. D. D. T. Moore, of the old Rural New 
 Yorker, and getting acquainted with Mr. Andrew S. Fuller, a com- 
 panionable and remarkably well-informed gentleman connected 
 with the Tribune, we asked them and nearly everybody else with 
 whom we conversed, what each thought about the waste of the 
 waters coming of ordinary methods of tiling and drainage with 
 stone drains. 
 
 Though not saying a word about it to anyone, we could not help 
 feeling provoked at seeing mankind indulging in what seemed to 
 us a wicked folly, amounting to madness, as they made haste to get 
 the waters out into seas and oceans, instead of using them while on 
 the lands, and only conducting portions of the surplus down to the 
 sea levels. 
 
 From 1866 to 1870 we were formulating j)lans and devising 
 methods of di-ainage, which should at once irrigate lands and j)i-o- 
 vide against stagnation of the waters, and coming across the stray 
 writings of Major Hugh T. Brooks, of Wyoming County, N. Y., he 
 seemed to us the man who had found out things which all of the 
 Avorld ought to know by intuition. But having heard people say 
 that " what Horace Greeley and Hugh T. Brooks didn't know about 
 farming " would fill a much larger book than what a regiment of 
 that sort of farmers did know, we felt doubtful as regarded our 
 
THE KEW AGRICULTURE. 35 
 
 own views, not being anr sort of a farinei' at all, and concluded 
 that wliat Major Brooks and ourself liad found out about drainage 
 would do to keep. We bided our time, for it occurred to us that it 
 might do those of our neighbors good, who had been jioking sticks 
 and making game of our " mining for myths," should they care to 
 learn how to do it, rather than hold on to their ways of how not to 
 do it; that to secure a j)atent and insist on their 2:)aying moderately 
 for right of "• mining " would increase their gxaces, and so we kept 
 our own counsel. 
 
 The old year of 1884 Avas waning, and the new one 1885 about 
 being ushered in, when we came across the following from the pen 
 of Col. Curtis : 
 
 " Farmers in 1882 expended $5,500,000 for tile and dug nearly 
 53,000 miles of drains to put them in. Besides, thousands of miles 
 Avere laid with stones. Tile-makers and theorists have created and 
 fostered this craze, and if continued it will result in a jjeri^etiial 
 water famine. AVholesale rules adopted without discrimination are 
 a big curse in agriculture, and drainage is one of the most jiotent 
 for mischief. It is true that in many cases drainage improves land 
 and makes it more tillable, but not always more fertile. Often- 
 times a wet lot, or a wet patch, will, on account of the wetness j^ro- 
 duce more grass than any other portion of the farm, and In' being 
 let alone supplies some spring which is invaluable. The drain 
 fever seizing the OAvner, the Avater is speedily carried off, the early 
 and constant pasture spoiled, and the spring fed from it destroyed. 
 Does this outlay pay ? The same thoughtless improvement sends 
 the melting snows and the spring rains, without hindrance into the 
 farm rivulet, Avhere they quickly Hoav beyond reach to the distant river 
 The stores of water being gone early in the summer the riA'ulet 
 dries, and the stream into Avhich it flows gets Avonderfully small, 
 and the mill stops, and on the riA^er the boats ofround. 
 
3G THE NEW AGRICULTUEE. 
 
 " Ditches and drains are made to carry the water away and they 
 do it. Ditches are the outlets, and the water mil always flow away 
 in them. To keej) up a supply of moisture or of water there must 
 be a holding- back of the water. This is done in many ways, when 
 the avenues of nature are undisturbed. On the surface it is kept 
 in hollows or basins, where swamps and bog-holes are formed; in 
 sloughs; in mucky land; underneath rocks; under the leaves and 
 trees, where the sun does not cause it to evaporate. To prevent 
 evajDoration there must be coolness, and to make coolness there 
 must be shade and humid siu-roundings. Under the surface it is 
 held in pockets, in veins and subteranean jDlaces where it has wash- 
 ed out its own bed, and in the constant percolating and oozing out 
 from swamps, wet jDlaces and other natural reservoirs on toj) of the 
 earth. "N^Tiere there is no drainage to carry the Avater away it fills 
 all these fountains for the drier portions of the seasons. Each rain 
 adds to its supply. Before there was so much drainage,water was 
 furnished h\ wells of moderate depth and springs were plenty. 
 Kow permanent springs are scarce, and the old wells get dry early 
 in the season." 
 
 Far back in our memories of childhood we retained the faintest 
 recollection of a few lines from the pen of Dr. Benjamin Franklin, 
 found in Poor Richard's Almanac, Avhioh would serve as a text upon 
 which Col. Curtis might have based the above extract; yet that dur- 
 ing the half century in which the world had moved farther on, than 
 in any one thousand yeai"s of earth's history, foresters and farm- 
 ers should have been found manifestly retrograding on this ques- 
 tion of the world's water supply, was a mystery to us. Though we 
 had even then begun writing out the story in briefs of our new ag- 
 riculture, more than once we came near to giving up the hope of 
 living long enough to convince the world of the efficacy of our new 
 system. Here however was one man (Col. Curtis) at least, who had 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 37 
 
 discovered the world's greatest want, and secured a hearing through 
 the columns of the Tribune, speaking to hundreds of thousands of 
 readers, and although it was the merest mention yet a beginning 
 was secured. Just at this time also, our eldest son, Asher P. Cole, 
 of Brooklyn N. Y., forwarded to us Mr. Stewart's work from which 
 extracts are frequently found along the pages of this volume. 
 Scarcely had we opened it, when the following lines attracted our 
 attention : 
 
 " The summer rainfall in our climate is rarely, if ever, adequate 
 to what would be a maximum croj) consistent with the possibilities 
 of the soil." 
 
 This was not news to us since we had found out that a single 
 hill of cucumbers would drink a half barrel of water in three day's 
 time, and having done so, would begin languishing for want of 
 moisture, and failing to secure it, die in a week. In this connection 
 note the amount of absorption of water hj plants in the following 
 extract from the Country Gentleman under the caption of " Import- 
 ance of Water to Plants," which appeared subsequent to the an- 
 nouncement of " The New Agriculture" to the world. The italics 
 are ours : 
 
 "In experiments j^erformed by Sir. J. B. Lawes he found that 
 most jDlants exhaled during the four or five months of their growth 
 more than 200 times their dry weight of water, drawn up from the 
 soil in which they grew. Dr. J. H. Gilbert stated that the amount 
 of water given off by j^lants during growth might be approximately 
 estimated as equal to a dejith of three inches of rain for every ton 
 of dry substance grown. Messrs. Lawes and Gilbert found by act- 
 ual experiment that a crop of hay growing on land that had been 
 manured, and giving about a ton and a half per acre, evaporated 
 two inches more water than an unmanured crop of less than a third 
 of a ton. These two inches were equal to 200 tons of water. A heavy 
 
38 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 crop of barley evaporated nine inches, or 1800 tons of water more 
 than bare land lying alongside. These experiments show the im- 
 portance of underdraining so as to keep the soil pulverized and mellow, 
 to hold like a sponge the water which falls on it, and give it of to growing 
 plants as they need it. A good growing crop keej)s the soil in better 
 condition than a soil without a crop, the latter being easily flood- 
 ed, and again parched by drought : and without underdraining, 
 either artificial or natural, the soil cannot be brought into a good 
 condition to absorb and hold surplus water." 
 
 And yet, with all of this, Ave reasoned, the world seems to have 
 gone stark mad in efiforts to dry up and carry off the waters, acting 
 on the theory that better crops might be thereby grown. 
 
 Though we had commenced this volume when Mr. Stewart's 
 work came to hand, Ave laid by the pen, and scanned carefully 
 everything found in Mr. StcAvart's images. It was a cornucopia of 
 good things, the fairest, most frank and undisguised declaration of 
 faith we had ever seen from the j^en of any one AA'riting on the sub- 
 jects of irrigation and drainage. We found it invaluable. Having 
 shoAvn that in European countries, more especially in the British 
 Isles, the rainfall is not only in excess of the average in America, 
 but also that there is less of sunshine ; and that the atmosiDhere 
 being a humid one, evaporation is corresj^ondingly retarded, Mr. 
 SteAvart continues : 
 
 " Our intense heats, cause a large portion of the rainfall to be evap- 
 orated directly from the soil, and our copious summer rains are 
 seldom fully retained, but frequently in large part escape into 
 streams and Avater-courses, and are lost to A'egetation. Our fall, 
 winter and early spring rains, come at times when the crops de- 
 rive the least benefit, or none at all, from them. The amount of 
 rainfall that thus escapes paying tribute to our crops is by far the 
 largest j)ortion of it. To estimate it at three-fourths of the whole, 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 39 
 
 would not be unreasonable. There would then be left less than 
 twelve inches of water to meet the necessities of the growing crops. 
 That this sufficiently accounts for the low average of our yearly 
 production of grass and grain, is not at all improbable. The supply 
 of water then becomes the measure of the fertility of our soil, and 
 our climate, subject to torrid drouths in the midst of the growing- 
 season, is the obstacle to success which meets the farmer, rather 
 than the impoverished soil — a condition, indeed, mainly due to a 
 poverty of water." 
 
 " To remove this obstacle to successful cultivation, it is only nec- 
 essary that a system of irrigation be adopted. An adequate sup- 
 ply of watei', ready for use in case of emergency, will render the 
 farmer, the gardener, or the fruit grower, to a very large extent, 
 independent of the vicissitudes of the season, and secure, beyond 
 accident, a full reward for his labor. If, with a system of irriga- 
 tion, a proper system of drainage be also adopted, the cultivator of 
 the soil Avill have removed two adverse influences, against which he 
 is now called upon so frequently and so ineffectually to strive." 
 
 " To irrigate economically and successfully, however, is a business 
 which requires a large amount of technical knowledge and skill, 
 and the expenditure of a considerable amount of capital, either in 
 money or labor. Irrigation belongs, in fact, to a highly advanced 
 condition of agriculture, and can only be applied to land of high 
 value or capacity in the hands of intelligent owners." 
 
 Now, here is this eminent author of a most remarkable book, 
 wherein is found a larger amount of research than is combined in 
 all others on a similar subject which it has been our fortune to 
 come across, reaching the conclusion that only by methods of irri- 
 gation and drainage successfully combined, can the former be made 
 advantageous; and equally concluding that in this way, and this 
 only, can anything like a full measure of production be realized; 
 
40 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 and also, that to attempt to render lands i^roductive to a degree of 
 j)rofit, not only calls for an expenditure of a considerable amount 
 of capital, either in money or labor, but that " irrigation belongs, in 
 fact, to a highly advanced condition of agriculture, and can only 
 be applied to land of high value or capacity in the hands of intelli- 
 gent owners." 
 
 We have alluded on j^revious jjages to the depressions of spirit, 
 not to say discouragements, experienced for years in pursuit of 
 what seemed to the world a phantom. AVhile we had found, here 
 and there, a friend among the more eminent public men of our 
 country, such as Hon. Warner Miller, Hon. John Sherman, Hon. 
 Henry M. Teller, and it gives us pleasure to say. General Chester 
 A. Arthur, who, reading patiently letters addressed to them at 
 length upon the subject matter of our discoveries, turned away 
 from public and private duties to give ear to what the world at 
 large deemed an illusion — we except Hon. C. R. Earley, whose paper 
 on fungus will be found further on in this volume, also Hon. T. L. 
 Minier of Elmira, Hon J. H. Selkreg of Ithaca, and Hon. Augustus 
 Frank of Warsaw — no expression could we get from anybody calcu- 
 lated to encourage us in the • work we had undertaken. Among 
 the above named gentlemen Senator Sherman alone was an experi- 
 enced farmer. General Benjamin Butterworth, Commissioner of 
 Patents, gave patient hearing, and reading our letters, encouraged 
 and cheered us by pleasant words doing the heart good. 
 
 "When therefore on November 29th, 1883, we received from Hon. 
 William M. White, President at that time of our New York State 
 Agricultural Society, a letter unreservedly endorsing our system, 
 words fail to express the satisfaction Ave experienced. We had 
 known Mr. AMiite a lifetime, and had found him standing squarely 
 hj our side for upwards of a quarter of a century, a disciple of 
 Horace Greeley, in advocacy and defence of the more advanced 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 41 
 
 ideas of that great era. Mr. White was also the owner of a thousand 
 acres of hard pan lands, and had stuck to them, and fortunately 
 possesses them to-day, nor will he be likely to j)art with them 
 while the work is progressing of demonstrating to the world that 
 such lands are more valuable than any other class of soils. To 
 this latter proposition we do not expect that the owners of bottom 
 lands and prairies will give ready assent, but they will be forced 
 in the end to admit the fact. To publish Mr White's letter in full, 
 we cannot. Here, however, is an extract : 
 
 " I am happy to find you interested in making two blades of 
 grass to grow, where but one grew before ; intent on the useful, 
 and determined io make the hillside more productive than the 
 valley, and what is more, by seeking a patent, inspire others to 
 conclude, that what is worth patenting, is worth possessing. 
 A^Tiat a taking idea ? " Subterranean Ii-rigation," an improvement 
 on Nature's plan in Dakota's wheat fields. 
 
 " I have not a doubt that the results will prove astonishing, giv- 
 ing three or four feet of fertile and jiroductive soil where only 
 three or four inches have been hitherto realized, and placing the 
 future of agriculture and horticulture as much ahead of the past, 
 as thousands are ahead of hundreds. 
 
 " You say you can grow living, perj^etual springs by jour system 
 of deep trenching, centering on a lower plane. I get your idea, 
 one of reservoirs, automatic, self-acting and self-regulating, water- 
 ing the other end of the grasses, feeding and watering vegetation 
 at its roots, by inducing it to reach down for supjilies of food and 
 drink, at the same time attracting moisture and nutrition from be- 
 low. 
 
 " That you are right, I know, and yet I fear you will find the 
 average farmer, and even the most enlightened and progressive of 
 gardeners, unprepared to accejDt your system as one promising 
 
42 THE KEW AGEICULTUKE. 
 
 j)rofitable returns, on account of the expense incurred in fitting 
 lands as you are doing. The silo doubles the value of the growth 
 of an acre, and yet, so long as the old way produces meat and milk 
 enough for the i^resent generation, old men and young ones too, 
 will, I fear, jirefer the past to the jDresent and future." 
 
 Upwards of two years have passed since Mr. "White's letter was 
 received, and despite the ajiprehensions of the author that our system 
 may fail of early adoption, we confess to have been made haj)py by 
 the knowledge, that while thousands and ten of thousands of farm- 
 ers still reject ensilage, every day of our life brings evidence of the 
 fact that the new agricultiire is steadily making headway, finding 
 friends all over the country, and that no event of the future is more 
 certain than its general adoption. It is this general adoption which 
 is destined to demonstrate its possibilities. Not by the trenching 
 and fitting of five or even of ten acres can a trout stream be grown 
 and yet, ten acres of trenching on any hillside having a firm sub- 
 soil will bring out a steady flow of crystal waters, telling the most 
 wonderful story told since that of Moses at Horeb. 
 
 In The American Anglee, of November 4th, 1884, occurred the 
 following lines, from the jien of Mr. H. H. Thompson, an ardent 
 student and lover of the woods and waters, and an associate of Mr. 
 Wm. C. Harris and Seth Green, in the conduct of the above named 
 jjaper : 
 
 "A new era for the brook trout is dawning. In these latter days 
 its saviour has arisen. A remarkable man stretches forth his wand 
 and trout streams are created. He smites the hillside and a purling 
 brook or a rushing river issues in never ceasing flow from its base. 
 He gathers the waters from the clouds, dews, and melting snows, 
 and after their utilization in the production of marvellous results 
 in agriculture and horticulture, releases them to form a lake of cold 
 water absolutely pure, or a never failing crystal stream. 
 
THE NEW AGKICULTURE. 43 
 
 " Mr. A. N. Cole, of Wellsville, Allegany county, New York, has 
 been sedulously engaged for two or three years j^ast in developing 
 at his " Home on the Hillside " a new system of uniform drainage, 
 subterranean irrigation and fertilization, apjDlicable to all mountain- 
 ous, hilly or undulatory sections having a firm clay or hard-pan 
 sub-soil. His discoveries and experiments have led to most sur- 
 prising results." 
 
 Subseqiient to the publication of the above, and the week pre- 
 vious to an address made by us at the Cooper Institute in New 
 York City upon invitation of the Executive Committee of the 
 Farmers' Club, of the American Institute, of New York, the follow- 
 ing communication was published in The American Angler, under 
 
 the heading of "Man Begotten Trout Streams." 
 
 ****** * * * 
 
 " Let me state a few facts, jDrefacing with a statement by way of 
 illustration. The fall of water in overflow at our village mill has 
 been capped completely with ice, hiding the water from view, dash- 
 ing down an apron at an angle of forty-five degrees or thereabouts. 
 The Grenesee, Cliemung, Canisteo and Susquehanna are at many 
 points frozen to their bottoms. Brooks issuing from springs are 
 frozen which never within my knowledge were known to freeze be- 
 fore. My spring brook, evoked from our hillside, among others, has 
 frozen in the prism of the canal into which the waters from my 
 trenches discharge. This jDrism is completely filled with ice, and 
 yet, so warm are the waters entering at the bottom of the canal, they 
 find their way out by melting the ice above in the coldest of 
 weather. These waters in trenches along my hillside are found in 
 chambers of stone at a depth of about three feet and a half, 
 covered with an earth sponge of pure mold or rich loam. There 
 are nearly two feet of snow along my side hill on the average. Such 
 is the effect from evaporation of the waters beneath at spring-water 
 
44 THE NEW AGKICrLTUEE. 
 
 temperature, that the snows melt at their bottoms, and their waters, 
 dropping down into the chambers of stone in the trenches, keep the 
 latter full to the surface of the subsoil, and overflowing through the 
 surface soil as though a sponge, keej)ing the frost out of the earth; 
 and I find my stra^vberry plants growing green beneath the snow, 
 making the white roots, etc. 
 
 " And so it is, that the deeper down the waters are dropped the 
 warmer they become, and the deeper the snow^s the warmer the soil 
 beneath them, and the more the melting at their bottoms goes on. 
 "What could be done in countries like Labrador, Alaska, Greenland, 
 Iceland, etc., by deep trenching during their short summers, I leave 
 to the imagination. To say the least, if the}'' have the right kind of 
 slopes and hillsides in Canada, if that cold country can be annexed 
 to the United States, we will allow our neighbors of that hitherto 
 less hospitable region to come in under our system of protection 
 from the rule of the Frost King." 
 
 " The Angler comes as a cheerful comj)anion, pointing back to 
 memories of youth. It is a charming jDaper. Long may it wave. 
 
 A. N. Cole. 
 
 Home on the Hillside, Wellsville, N. Y., March Id, 1885. 
 
 In the following quotations from our address at Cooper Union 
 the reader will bear in mind that, on the succeeding morning, 
 March 25th, the metropolitan i:)ress teemed with mention of Dr. 
 Edson's rej)ort touching the impurities of the w^aters of the Croton, 
 As the briefest among these editorial articles and the one coming 
 most directly to the i:)oint, we quote from the Sun as follows: 
 
 " The Health Commissioners yesterday considered Dr. Edson's re- 
 port of the examination which has been made of the Croton water- 
 shed, but refused to make it public. It w^as learned that the rej^ort 
 speaks of the rapidly growing population of the surrounding dis- 
 trict as a source of increasing contamination of the water supply. 
 
1 " 
 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 45 
 
 Along the Croton Rivei- and its tributaries in many places are 
 drains which discharge their contents into the water. A condensed 
 milk factory at Brewster's, containing- 100 hands, and another at 
 Purdy's containing 75, discharge their refuse into the water, and 
 the offal of a slaughter house at Brewster's goes the same way. 
 Other cases of a similar nature on a smaller scale are told of in the 
 report." 
 
 During our remarks, we made use of the following language. 
 
 " While an attemjDt to trace my lines of thought, examination and 
 investigation into the laws governing the movement of the waters 
 over, along, through and beneath soils, ultimating at length in my 
 discoveries, would doubtless weary my audience, I may be permit- 
 ted to read the following communication made to the Farmers' 
 Club of Elmira in confession of my obligations to that body for 
 generous treatment received during a discussion of the merits of 
 my system. 
 
 Home on the Hillside, Wellsville, N.Y., July 31, 1884. 
 To The Farmer's Club, of Elmira, N. Y. 
 
 " I address you through the Husbandman to express my gratitude 
 and profound appreciation of the compliments so unexpectedly 
 paid me by a body whose proceedings I have been for years noting 
 with deep interest. 
 
 " I have been quite generally presumed to be one who cares little 
 for any matter outside of politics, and the tone of your expressions 
 while discussing the question of questions with me, not merely at 
 the present but all along through my life, touches my heart in a 
 way I scarcely knoAV how to sufficiently exjaress. 
 
 " In no boastful spirit do I point to the facts connected with my 
 lineage as found epitomized in an article in the Free Press, copies 
 of which I send. From earliest childhood, two passions have 
 seemed to rule with me, the hatred of oppression and correspond- 
 
46 THE NEW AGKICULTUEE. 
 
 ing love of liberty, and the desire to see our mother earth restored 
 to a condition akin to the one pictured of Eden. 
 
 " Do not misunderstand me. I would not see earth made a gar- 
 den by the hand of the Father, but holding as I do that work is 
 worship, I would have the worship on the part of the children go 
 on, till nations becoming families and families dwelling each under 
 its own vine and fig tree, shall make home, with the farm and gar- 
 den, an Eden of love the world over. 
 
 " For this disposition, and what I have done and am doing in the 
 direction suggested, I am entitled to neither honor nor riches. 
 Eiches I have not gotten, but honor has come at last, not in the 
 way the world counts it, as a rule. But your club seems to be im- 
 pressed with the conviction that, to make money, I would not have 
 recourse to deception. I surely would not, since I could not and 
 be myself. 
 
 " I have, indeed, found the way to the new agriculture so fitly 
 denominated by one of your most eminent members, Mr. C. H. 
 Lewis. Nor the way only. Yes, I have found the thing itself, and 
 no possible escape from it. 
 
 " If I should make money out of my discoveries it will come good, 
 and will be used, bej^ond the comforts and becoming adornments 
 of home, to do good in all ways. 
 
 " I sought the patent, not to jolace an embargo on the glebe, but 
 as an incentive to imiDrovement of the glebe. 
 
 " I was but a boy in the summer of 1838, when, amid distresses, 
 not merely of business, but of drought almost Avithout precedent, 
 I travelled on foot over a large jjortion of Ohio, canvassing for a 
 little horticultural and agricultural monthly, the " Buckeye Plough- 
 boy," on more than one occasion sleeping in the open air, eating 
 fruit by the way, and shelling out the wheat, eating it, doing the 
 grinding with my then young and firm teeth. 
 
THE NEW AGKICULTURE. 47 
 
 " It was in the counties of Sandusky, Huron, Seneca and others 
 of northwestern Ohio, where I found fires sweeping along the 
 prairies and farms, destroying crops and timber, the trees having 
 in many instances dropped their foliage before their time. Water 
 was scarce for man and beast, and pestilence followed in the track 
 of the droughts and desolation. Three hundred graves of fathers, 
 mothers and children were unwet by the rains at lower Sandusky, 
 (now Fremont). The scum upon the waters of the river was so 
 thick that squirrels were said to have crossed it in droves without 
 wetting their feet. 
 
 " Swamps and morasses were on fire burning to a depth, in many 
 instances, reaching the rock from three to six feet beneath the sur- 
 face, since a uniform lime-rock underlies whole counties of this 
 portion of Ohio. It was this rock formation that especially attract- 
 ed my attention. To obtain water from wells was stubborn work. 
 Great streams in some instances gushed out in copious flow, but 
 disappeared quickly as some deep fissure in the rock was reached in 
 the flow of their waters. 
 
 " Thus early did I begin the observation and study of soils. Not 
 merely did I seek to know the surface. In streams, dry in their 
 beds, and in furrows of field and farm my studies went on. The 
 subsoils were especially observed. 
 
 " Whence came the waters ? These I knew dropped down from 
 the clouds in the form of rains, dews, frosts and snows. When it 
 came winter, I found out the treasures of the hail. I looked 
 back longingly during nearly a year of dreary discontent to the 
 leeks and onions, rains and dews and even the drifting snows of 
 that Allegany of nearly fifty years ago. I remembered the crystal 
 waters of the good-bye land I had left for the attractions of the 
 then great west, and dreamed dreams of grasses all green in their 
 verdure and grateful in their juices. 
 
48 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 " This is a goodly land, I said mentally, and yet, without water 
 it seems much like a jDlace we read about, in no sense attractive. 
 There was no end to my dreams. How can these great seams in 
 the rocks be sealed ? was the question uppermost in my mind. 
 These streams so abundant in flow along smooth rocky channels, 
 I said mentally, in spring and autumn, are fearful to contemplate 
 as found amid the fervors of the summer solstice. Great rains 
 would come in ordinary seasons, lasting at times for days in mid- 
 summer, and in three days time no desert was ever more dry. 
 Here, in favorable seasons, was grown that wonderful white wheat 
 we used to see in our boyhood, ecliiDsing that, if possible, grown in 
 the valley of the far-famed Genesee. 
 
 " This was the school, added to a few lessons learned iii Michigan, 
 then just admitted into our Union as a state, where I studied geol- 
 ogy and geograj)h3', jDhysics, physiology, botany and other sciences 
 without number in their application to the constitutions of men 
 and animals, j)lants, trees, grasses, grains and all else of life in its 
 multitudinous forms and phases. 
 
 " And all along since I have studied on, and reached conclusions 
 and demonstrated them as follows: — 
 
 " 1. The Father gives us the rains and dews and frozen waters 
 in copious abundance, nor need any of the sons and daughters of 
 men, nor beasts of the field, or fowl, or fish, or flesh in any form, 
 nor so much as the grass beneath our feet want for food and drink. 
 
 " 2. Man, made but little lower than the angels, and monarch as 
 he is of earth, has the ability to gather up the waters in store to be 
 used as wanted, controlling their flow as they make their ways 
 adown to the seas, and in facile direction so conduct them in cur- 
 rents as to make their tracks the ways of pleasantness and jDaths of 
 jieace, at the same time furnishing fruitions to earth's inhabitants 
 in basket and store of measureless abundance. 
 
• THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 49 
 
 " 111 the discussions indulged in on the jiart of your Club at date 
 of July 26th, while considering the systems of horticulture and 
 agriculture, proposed by your corresjDondent, the question unan- 
 swered was the one always asked ' will it pay ? ' 
 
 " That a body of men like yours should have been found in sub- 
 stance agreeing to every proposition I make in urging the merits 
 of my system, and that, too, when that system proposes the most 
 startling of new departures, is evidence that the world has reached 
 a point where all things seem possible with men as with their 
 Maker. Reading your discussions as I do, you agree to this : — 
 
 " 1. The rains and dews and melting snows can be gathered into 
 store, and in regions of country where hard-pan and clay subsoils 
 are found, so held back or allowed to flow on as to feed and water 
 vegetation in their track, giving to all trees, plants, grasses, grains 
 and other forms of plant life what is needed by way of food and 
 drink in abundance, and never in surfeit. 
 
 " 2. You agree that the waters moving evenly and in uniform 
 currents from mountain and hilltop along slopes and inclines till 
 the streams are reached, passing through the soil in subterranean 
 flow, bear with them nutrition for plants at their roots, which, by 
 capillary attraction are watered and fed in conformity to the neces- 
 sities of each and all. 
 
 " 3. You equally agree that irrigation and abundant supply of 
 food being realized, all forms of plant growth will be perfectly 
 develojDed. 
 
 "4. Again, you agree that when my system comes to be gen- 
 erally adopted, there will be fewer floods, fewer frosts of a deadly 
 character, and as for droughts they need not occur in regions of 
 country at least underlaid with the prevailing subsoil of the slopes 
 and inclines of the Southern Tier, and of other regions similarly 
 conformed. 
 
50 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. . 
 
 " By way of encouragement, let me say therefore, that the con- 
 clusions which seem to have been reached by your club are those 
 arrived at by Hon. William M. White, President of our State Agri- 
 cultural Society, Hon. Warner Miller, Chairman of the Committee 
 on Agriculture of the United States Senate, General Benjamin But- 
 terworth, Commissioner of Patents, Hon. Henry M. Teller, Secre- 
 tary of the Interior, and, if I am correctly informed, Hon. Geo. B. 
 Loring, Commissioner of Agriculture, and hundreds of others, as 
 eminent in all ways as the most notable in our land. 
 
 " In conclusion, let me say that, all I have claimed can be done, 
 and most of it has been done and demonstrated by myself ; the re- 
 sults are so wonderful in all ways as to incline me to shrink from 
 their enumeration and specification, and yet here is an epitome. 
 
 " Waters having descended their incline, however impregnated 
 or discolored at their sources, reach the level of the streams in 
 purity, having left all behind in their track adapted to the develop- 
 ment of i^lant growth. 
 
 " The stones, sticks and all else in the soil inducing fungus 
 growths at the roots of plants being removed and placed deep 
 down in the trenches, and manures having been so composted with 
 lime, ashes, salts and other fermentizing and assimilating agencies 
 as to i^revent germination of seeds, and completely destroying the 
 seed of fungus, every root of every plant will be free from disease, 
 and perfect stalks, buds, blossoms and fruit follow, and health 
 coming at all stages of growth, it is transmitted beyond to the 
 consumer not merely, but to the seeds and germinations of future 
 plant growths. 
 
 " Stagnation of waters nowhere occurring, health rather than 
 decay and death will be found in the track of the waters. The 
 l^otatoe rot will be conquered, Avire worms and the small grub 
 eating the white roots of vegetation will largely if not wholly dis- 
 
THE NEW AGRIOTILTUEE. 51 
 
 appeal', and when it comes to malaria with all of its animalculse 
 " in the air above, the earth beneath, and the waters under the 
 earth," these will in their baneful infections pass away. 
 
 " Among our hills and mountains, springs will gush out in purity 
 and permanency, lakes be begotten, rivers formed, and reservoirs be 
 found where none have hitherto been seen ; and these, swarming 
 with fish, will so multiply the food products of land and water and 
 so improve them in flavor and quality, as to eclipse anything real- 
 ized in the past. 
 
 " But this a^jplies only to lands such as are found in the region 
 round about us and to similar subsoils elsewhere. 
 
 " On nearly all portions of the world, outside of sea levels, by the 
 use of tile and kindred appliances in the form of troughs on the 
 elevations and slopes in which to aggregate the waters, all of 
 which are provided for under our system, the retention of water 
 beneath the soil in its flow along declines in subterranean cur- 
 rents, evaporation through the earth sponge being uniform and in- 
 spiring, the climates of New Jersey and Long Island, if not of Dela- 
 ware and Maryland, will come to New York and New England. 
 
 "Will it pay? I answer: Come one, come all to our "Home on 
 the Hillside " and see for yourselves. My neighbors have seen, 
 tested, feasted and felt, and my work is before their eyes. . Some 
 of your own citizens know and realize what I have demonstrated 
 and accomplished." 
 
 The balance of my address at the Cooper Union in New York, 
 will be found in the following article from The American Angler as 
 reported by its Managing Editor Mr. Wm. C. Harris, who was 
 present on the occasion ; it ajDpeared under the heading of " The 
 Waters Led Cajitive." 
 
 " On Tuesday last, March 24, Mr. A. N. Cole, of Wellsville, Alle- 
 gany County, N. Y., addressed, by invitation, the Farmer's Club of 
 
52 THE >fEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 the American Institute, at their semi-monthly meeting, on the sub- 
 ject of his 'New Agriculture.' He took his audience by storm, 
 nearly or quite every person present pronouncing his address one 
 of the most striking ever delivered before that body; convincing, 
 apparently, his hearers that he had foiind out the way to grow 
 springs, spring brooks, lakes and rivers of water, going to the 
 clouds for sources of supply and gathering in the rains, dews and 
 waters from melting snows, ' holding, husbanding and housing ' them 
 at will, and moving them forward in a way to i:)roduce such results 
 in agriculture and horticulture as to astonish everyone in this age 
 of marvels. 
 
 "Mr. Cole denominated his servant (the waters) "Leviathan," de- 
 clared he had him yoked, a hook in his jaAv, and jDroposed to jilow 
 with him vmtil j^aradise lost shall be regained. The peoj)le who 
 are just at present not only vexed in sjjirits about a plentiful sup- 
 ply of Croton, but are fearful that our water is being poisoned by 
 surface washings, will, we feel sure, read with interest the conclu- 
 sion of Mr. Cole's address, as follows : 
 
 "And now, ladies and gentlemen, having extended to me a jia- 
 tient and attentive hearing, for which thanking you once more, 
 l^ermit me in closing to say that I have been engaged for three or 
 four years in demonstrating the use to be made of the waters, and 
 have become convinced that by gathering them in and directing 
 their flow in subterranean currents they may be droj)ped deejoly 
 enough into reservoirs along inclines to hold them not only in re- 
 serve, but at a temj)erature considerably above freezing, keej^ing 
 frost out of the soil. To say the least, in moderate winter weather, 
 by evajDoration through the soil, the snows will be melted at their 
 bottoms, and the waters dropping into the reservoirs below, their 
 movement will follow in even flow through surface soils, as 
 through a sponge, and through subsoils in percolation, bearing 
 
THE NEW AGKICULTUKE. 53 
 
 with them inspirations to plant growth, having an influence as yet 
 scarcely dreamed of. 
 
 " It is not only subsurface, subterranean or underground irriga- 
 tion which is realized in perfection under operation of the methods 
 governing in my system, but a perfect method of drainage also, 
 carrying off the surplus waters and leaving to mother earth the 
 work of elaboration, and to plants their selections of food and de- 
 sired fill of drink, always in abundance, and never in surfeit. 
 
 " The time has come when around and about every home of our 
 entire land the work should begin of subsurface or underground 
 irrigation and drainage. If on slopes and inclines, with firm sub- 
 soils and an abundance of stone, the work can be readily and econ- 
 omically done. If the soils are porous, then should clay or cement 
 be used in construction of reservoirs and inclines, and the form of 
 tile, to which recourse may be had, has only to be shaped for the 
 work in hand, when yoking of " Leviathan " will be begun in a way 
 to demonstrate what he is capable of doing. 
 
 " Suffice it to say that were the slopes on the east and west banks 
 of the Hudson thus generally trenched and fitted, your great and 
 grand river would show a steady current of pure spring water 
 moving down to the ocean, regardless of droughts or removal of 
 the forests, so defying diminution of its tides as to make navigation 
 of any portion of its channel, even in midsummer, a something un- 
 necessary to provide otherwise for. You will find the begetting of 
 lakes at any altitude chosen among the mountains, hills and valleys 
 of the counties of Albany, Columbia, Schenectady, Schoharie, 
 Montgomery, Herkimer, Dutchess, Putnam, Greene and Ulster, 
 not to mention others farther north, not only a pastime but a 
 profit, of which not one in a million of the American peojale yet 
 dream. You Avill find that growing of crystal sj^rings, and beget- 
 ting of rivulets and rivers of water is a something as easy of 
 
54 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 accomplishment as the sinking of a well, or of an ordinary cistern. 
 
 " You will find the grasses of your dooryards and lawns and the 
 plants in your gardens greenly growing and making root all winter 
 beneath the snows; and the snows melting at their bottoms, the 
 waters will find their way to bases of slojoes at temperature several 
 degrees above freezing. You will find water, evolved on and out 
 from your lakes, hung up along your hillsides sufficient to j^i'ovide 
 all of reserve needed to hold the Hudson at high tide during every 
 month of the year; and, applying like principles to what has been 
 denominated the Great American desert, you Avill see gathered in 
 those torrents of water continually descending the slopes of the 
 Sierras and Rockies, coming of melting snows and passing on 
 from trench to trench, borne down mountain sides, across plain, 
 and descending into valleys, nowhere appearing on the surface, 
 except as man may direct, making confluence with the rivers in 
 purity and perpetuity of flow. 
 
 "You will find surface and subsoils alike made softer, more 
 porous and spongy, alkali extracted or again infused, salts, ammonia, 
 etc., evenly diffused, fertilization i^erfected, and production in- 
 creased to a degree beyond computation. You will find hundreds, 
 yea, thousands of trees growing, giving shade and bearing fruits 
 to where one is being felled by the woodman's axe, and clouds 
 forming and rains and dews descending in hitherto rainless and 
 treeless regions. The English grasses, growing greenly all over 
 our southland amid the fervors of the summer solstice, will give 
 to our brethren of that section the milk and honey, butter and 
 cheese, and other like products of our graver north lands. By way 
 of experiment, try this method on the dooryards, lawns, gardens, 
 etc., about your houses, and let your city fathers look into it and 
 make up their minds to have babbling brooks, with occasional cas- 
 cades, dropi^ing waters crystal-clear into miniature lakes of the j^arks 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 55 
 
 and places already existing, and steadily multiplying, in and about 
 New York, Brooklyn and other towns in circuit, and see what will 
 come of it. Lest " Leviathan " be underrated as regards his jDOwers, 
 let lakes everywhere be hung up among the rocks and mountains 
 of New England, and, by use of the water motor, let the wheels 
 moving the mills, factories, foundries and workshops of that region 
 be run under the force and impulse of his self-begotten, auto- 
 matic, self-regulating, unfed, unwatered, yoked, tamed and magic 
 movements^ — and so shall the harvest be." 
 
 The following discussion of our system by the Farmer's Club of 
 Elmira, N. Y., occui-red at a meeting on July 26, 1885, and was 
 fully reported in the columns of The Husbandman of Elmira, from 
 which it is now transcribed : 
 
 " In the discussion of the subject of Mr. Cole's system by the 
 Farmer's Club of Elmira, at its weekly meeting of July 26th, the 
 following report published in The Husbandman, demonstrates the 
 interest manifested in it : 
 
 " On the call for correspondence the Secretary read a letter de- 
 scribing a new system of irrigation. Although it had not been ad- 
 dressed directly to the Club, and the writer perhaps had no thought 
 that it would be submitted for discussion, it seemed pertinent, and, 
 in fact, was invited by members to whom a synopsis had been 
 given, and they gave attentive hearing during the reading, for the 
 matters presented were calculated to excite interest in the minds 
 of farmers whose hill lands of obstinate soil and under ordinary 
 treatment failed to give due returns for labor expended in fitting* 
 them for grain and grass crops. The first expressions were by 
 gentlemen who had personal acquaintance with Mr. Cole, and who 
 evinced pleasure in testifying to his worth as a citizen and his high 
 sense of honor. They believe he would not lay before the people a 
 scheme to defraud a single farmer, no matter how much profit he 
 
56 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 might reap from tlie transaction. Mr. Lewis ^v as particularly warm 
 in bis expressions of regard, and referring to matters embraced in 
 tbe letter be said : 
 
 " ' AVe all know tbat it is possible to increase crojDS four-fold by 
 irrigation, taking as tbe standard tbe average yields on lands tbat 
 are subject to extremes of drougbt and wet, and our clay lands are 
 nearly all of tliis character. I bave seen an illustration on my own 
 land of tbe princijile embraced in Mr. Cole's system wbere a ridge 
 beld an accumulation of water from rains until it could slowly pass 
 tbrougb and furnisb moisture for j)lants growing below. Tbeir 
 growth w^as two or three times as great as on other j^ortions of the 
 field of like character wbere moisture was not jDrovided at tbe right 
 time. If we can, by any system, bold back tbe surplus water that 
 comes from rains and snows, — water tbat usually runs over tbe 
 surface to the nearest creek or river — and let it out just at the time 
 when tbe plants need it, I am confident that we can reaj) harvests 
 uniform in excellence and always full. The question to be consid- 
 ered is — can we afford to inaugurate tbe system and carry it to 
 completion when its cost will add greatly to the investment, mak- 
 ing the farm cost, let us say, twice as much as before tbe improve- 
 ment ? I think the expense may be afforded with projDer manage- 
 ment, and that its gradual improvement, so that a piece of land 
 treated by this system may give profits to be apjjlied to the im- 
 jDrovement of more land. If we were required to treat our hillsides 
 in the way proj)Osed all at once, there is not money enough in this 
 county to effect the improvement, but with a very small part of the 
 money that would be required to do tbe w^bole work we can begin 
 and then use tbe profits to carry forw^ard the work. I believe tbe 
 time is coming, and is not far distant, when the face of the earth 
 will be changed and a new agriculture, more profitable than ours, 
 "will be open to every farmer. I believe tbe ingenuity of man will 
 
THE NEW AGEICULTTJKE. 57 
 
 devise ways by which every acre that we bow cultivate will be 
 made to produce two or three times as much as we get from it 
 now. That will be our new agriculture. Perhaps this system dis- 
 covered by Mr. Cole is the first step toward the general improve- 
 ment. 
 
 " G. S. McCann. If we can adopt any plan that will increase 
 crops to two or three times joresent yield we can afford considera- 
 ble expense to effect the improvement. It is not so much a matter 
 of cost in the outset as returns afterwards. 
 
 " W. A. Armstrong. That is the right way to view the new sys- 
 tem. First, ascertain by actual inspection of the grounds treated 
 by Mr. Cole two or three years ago what improvement is effected, 
 what advantage is already seen; in fact, get full information from 
 every available source. Now suppose his estimate of cost be taken 
 at $200 or $250 to the acre. Manifestly it will not be within the 
 range of possibilities for farmers generally to improve fifty or a 
 hundred acres in a single season at such great cost. But take 
 another view, premising of course that benefits received will repay 
 the outlay. Take one acre and treat it by this system. Suj)pose 
 its profits in annual crops are one-fifth of the cost required to pro- 
 vide irrigation. Why plainly in five years the profit will jDrovide 
 funds for treating another acre. Then there will be two acres to 
 yield profits, and accumulation of gain would, in a few years, pro- 
 vide for treating an extensive field. Sometimes it is advantageous 
 for farmers to lay out a good deal of money in improvements, even 
 when the money must be borrowed. As for instance suppose a 
 field never does more than return cost of labor expended on it. 
 The land may have cost a hundred dollars an acre, but if it will 
 produce nothing more than fair compensation for labor employed 
 on it, the value is nothing, because the labor can be sold for the 
 money without waiting for crops to grow, or it might be employed 
 
58 THE NEW AGEICULTITRE. 
 
 on other portions of the farm where it would secure fuller returns. 
 But if this field, by a proper system of improvement can be made 
 to pay a large profit, not only on the money expended in improve- 
 ment but on the original cost of the land, and also on the labor 
 employed in cultivation, why, to the dullest mind the argument in 
 favor of making the improvement will be very plain. That there 
 are such fields on a great majority of our hill farms, there can be 
 no doubt. When we find the new agriculture, of which Mr. Lewis 
 speaks, Ave shall find these lands improved by some system and the 
 ^ain to farmers who now own them will be very great. 
 
 " C. H. Lewis. That is precisely what I am looking for. My 
 farm is mainly heavy soil that has cost a great deal of labor to 
 bring to its present condition where some j)rofit can be derived by 
 cultivation. But developement is not completed. I suppose that 
 after all the years I have spent in trying to improve my farm it 
 may be worth $50 per acre. Now if it could be improved by Mr 
 Cole's plan, as I believe it might, it would bring better profits on 
 $500 per acre than it does now on $50. If this supposition be cor- 
 rect it would be wise economy to expend a large sum of money on 
 €very acre to bring it to the highest state of production. I dare 
 say that $100 or $200 exj)ended on an acre might, in the course of 
 eight or ten years, put into my pocket a great deal larger sum of 
 profit than I can have by cultivating the land as it now is, and the 
 gain after the original, cost is returned, would be all profit." 
 
 The foregoing is only a portion of the discussion upon the occa- 
 sion, the members ^participating in it being its President, Mr. 
 Cann, its Secretary, Mr. Armstrong, Editor of the Husbandman and 
 others, several of the number being among the first farmers of the 
 Chemung Valley. Such was the tone of the discussion throughout 
 as to cheer our heart and strengthen our determination to speak 
 out boldly, and tell what we had found out. This we began doing, 
 
THK NEW AGKICULTUKE. , 59 
 
 and yet, so startling were our statements, and so far short had we 
 yet come of a satisfactory demonstration, that we went slowly, 
 proceeding step by step, fortifying as we progressed. Not all of 
 the members of our family, nor so much as a single individual 
 among our more intimate neighbors and friends were able to 
 understand us, so complete was the revolution impending. Then 
 too, we may as well confess it, faithful friends never before doubt- 
 ing, felt that we were deceiving ourself, over confident, and were 
 spending money in a way that would never return. That our 
 credit correspondingly suffered is a fact we may as well confess. 
 
 At this juncture, through the kind consideration of President 
 Arthur and the Hon. Henry M. Teller, Secretary of the Interior, 
 both of whom had know us a lifetime and had taken a deep interest 
 in our discoveries, we received a commission sending us to the 
 Pacific Coast, to examine the last completed link of the Northern 
 Pacific Eailroad. This, though heljDing to the extent of less 
 than a thousand dollars, came at the time most needed, enabling 
 us to go forward with the work of demonstration. Before going on 
 our official western visit, we assured the President and Secretary 
 that we had no doubt whatever that such were the nature of our 
 discoveries, that were oiu- system to be applied to the reclamation 
 of the lands belonging to the government in that desolate region 
 denominated the Great American desert, these could be made as 
 generally productive as those of other sections of our country, 
 now thickly populated, and in certain portions, vastly more produc- 
 tive. Going out, and returning, we were convinced, beyond the 
 shadow of a doubt that millions of acres of the lands skirting 
 that greatest of lines, the Northern Pacific Railway, as seen along 
 mountain sides, plateaus, plains and valleys found in treeless and 
 rainless regions could be completely reclaimed, and made as fertile 
 and productive as those of the most favored countries of earth. 
 
60 . THE NEW AaEICULTURE. 
 
 Reaching home about the tenth of May 1884, all went hope- 
 fully on for a while, till came that fearful Ijlizzard, not soon to be 
 forgotten, about the last of the month, and so chilling our expect- 
 ations as to bring us near to discouragement. It Avas while journey- 
 ing to the Pacific coast that we had occasion for a few hours to look 
 squarely in the face a champion blizzard, gotten up at Manitoba's 
 best, leaving no room for doubt as regards the j^lace where, congel- 
 ation j)utting on the intense, "the frozen waters gendered are." 
 "WTiether the one which struck western New York and other sec- 
 tions in the East and West on the 29th of May, 1884, has been 
 equalled in the memory of the oldest inhabitant is doubtful. No 
 more decisive test of the efficacy of our system as protection 
 against frost could have been applied. The ground was frozen to 
 the depth of from one to two inches on all plowed lands upon our 
 fifty acres outside of the acre and a quarter at that time per- 
 fected in trenching under our system. In the latter, evaporation 
 of spring water through the soil was such as to j^revent freezing, 
 and the damage to our garden was correspondingly mitigated. 
 Our strawberries were much injured by the frost striking the buds 
 and blossoms, and the currants were killed at the tojjs but not at 
 the bottoms of the Inishes. The result was, damage, but by no 
 means that total loss of the crops experienced by farmers and 
 gardners in western New York generally. This convinced us that 
 our system is in'ooi against the effects of frost to a degree that 
 makes it, in this particular, worth millions annually to regions sub- 
 ject to disaster from this source. 
 
 It was a consolation to know that our s^-stem had jDroven in 
 some degree protective against Manitoba's champion blizzard, and 
 yet, in view of the fact that we had gotten up great expectations, 
 confident of being able to show to the world the wonder workings 
 of our system to an extent coming so near to demonstration as to 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. Gl 
 
 make our way clear to immediate success, suoh were the effects of 
 frost vipon our grounds as to cause us to feel that we wished no- 
 body to come and see till another season. Many came, neverthe- 
 less during- the siimmer, and in no instance did anyone go away 
 unconvinced. Individuals came Avithout number, chief among 
 them being Mi". J. Austin Shaw of Rochester, and Mr. D. C. Hop- 
 kins, of the Almond Fruit Farm, both saying pleasant things and. 
 doing all that was possible to cheer and encourage us to persever- 
 ance in the Avork we had undertaken. In the meantime, a few 
 brave men among our Allegany count}' farmers, having organized 
 a club, had so far gotten a start with their organization as to make 
 themselves felt all over our county. Discussion of the merits of 
 our system had begun in a lively way, the news getting out that 
 our patent had been allowed. The good effects were immediate, 
 promjDting the Allegany Farmers' Club to appoint a committee to 
 visit our grounds, and examine into the merits of our system. The 
 committee came, and after spending several hours in examining in- 
 to our Avork and noting results, reached conclusion as f oUoavs : 
 
 Wellsville, Aug. 11, 1884. 
 Mr. a. N. Cole: 
 
 The undersigned committee, representing the Farmers' Club of 
 Allegany county, having examined the plot of ground fitted under 
 your improved system of subterranean drainage, irrigation and fer- 
 tilization, take pleasure in assuring the public that our observa- 
 tions justify us in concluding that you are enabled to realize all 
 you claim to accomplish by that system. 
 E. E. Hyde, Belmont, Jas. S. "VVilcox, Belmont, 
 
 C. A. WiNDUs, " I. P. Truman, " 
 
 D. H. Norton, Friendship. 
 
 This committee Avas as al)ly constituted as any one of equal number 
 that could be chosen from the membership of any like organization 
 
62 THE NEW AGEICULTUEE. 
 
 in our State. Two of tliem, to wit : Messrs. Truman and Hyde being 
 physicians, while Messrs, "SVilcox, Windus and Norton are among the 
 most successful of Allegany farmers, the latter at this time President 
 of the county club. Hon. B. F. Langworthy, wddely known in Alle- 
 gany and adjoining counties as a gentleman of rare enterprise 
 and intelligence, one of the most svibstantial and successful of Alle- 
 gany farmers, came about the same time, and making careful ex- 
 amination, pronounced the new agriculture the Avay to success. It 
 was the year before, that Mr. J. F. Langworthy came, and about 
 the same time also Mr. D. C. HojDkins, of the Almond Fruit 
 Farm, both of whom formed favorable conclusions touching the in- 
 fluence of subsurface irrigation on fruit trees, as shown by the sin- 
 gle ai^ple tree left standing on our grounds at the time trenching 
 was begun. 
 
 On the first of July, 1885, the "Home on the Hillside " was visited 
 by Dr. J. P. Roberts^ now of Ithaca, N. Y., who has in charge the 
 University Farm, at Cornell, N. Y., an agriculturist having a na- 
 tional reputation. Layman, as we are, though having faith amount- 
 ing to sight in our system, we felt nevertheless, a trifle anxious 
 lest this most eminent of farm doctors might discover defects in 
 our system as to the conformation of soils, methods of fertilizing, 
 or in other jDarticulars of a serious nature, hence we were especi- 
 ally gratified, when he uttered his opinion as follows : 
 
 " Yes, Mr. Cole, you do all you claim to accomplish ; you gather 
 the waters into your reservoirs and jDass them through the soil 
 rather than leaving them to run riot along the surface ; you trans- 
 form this hitherto shunned and dreaded hardjian into soft, porous, 
 productive and best of soils to the dej^th of your trenches, thereby 
 enabling the roots of vegetation to descend deeply into the earth. 
 You remove the stone operating as obstructions and diseasing the 
 roots of plants, and put them where they will do most good ; you pro- 
 

THE NEW AGEICULTUHE. G5 
 
 vide against floods and droughts, and to a great extent, if not 
 wholly, defeat the effects of frost, but in doing this, it seems to me 
 that you are digging your trenches much wider than necessary, 
 and it would be better to sink them deeper, thus avoiding unne- 
 cessary cost, and at the same time making warm, soft, porous and 
 productive soil to greater depth." 
 
 In discussing this point, the Professor told a story of his experi- 
 ence while in Iowa of tracing the roots of clover in their descent 
 in a gravel bank, beating the one told us by Horace Greeley as re- 
 garded the descent of the roots of trees to a depth of twenty-two 
 feet to reach the waters of a river in subterranean flow. Mr. Gree- 
 ley made his statement as one of information and belief, coming 
 from credible witnesses in California, while Professor Roberts based 
 his statement upon personal knowledge of the fact that, in order to 
 reach water, clover roots descended to a dej^th of either eight or 
 eighteen feet. (We are quite sure it was the latter depth but as 
 we may have misunderstood him, we will therefore refer the public 
 to the author of this last story to say whether it was eight or eigh- 
 teen feet that the clover roots found their way into the earth.) 
 AVhether eight, or eighteen, it is safe to conclude that the tops of 
 that clover corresponded to the length and strength of the roots. 
 Having settled this point, every reader will not fail to discover the 
 reason why there is now growing and ripening in our garden in 
 boundless profusion more bushels of luscious strawberries to the 
 acre than the average farmer grows of potatoes, and that these are 
 in hundreds of instances, the size of ordinary jDeaches. Consider- 
 able numbers of these berries measure from four to eight inches in 
 circumference. We have decided, as suggested by Dr. Roberts, to 
 go down a little deeper, sinking our trenches from three to four 
 feet into the subsoil, and arranging all overflow trenches beneath 
 the surface soil out of reach of the deepest spading or plowing. 
 
66 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 A memorable day was the 7tli of July, 1885, the one uj)on which 
 occurred the formal introduction of our system to the world. "We 
 are now writing at the date of August 3rd, 1885. On Wednesday, 
 July 30th, Mr. William C. Harris, Editor in Chief of the American 
 Angler, published at 252 Broadway, New York City, made us a 
 visit. He sj^ent a day with us, looking over our system in detail 
 and gave decision as follows : " The New Agriculture " is the way 
 to a new earth with pure waters and healthy plants and j^eoples," 
 adding "Brothers Cole and Thorn j)son are right about it, the 
 brook trout must not go, and will not go." 
 
 Below will be found an extract from the correspondence of the 
 Buffalo Express, second in circulation and influence to no paper in 
 our State outside of the metropolis, it appearing on the day suc- 
 ceeding our exhibit, July 8th. 
 
 " Yesterday was a notable day for Wellsville, or at least for one 
 of its most widely-known inhabitants. Nestled away among the 
 ragged Allegany hills, this snug town of about 4,000 people has in 
 common with the rest of the world, its ambitions and its celebri- 
 ties. The particular industry that yesterday took a long stride 
 toward poj)ular recognition and favor is one growing up on the 
 western hill of the town, and is known as Cole's system of under- 
 ground iri'igation. Reckoned either as a freak or curiosity, or 
 better than both of these, as a step into the next century in the 
 domain of agriculture, this little plot of five acres of land, only 
 two of which are as yet developed, will bear the closest inspection 
 of either the skeptic or the willing convert. 
 
 " But perhajDS everybody is not aware of the system, now under 
 practical trial, which j^romises to revolutionize the world's agricul- 
 ture, nay, according to its enthusiastic author, has already done so. 
 Some four }■ ears ago Mr. A. N. Cole, better known as the " father 
 of the Republican party " and the veteran editor of the Wellsville 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 67 
 
 Free Press, began to put in operation a system of agriculture 
 based on underground irrigation, an idea entirely liis own. He 
 had been studying the system a number of years before that time, 
 but had not until then carried it into practice. There were draw- 
 backs that need not be mentioned here and there was, of course, 
 a town full of j)eople who laughed at the idea as a crazy notion 
 sure to come to nothing. But Mr. Cole j^ersevered, and it is safe 
 to say that yesterday he was able to demonstrate his success so 
 entirely as to ensure him the title of the proudest man in western 
 New York and perhaps out of it as well." 
 
 From beginning to end of a two column article, commendatory 
 throughout, the correspondent of The Express drew a faithful 
 picture of what he saw on this occasion. 
 
 We now give the report of Mr. Charles A. Green, sent to our 
 place as special corresj)ondent of the New York Tribune. In mak- 
 ing the rej^ort Mr. Green dates his letter at Clifton, July 8th, on 
 the day succeeding our exhibition: 
 
 " A short ride from Rochester up the Genesee Valley among 
 promising grain fields, fragrant meadows and shady pastures, and 
 another hour along the southern tier bring me to a prosperous, 
 hill-girt village, lying like a speckled egg in a bird's nest. In this 
 pretty village of Wellsville is the home of Mr. A. N. Cole, the vet- 
 eran editor and horticultural experimenter. His residence is 
 situated on an eastern slope commanding views of the village and 
 surrounding country. I found here a company of about 100 
 gentlemen, ministers, j)oliticians, j^hysicians, the jDress and neigh- 
 bors, who, like The Tribune corresj)ondent, had been invited to wit- 
 ness the results of " The New Agriculture," as Mr. Cole has named 
 his new method of irrigation. Mr. Cole expressed his pleasure at 
 seeing The Tribune represented, and remarked that it was Horace 
 Greeley who gave him his first insight into this method of agri- 
 
'68 THE NEW AC4RICULTUKE. 
 
 culture, by relating tlie peculiarities of a section of country in 
 California. Near Los Angeles a river disappeared from view and 
 followed a subterranean course for a distance of twenty-two miles 
 on an average of twenty feet below the surface of the soil. The 
 land surrounding this portion of country was a desert, but that 
 immediately over the subterranean river was covered with luxur- 
 ious vegetation. He also spoke of a similar mysterious disapjaear- 
 •ance of a river in the Mesilla Valley, New Mexico. It was the 
 inowledge of these lost rivers, he said, that gave birth to the ideas 
 "which have grown into " The New Agriculture." In speaking of 
 the remarkable growth over these rivers, Mr. 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 Koberts, of Ithaca, has told him that he 
 has traced red clover roots to a depth of eighteen feet, 
 that were growing in a bed of gravel overlying water. 
 
 " Mr. Cole has been studying irrigation since he was seventeen 
 years old, but his present system flashed upon him within the past 
 few years. He has not yet extended his working model over more 
 than two to three acres. I shall attemj^t to explain what I saw, 
 and to state the claims of Mr. Cole as clearl}' as I can, considering 
 our brief and frequently interrujDted conversation. 
 
 " We were first shown a j)atch of strawberries containing nearly 
 two acres. These plants were grown in hills about eighteen inches 
 apart each way, mulched with forest leaves, liberally fertilized 
 with yard manure, and irrigated after the new method. I was 
 told by the former owner of the hillside that when he sold it to 
 IMr. Cole it w'as an unjsroductive jDiece of ground. The soil proper 
 Tvas not over ten or tAvelve inches deep and rested upon a tena- 
 cious, clayey hard-j)an, which was impervious to water. He said 
 the frosts acted so seriously upon this soil, on account of the sur- 
 
THE NEW AGKICULTUEE. 69 
 
 jilus water not being- able to escape tlirough the subsoil that it was 
 almost impossible to keep plants alive in it during winter. Even 
 the fence j)osts would be thrown out by the frost in a very short 
 time. A prominent contractor who was walking by my side at the 
 time, said that all that section of the country was underlaid by 
 this j^eculiar subsoil, which is a great drawback to plant growth. 
 I was also informed by this same gentleman that this part of 
 Allegany County was not favorable for strawberry growing, or 
 other fruit except aj)ples, and that the supply of small fruits is re- 
 ceived largely from other sections. Mr. Cole has planted numer- 
 ous varieties of strawberries uj^on his side hill, among which I 
 recognized the Bidwell, SharjDless, and other familiar varieties. 
 The fruit was of an astonishing size and grew in great abundance, 
 r "VVliile I live in a strawberry country, and am myself a strawberry 
 grower, I cannot remember when I have seen so fine a disjilay of 
 strawberries growing upon the vines as I saw here. There were, 
 however, evidences of high culture. A gentleman by my side 
 echoed my sentiments by remarking that we could increase the size 
 of fruits in our own gardens by such thorough cultivation as this. 
 I regretted that Mr. Cole did not have a plot of strawberries grow- 
 ing near by which did not receive any benefit from his method of 
 irrigation, for then we could have compared results. Adjoining 
 the strawberries were growing different kinds of garden crops, 
 also currants, raspberries, blackberries, potatoes and a few fruit 
 trees. At one point, where the ground was terraced, I noticed, 
 growing on the ragged edge a row of onions. I 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 a position. In fact every- 
 thing showed that in no place had the rainfall run down the sur- 
 face as ordinarilv, to the detriment of anvthing growing thereon 
 
70 THE NEW AGEICULTURE. 
 
 as the water j^assed into the drains underlying." * * * 
 
 Mr. Green's article covers a full column and a half of The Tri- 
 bune, and is remarkably conservative in tone from first to last, 
 written by a manifestly level-headed and even-handed man, but 
 one nevertheless coming wholly unprepared for what he saw. 
 Himself an extensive gardener, fruit grower and nursery man at 
 Rochester, the Flower City, where gardens and gardening form a 
 distinguishing feature of business, and coming, as he did, out of 
 that far-famed delta of the Genesee, (which is ordinarily exempt 
 from frost, a fortnight earlier in Spring, and three or four weeks 
 later in Autumn than other sections of western New York) to find 
 at Wellsville near the source of the Genesee River, the climate of 
 Delaware and Maryland, not to say of the Virginias, growing fruits 
 and vegetables superior in flavor, and immeasurably prolific of yield. « 
 Fair minded and just, his summing up as follows need not be won- 
 dered at. 
 
 " The correspondent of The Tribune was asked on every hand, 
 " What do you think of this ' New Agriculture ? ' " I reply frankly 
 that, while I consider that Mr. Cole claims too much, there ajDpears 
 to be in it much that is novel and useful. Others who try similar 
 experiments in different soils and locations may not be able to ob- 
 tain such results. I do not doiibt that an acre of ground can be 
 made to yield an increased harvest by the new method, but whether 
 it is a paying investment is another question, and would dejDend 
 upon circumstances. For high gardening, near large cities, where 
 the subsoil is tenacious, it would doubtless be j^rofitable. For gen- 
 eral field culture of common farm crops, I should hesitate to recom- 
 mend it until I had investigated further, owing to the great ex- 
 pense to be incurred." 
 
 That the editors of The 2'ribune were unprepared for even so fav- 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 71 
 
 orable a report as this, is evidenced by the following-, appearing on 
 the editorial j^age of that paper at date of July 14th. 
 
 " Those who have read that most suggestive of all American 
 books on agriculture, " "What I Know of Farming," — will be inter- 
 ested in the account in another column which Mr. Charles A. Green, 
 the well-known horticulturist and nurseryman of Rochester, gives 
 of some novel experiments in irrigation by Mr. Cole, of "VVellsville. 
 The foundation of the new agriculture is subterranean irrigation 
 by a system of drains, which being kej)t sujjplied with water, in 
 turn afford a permanent supply of moisture ready to be taken up 
 by the plant growth above as fast as it is needed. There are other 
 principles involved, but this is the main one, and Mr. Cole claims 
 that his system will produce ten tons of hay to the acre, or 300 
 bushels of strawberries, etc., and thus yield a profitable return on 
 the money expended. It will be noted that while Mr. Green does 
 not indorse these claims he thinks that the result of the experi- 
 ment at "VVellsville are remarkable and worthy of attention." 
 
 Eminent among editors who came on this day was Mr. R. S. 
 Lewis of the Progressive Batavian, published at Batavia, Genesee 
 County, N. Y., from whose report it woiild be impossible to make 
 extracts and do justice either to its author or to the j)ublic, and 
 therefore we copy nearly all of it. 
 
 " Mr. Cole's farm consists of five acres of what was, four years 
 ago, and a part of which is now, a sterile hillside of clayey soil so 
 poor as to grudgingly yield sujficient substance to grow field daisies. 
 It is as steep as the steepest part of Burleigh hill Pavillion, the' 
 Bethany hill just east of the Centre, or any other hill in Genesee 
 county of which we have any knowledge ; and as to its ever be- 
 coming profitably productive, we don't believe there is a foot of 
 land in all our county which was equally unpromising. Some 
 thirty j'ears ago Mr. Cole conceived the idea that plant life might 
 
72 THE NEV.- AGRICULTURE. 
 
 be greatly, almost immeasurably, stimulated by underground irri- 
 gation. He had neither time nor opportunity then to perfect and 
 test his thought, but it continued to simmer through him and to 
 recall itself to his attention again and again as the years passed on. 
 
 "His conviction on the matter was greatly strengthened and stim- 
 ulated by a conversation with Mr. Horace Greeley, in which that 
 gentleman told him what he had heard of the wondrous produc- 
 tiveness near Los Angeles, California, where vegetation was fed by 
 a subterranean river. Mr. Cole had thought and investigated un- 
 til he had no doubt about the fact of a theory, but how to accom- 
 plish the irrigatioji — how to make his thought jDractical, was the 
 question, 
 
 " At last how to do it dawned suddenly upon him — the mists of 
 questionings and doubts were gone — his dream of the years had 
 materialized^ — his vision was clear. AMiere could he better test 
 and demonstrate the truth and value of his discovery than on his 
 own sterile, impromising hillside. Along its eastern front runs a 
 highway with wayside gutter adjoining his land. Parallel with 
 this, and some forty to fifty feet apart, and across about half his 
 land to its highest boundary, he caused a series of trenches about 
 two and a half feet wide by four and a half to five feet deep to be 
 dug, and filled to within eighteen inches of the surface with coarse 
 large stone covered with loose flat stone, for subterranean water 
 reservoirs. These reservoirs were connected by numerous shallow 
 and smaller trenches j^artially filled with small stones at about eigh- 
 teen inches from the surface and designed to carry off from trench 
 to trench all surplus water. After the laying of the stone all the 
 trenches, little and big, are covered with straw or litter of any 
 kind, as in ordinary ditching, and then covered with dirt. Thus 
 each large trench is a reservoir capable of holding from three to 
 three and a half feet of water through its entire length before it 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 73 
 
 reaches the height where carried off by the cross trenches. The 
 water from the rains and melting snows instead of j^assing off in 
 surface rills and channels is caught in these reservoirs and slowly 
 and continuously filters through the soil from trench to trench — 
 sweats through it, so to speak — rendering it porous, pliable, spongy 
 — always sufficiently damp to feed and stimulate vegetation to the 
 highest degree, and yet always sufficiently dry to be in the best 
 possible order for cultivation. 
 
 " On a part of his j^lantation which Mr. Cole has thus treated he 
 last year cut three crops of timothy grass, each crop being in the 
 head when cut. Most of the trenched ground is now planted with 
 blackberry and raspberry bushes and strawberry vines. What the 
 berry bushes will do yet is only conjectural — they have a strong, 
 healthy, prominent development — but the strawberry vines — it is 
 utterly impossible to approj^riately describe their wonderous 
 wealth of productiveness. The vines are literally loaded with ber- 
 ries and their average size is marvelous. Many were readily 
 found which measured nearly eight inches in circumference, and 
 there were no small berries. Mr. Cole 2:)roudly said : ' I have ber- 
 ries this year as big as jDeaches,' and, he confidently added, ' I will 
 grow them next year as large as apples.' He claimed he would 
 this year harvest more Inishels of strawberries from his vines than 
 any farmer would grow biishels of potatoes from the same area of 
 ground. He said the cost of joutting his ground in its present 
 condition of reservoirs and consequent jjroductiveness was about 
 $500 per acre, and he expected to realize $1,200 from his strawberry 
 crop alone this year. 
 
 " One or tAvo facts more are worthy of mention, 1st — Wliile the 
 ground all around this jilot Avas last winter frozen several feet deep, 
 this ground w^as not frozen — the j^lants greAV the Avinter through. 
 2d — One of the delugy rains so prevelant this season poured down 
 
74 THE KEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 upon Wellsville a few days since, and while tlie laillsides all around 
 were furrowed and ditched by the running waters, this plot was 
 not washed in the least — the torrents sank into its jDorous soil, were 
 caught in its reservoirs and the surplus passed off through its 
 transverse trenches without in the least disturbing its surface or 
 the croi^s grown thereon. 
 
 " Brother Cole claims that by his ' New Agriculture' every kind 
 of vegetable production can be increased from five to ten fold, — 
 that by it men could realize more from five or ten acres, and with 
 less labor too, than they now do from farms of hundreds of acres — 
 that this fact will become rapidly apparent — that ' The New Agri- 
 culture, something the Avorld has never seen or realized before 
 has been discovered and will j^revail.' If it shall in any measure 
 fulfill its early promise as shown in Mr. Cole's small experiment 
 then it ought to and will j^revail. Some wise man has remarked, 
 ' He who causes two blades of grass to grow where only one grew 
 before, is a benefactor of his race' or words to that effect, and for 
 what his new idea has already established we have no hesitation in 
 saying Mr. Cole is entitled to honor and esteem as a public bene- 
 factor. His experiment has demonstrated that his new idea has at 
 least great practical value for aiDplication to every hillside and 
 slope, if not for valley and plain. He claims that it may be worked 
 with wondrous success even on what we call level lands. The cen- 
 tral idea of ' The New Agriculture' is the capturing and utilizing by 
 subterranean reservoirs and irrigation, of all the dews, rains and 
 snows for plant growth, and Mr. Cole shows in his side hill experi- 
 ment that the filtration of the water through the hardest, toughest, 
 most unpromising soil, renders it pliable and most wonderfully 
 fertile and j)Toductive." 
 
 "We must not omit the report made by Mr. James McCann, 
 President, and Mr. George W. Hoffman, ex-President of the Par- 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 75 
 
 mer's Club of Elmira. This Avas presented at a meeting of the 
 Club on July 11th, 1885, and aj)peared in The Husbandman under 
 head of "The New Agriculture:" 
 
 "Nearly a year ago the Club resolved to make careful inspection 
 of Hon. A. N. Cole's new system of irrigation, and what has come 
 to be regarded as ' The New Agriculture ' but favorable opportu- 
 nity was not found until Tuesday, July 7tli, a day ajDpointed by Mr. 
 Cole, whose invitation to attend for the purpose of examining his 
 work and its results had been received by the Club some days be- 
 fore. Several members who had an earnest desire to accept the 
 invitation found themselves hindered by prior engagements, but 
 President McCann and ex-President Hoffman went as the direct 
 representatives of the Club and were acconiiDanied by several 
 gentlemen more or less nearly related to the institution that gladly 
 accepted them as its representatives. There was much desire on 
 the part of those who attended this meeting to hear the account, 
 and among the number were several that came in after the narra- 
 tion of incidents and observations had been partly made, among 
 them Professor Lazenby, of the Ohio Agricultural College, Hon. 
 J. S. Van Duser, an old-time member of the Club, Thomas Flood, 
 of the city, and G. F. SjDinney, of the New York Times. Mr. Hoff- 
 man's report ran substantially as follows: 
 
 " My observations were made mainly with the purpose of attain- 
 ing clear understanding of the methods by which Mr. Cole had 
 l^roduced what must certainly be regarded as surprising results. 
 But I made no notes, and must therefore rely ui^on memory in my 
 endeavor to convey to you ideas that impressed me. Notwith- 
 standing what I had read descriptive of the ' The New Agriculture,' 
 and Mr. Cole's account given to the Club some months ago, I had 
 not clear views of his method, and I was therefore quite desirous 
 of making the visit with the purpose of inspecting every part of 
 
76 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 the work and its results. I found the situation a slope on the east- 
 ern face of a ridge, ascending, I judge, four feet in the first hun- 
 dred. Along this slope trenches were cut on a horizontal line 
 or course, deviating from a straight line when necessary to suit the 
 inequalities of surface, the bottom of the trench having a horizon- 
 tal run along the face of the slope. The first trench, the pattern 
 after which all other trenches are constructed, is four feet deep 
 and two feet wide, filled with stones to within fifteen inches of the 
 surface, then covered with flat stones and refuse stuff, — grass, 
 weeds, anything to serve as a sort of filter holding the soil placed 
 above to the natural line of the surface, leaving water to drop into 
 the trench and be held for the uses designed. The filling, I was 
 informed, was first by round or shapeless stones gathered from the 
 field, leaving interstices that serve in their aggregate as a recepta- 
 cle for whatever water may find entrance, princijDally from rains 
 and melting snows and any springs that may be tapj^ed. It will 
 be seen that the stone filling serves, as the j^rincipal j^urpose, to 
 support the superincumbent earth and the flat stones j)laced on 
 the top as a kind of cover to prevent the loose soil from dropping 
 into the receptacle below. The horizontal ditches are constructed 
 at suitable distances along the slope, the series intended to hold 
 the surplus of rains so that none flows over the surface. Between 
 these horizontal trenches there are sub-trenches, leading from one 
 of the main excavations to another. These cross-ditches have less 
 dejDth but otherwise are constructed in the same manner as the 
 main trenches, their jjurpose to convey surplus of water from an 
 upper to a lower trench, and so equalize the supply. They are 
 filled in the same manner and covered with fifteen inches of earth. 
 The soil is what I may call clay-loam, with stones intermixed, but 
 no ajDpearance of sand, the close, compact subsoil not easily pene- 
 trated. I refer to condition before treatment, and of this I had 
 

 PLUM, NATURAL SIZE. 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 77 
 
 fair opportunity to observe in the adjoining land not yet brought 
 under the new system, also in an excavation in progress where 
 workmen had to strike heavy blows with their picks to penetrate 
 the hard clay. The land treated by Mr. Cole was originally part 
 of a considerable tract that was regarded as extremely poor, and 
 my observations led me to conclude that the estimate was just. 
 The most striking effect of the treatment, as it seemed to me, was 
 entire change of character, particularly mechanical condition, due, 
 in large part, no doubt, to the very thorough manipulation, for it 
 is not comprised in the trenching alone. The entii'e area is dug 
 up to the depth of fifteen inches, and all stones of any considerable 
 size, even down to an inch in diameter, removed, thus changing 
 mechanical conditions to such a degree that one is impressed with 
 the great difference between the land treated and that immediately 
 adjoining. You step uj)on the trenched land anywhere and you 
 find the soil yields to pressure of the feet, not a spot where it is 
 not soft and yielding; but on the land adjoining it is hard and the 
 foot makes no impression whatever. Another change is in color. 
 That hard, forbidding clay has taken the appearance of muck, or, 
 at least, the color of muck and loam intermixed. Its texture is 
 aptly described by Mr. Cole, who calls it an earth sponge. 
 
 " We were called to examine strawberries from plants set, as we 
 were informed, last October, and I am free to say that the plat was 
 a very interesting object inviting study. There was a full crop of 
 most remarkable berries — remarkable in size, color and quality. I 
 cannot undertake to estimate the yield, but it was certainly very 
 large. I called Mr. McCann's attention to one plant of older set- 
 ting that had ripe berries and others in the various stages of growth, 
 enough, I thought, to fill my hat if they could be picked at one 
 time. One peculiarity of these berries was the absence of what 
 may be termed a core, or hard stem in the middle ; they were juicy 
 
78 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 and tender all the way through. As to the foliage, I can only say 
 that I never saw anything like it. I measin-ed a leaf that was five 
 and one-half inches across, and I plucked a broader one, with Mr. 
 Cole's consent, and brought it home. 
 
 " I must say that the changes wrought in the soil and its jjro- 
 ducts constituted a great surprise. 
 
 " As to the soil, I could judge by comparison with land that 
 must have been originally of the same character. It now lies 
 hard and compact adjoining the renovated earth, that under Mr. 
 Cole's treatment has certainly become very fertile, whether with 
 manure in abundant supply, or not, I am not prej^ared to say. 
 The soil under treatment has the aj^pearance of being thoroughly 
 enriched with manure ; then there is the Avater suj^jDly for the 
 roots to reach and use, obviating drought ai:)i3arently ; and besides, 
 there is entire freedom from w^ashing. Heavy shovv^ers had fallen 
 in the week before our arrival, but there was not the slightest ap- 
 pearance of washing, and Mr. Cole informed us that all danger 
 from washing was obviated ; a statement which I can accept as 
 true, for he has provided reservoirs into which all surplus of water 
 must pass, and if there is too much the overflow runs from one to 
 another reservoir. Besides all this the earth worked to fine tilth 
 fifteen inches deep serves as a sponge to take in a great deal of 
 moisture and retain it for the use of j^lants. Ten days before our 
 visit there was a rainfall of three inches, as reported, and no ap- 
 pearance of washing. 
 
 " Of course I can not give you such description as will inform 
 you fully, because one must see what has been done and its results 
 to have complete understanding of the system. I believe there is 
 a great deal of advantage in Mr. Cole's plan, although I may not 
 Avith my one opportunity for inspection have such full faith as he 
 possesses, for I cannot have such fvill knowledge as he has obtained 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 79 
 
 in the practical work that has engaged his thought for years. 
 Still, when I see a croj) of strawberries much larger than I have 
 ever seen under other conditions, no dead leaves, no runners, 
 growth most luxuriant and long succession in bearing, I must say 
 that results are convincing. There were other proofs about which 
 I am not so well prepared to judge. For instance, an apple tree 
 standing in this improved land was reported Avorthless, its fruit 
 gnarled and valueless before the land was trenched, now bearing 
 largely and the fruit of fine quality. Of course I cannot say how 
 much difference there is between the tree as it now appears and as 
 it was before the land was improved. I observed, however, a young 
 tree, the trunk five or six inches in diameter perhaps, its growth 
 most vigorous, the limbs smooth as if recently washed with lye 
 foliage fresh, full and green. But on inquiry I learned that it had 
 only ordinary treatment ; the limbs had not been washed, and its 
 vigorous growth Avas attributed to the system of trenching and 
 irrigating that increased the yield of strawberry plants and the 
 size of fruit, the effect being visible in growth of all kinds. There 
 were no weeds on the ground occupied by strawberries — it was 
 absolutely clean. 
 
 " Prof. Lazenby. There are three or four questions that I would 
 like to ask. "What distance apart are the cross ditches ? 
 
 " Ct. "NV. Hoffman. I can not say precisely. I asked Mr. Cole, 
 and he told me three or four rods, leaving me to infer that he had 
 exercised no care to jjlace the cross ditches at regular intervals. 
 You will understand that these cross ditches tap the main trench 
 two feet above the bottom, that they are but two feet deep and 
 serve only the purpose of drawing off surplus water, or, in other 
 words, equalizing water in the trenches. 
 
 " Prof. Lazenby. What is done with the subsoil taken from the 
 main trenches ? Is it carted away ? 
 
80 THE NEW AGRICULTUKE, 
 
 " G. W. HoFFiiAN. It is all used on the land, intermixed, I sup- 
 pose, v.ith the surface soil during the working, as I have said, to 
 the depth of fifteen inches. "We saw workmen engaged in excavat- 
 ing a trench, and the compact clay taken from the bottom was dis- 
 tributed over the land to be brought into cultivation. The work- 
 men said that the hard clay would become friable upon exposure, 
 and j)ointed to jDlaces where it had been thrown where it had be- 
 come soft and yielding. The first working of ground below that 
 trench, we were told, was last May, but the workmen said they 
 ' would go over it again soon and take out such stones as had been 
 overlooked in the first picking. 
 
 " Prof. Lazenby. Still another question — "Were those strawberry 
 plants that were put out last October potted j^revioiis to placing 
 them in the ground ? 
 
 "G. W. Hoffman. I do not know that they were ; I supjDOse 
 they "were not. They were not as prolific as the older vines. 
 
 " President McCann. We were informed that the strawberry 
 leaves kept green all winter, and that the ground was almost free 
 from frost during the coldest weather. Mr. Cole told us that frost 
 rarely i^eiietrated more than an inch or two, while ground not 
 treated was frozen fully three feet deep. Of course, if the soil re- 
 mains open and there is snow protection strawberry plants may 
 keep fresh and green through winter. 
 
 " G. "W. Hoffman. There is certainly very great change produced 
 by the new system. How much may be credited to irrigation, how 
 much to very thorough working, and how much to manure, I can 
 not decide. Mr. Cole spoke very highly of forest leaves as a 
 mulch or manure, and, I think, he has made very free use of them. 
 Speaking of leaves, he said : ' They are the very best manure God 
 ever siipplied for agricultural use.' 
 
 " Now, as to this system of irrigation, there may be a great deal 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 81 
 
 in it I have not seen, although I have seen much to cause surprise. 
 Water flowing out below came clear, no discoloration, and I was 
 told that it was of good drinking quality. Mr. Cole claims that the 
 land will become loose and friable as deep as the trenches. Per- 
 haps this is not overstated. I do not care to speak of claims, nor 
 of opinions not well supported. There is enough in the new sys- 
 tem to interest investigators. It is costly. We were informed that 
 the work done by Mr. Cole had cost $500 an acre, but the improve- 
 ment may be great enough to justify that outlay. I suppose that 
 on an acre set to strawberries there may be 11,000 or 12,000 j)lants. 
 Now if each one of these produces a quart, the product will give 
 jaretty fair interest on $5,000. It must be understood that siTch re- 
 markable berries as are j)roduced under this system will sell for 
 more than ordinary prices. I want to make another visit later in 
 the season, when we have here the usual summer drought. If I 
 find everything fresh without appearance of drought on Mr. Cole's 
 improved land, I shall regard it as another strong proof of merit in 
 his system." 
 
 In conclusion of our introductory or first chapter we beg leave 
 to answer the question asked by Prof. Lazenby by saying that 
 we never pot plants, but grow them, taking pains to catch them in 
 with a trowel, giving them good root. This is done in August and 
 September, and our j)lants are removed with the trowel quite as 
 often as with the spade, leaving an abundance of earth upon the 
 roots, and they grow right along, though set as late as October, or 
 even November. They grow indeed beneath the snows, and make 
 deep roots in winter. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 CIRCULATION OF WATER ON LAND THE WONDERFUL MESILLA. 
 
 To Dr. J. H. Vincent, of Plainfield, N. J., the world is indebted 
 for a system of education reaching the hearthstones and homes of 
 thousands of families all over our goodly land. Chief of these, in 
 form of school or college, is the Chautauqua Literary and Scien- 
 tific Circle. The organ of this institution is The Ghautauquan, pub- 
 lished at Meadville, Pennsylvania, Theodore L. Flood, D. D., 
 Editor. From the November number of 1883 we copy an article 
 in which, if carefully read and studied, will be found an amount 
 of information which cannot be overestimated in its value to 
 the farming class. Here can be learned the ways of the waters 
 as run by nature's laws, over, through and under the soil. We 
 give this remarkable article in full, for were we to search the 
 literature of the soil to exhaustion, we could not find in so compre- 
 hensive and compact a form, a comj^end upon which to base the 
 text of this volume. 
 
 However, before transcribing it, we are equally bound to accord 
 to Mr. Henry Stewart, civil and mining Engineer, member of 
 the Civil Engineers' Club of the North-west and associate Editor of 
 the American Agriculturist, the credit of having written, about tw^o 
 years ago, a work on the subject of irrigation from which copious 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 83 
 
 extracts will be fouud on future pages of our book. Following in 
 the footsteps of progressive exj^eriences beginning, for aught we 
 know, when the deluge in which irrigation was made so general 
 as to drive Noah and his family to seek refuge in the Ark, the 
 author of the volume referred to, " Irrigation for the Farm, Gar- 
 den and Orchard," confines himself to the subject of apjilying the 
 waters to the surface of lands, merest mention being made of 
 underground or subterranean methods. Had we the satisfaction 
 of knowing that the farmers and gardeners, the fathers, mothers, 
 sons and daughters of America generally, taking an interest in 
 that most delightful of all pursuits, the one of growing grasses, 
 grains, fruits, flowers, trees and plants in their varied forms, had 
 read Mr. Stewart's book we should omit much of quotation herein- 
 after made. It is so meritorious a work that we do not hesitate to 
 pronounce it an invaluable adjunct to our own, and would advise 
 every reader of " Our New Agriculture," to couple therewith the 
 study of Mr, Stewart's "Irrigation for the Farm, Garden and 
 Orchard." "VVe now give the article in full from the Chautauquan, 
 under the caption of "The Circulation of Water on the Land." 
 
 " Although air is continually evaporating water from the surface 
 of the earth, and continually restoring it again by condensation, 
 yet, on the whole and in the course of years, there seems to be no 
 sensible gain or loss of water in our seas, lakes, and rivers; so 
 that the two processes of evaporation and condensation balance 
 each other, 
 
 " It is evident, however, that the moisture iDrecijaitated at any 
 moment from the air is not at once evaporated again. The disap- 
 pearance of the water is due in jDart to evaporation, but only in 
 part, A great deal of it goes out of sight in other ways. 
 
 " The rain which falls upon the sea, is the largest part of the 
 whole rainfall of the globe, because the surface of the sea is about 
 
81 THE XEW AyPJCULTUUE. 
 
 three times greater than that of the land. All this rain gradually 
 mingles with the salt water, and can then be no longer recognized. 
 It thus heli^s to make wp for the loss which the sea is always suf- 
 fering by evaporation, for the sea is the great evaporating sur- 
 face whence most of the vapor of the atmosphere is derived. 
 
 " On the other hand, the total amount of rain which falls upon 
 the land of the globe must be enormous. It has been estimated, 
 for example, that about sixty-eight cubic miles of water annually 
 descend as rain even ujion the surface of the British Isles, and 
 there are many much more rainy regions. If you inquire about 
 this rain which falls ujDon the land, you will find that it does not 
 at once disappear, but begins another kind of circulation. Watch 
 what happens during a shower of rain. If the shower is heavy, 
 you will notice little runs of muddy water coursing down the 
 streets or roads, or flowing out of the ridges of the fields. Follow 
 one of the runs. It leads into some drain or brook, that into some 
 larger stream, the stream into a river; and the river, if you follow 
 it far enough, will bring you to the sea. Now think of all the 
 brooks and rivers of the world, where this kind of transport of 
 Avater is going on, and you will at once see how vast must be the 
 part of the rain which flows off the land into the ocean. 
 
 " But does the wiiole of the rain flow off at once into the sea in 
 this way ? A good deal of the rain which falls ujDon the land 
 must sink imderground and gather there. You may think that 
 surely the water which disappears in that way must be finally 
 withdrawn from the general circulation which we have been trac- 
 ing. AVhen it sinks below the surface, how can it over get up to 
 the surface again? 
 
 " Yet, if you consider for a little, jon will be convinced that what- 
 ever becomes of it underneath, it can not be lost. If all the rain 
 which sinks into the ground be forever removed from the surface 
 
THE NEW AGKICULTUKE. 85 
 
 circulation, you will at once see that the quantity of water upon 
 the earth's surface must be constantly and visibly diminishing. 
 But no such changes, so far as can be seen, are really taking 
 place. In spite of the rain which disappears into the ground, the 
 circulation of water between the air, the land, and the sea contin- 
 ues without perceptible diminution. 
 
 "You are driven to conclude, therefore, that there must be some 
 means whereby the water underground is brought back to the 
 surface. This is done by springs, which gush out of the earth, 
 and bring uj) water to feed the brooks and rivers, whereby it is 
 borne into the sea. Here, then, are two distinct courses Avhich 
 the rainfall takes — one below ground, and one above. It will be 
 most convenient to follow the underground portion first. 
 
 " A little attention to the soils and rocks which form the surface 
 of a country is enough to show that they differ greatly from each 
 other in hardness, and in texture or grain. Some are quite loose 
 and porous, others are tough and close-grained. They consequent- 
 ly differ much in the quantity of water they allow to j)as8 through 
 them. A bed of sand, for example, is jservious ; that is, will let 
 water sink through it freely, because the little grains of sand lie 
 loosely together, touching each other only at some points so as to 
 leave empty spaces between. The water readily finds its way in 
 among these empty spaces. In fact, the sand bed may become a 
 kind of sponge, quite saturated with the water which has filtered 
 down from the surface. A bed of clay on the other hand, is im- 
 pervious; it is made up of very small particles fitting closely to 
 each other, and therefore offering resistance to the passage of 
 water, which, unable to sink through it from above on the way 
 down, or from below on the way up to the surface again, is kept in 
 by the clay, and forced to find another line of escape. 
 
 " Sandy soils are dry because rain at once sinks through them; 
 
86 THE NEW AGRICULTUKE. 
 
 clay soils are wet because they retain the water, and prevent it 
 from fi'eely descending into the earth. 
 
 " The rocks beneath besides being in many cases porous in their 
 texture, such as sandstone, are all more or less traversed with 
 cracks; sometimes mere lines, like those of a cracked window-pane, 
 but sometimes wide and open clefts and tunnels. These numerous 
 channels serve as passages for the underground water. Hence, al- 
 though a rock may be so hard and close-grained that water does 
 not soak through it, yet if that rock is plentifully supplied with 
 these cracks it may allow a large quantity of water to pass through. 
 Limestone, for example, is a very hard rock, through the grains of 
 which water can make but little wa}'; yet it is so full of cracks or 
 "joints," as they are called, and these joints are often so wide, that 
 they give passage to a great deal of water. 
 
 " In hilly districts, where the surface of the ground has not been 
 brought under the plow, you will notice that many places are 
 marshy and wet, even when the weather has been long dry. The 
 soil everywhere around has been j^erhaps baked quite hard by the 
 sun; but these places remain still wet, in sj)ite of the heat. AMience 
 do they get their water ? Plainly not directly from the air, since 
 in that case the rest of the ground would also be damp. They get 
 it not from above, but from below. It is oozing out of the ground; 
 and it is this constant outcome of water from below, which keeps 
 the ground wet and marshy. In other places you will observe that 
 the water does not merely soak through the ground, but gives rise 
 to a little run of clear water. If you follow such a run up to its 
 source, you will see that it comes gushing out of the ground as a 
 spring. 
 
 "Springs are the natural outlets for the underground waters. 
 But, you ask, why should this water have any outlets, and what 
 makes it rise to the surface ? Let us suppose that a flat layer of 
 
THE ^EW AGlilCULTUKE. 87 
 
 some impervious rock like clay, uuderlies another layer of a j^orous 
 material, like saucl. TLie rain which falls on the surface of the 
 ground, and sinks through the uj^per bed, will be arrested by the 
 lower one, and made either to gather there, or find its escape along 
 the surface of that lower bed. If a hollow or valley should have 
 its bottom below the level of the line along which the water flows, 
 springs will gush out along the sides of the valley. The line of es- 
 caj^e may be either the junction between two different kinds of 
 rock, or some of the numerous joints already referred to. What- 
 ever it be, the water cannot helj^ flowing onward and downward, as 
 long as there is any jDassage along which it can find its way; and 
 the rocks underneath are so full of cracks, that it has no difficulty 
 in doing so. 
 
 " But it must happen that a great deal of the underground 
 water descends far below the level of the valleys, and even below 
 the level of the sea. And yet, though it should descend for several 
 miles, it comes at last to the surface again. To realize clearly how 
 this takes jjlace, let us follow a i^articular drop of water from the 
 time it sinks into the earth as rain, to the time when, after a long- 
 journey up and down in the bowels of the earth, it once more 
 reaches the surface. It soaks through the soil together with other 
 droits, and joins some feeble trickle, or some other ample flow of 
 Avater, which works its way through crevices and tunnels of the 
 rocks. It sinks in this way to perhaps a depth of several thousand 
 feet until it reaches some strata through which it cannot readily 
 make further way. Unable to work its way downward, the pent- 
 up water must try to find escape in some other direction. By the 
 pressure from above it is driven through other cracks and pass- 
 ages, winding up and down until at last it comes to the surface 
 again. It breaks out there as a gushing spring. 
 
 " Kain is water nearly in a state of j)urity. After journeying up 
 
88 THE ^"E^v agkicultuee. 
 
 and down underground it conies out again in springs, always 
 more or less mingled Avitli other materials, Avliieh it gets from 
 the rocks through which it travels. They are not visible to the 
 eye, for they are held in Avhat is called chemical solution. "When 
 you put a few grains of salt or sugar upon a plate, and pour 
 water over them, they are dissolved in the water and disappear. 
 They enter into union with the water. You can not see them, 
 but you can still recognize their jDresence by the taste which 
 they give to the water which holds them in solution. So water, 
 sinking from the soil downward, dissolves a little of the sub- 
 stance of the subterranean rocks, and carries this dissolved ma- 
 terial up to the surface of the ground. One of the important in- 
 gredients in the air is carbonic acid gas, and this substance 
 is both abstracted from and supplied to the air by plants and 
 animals. In descending through the atmosphere rain absorbs 
 a little air. As ingredients of the air, a little carbonic acid gas 
 particles of dust and soot, noxious vapors, minute organisms, 
 and other substances floating in the air, are caught up by the 
 descending rain, which in this way washes the air, and tends 
 to keep it much more wholesome than it would otherwise be. 
 
 " But rain not merely j^icks up impurities from the air, it gets a 
 large addition when it reaches the soil. 
 
 " Armed with the carbonic acid which it gets from the air, and 
 with the larger quantity which it abstracts from the soil, rainwater 
 is prepared to attack rocks, and to eat into them in a way which 
 pure water could not do. 
 
 "Water containing carbonic acid has a remarkable effect on 
 many rocks, even on some of the very hardest. It dissolves 
 more or less of their substance, and removes it. "When it falls, 
 for instance, on chalk or limestone, it almost entirely dissolves 
 and carries away the rock in solution, though still remaining 
 
THE NEW A(iRICULTUEE. 89 
 
 clear and limpid. In countries where chalk or limestone is an 
 abundant rock, this action of water is sometimes singularly 
 shown in the way in which the surface of the ground is worn 
 into hollows. In such districts, too, the springs are always hard; 
 that is, they contain much mineral matter in solution, whereas 
 rainwater and springs which contain little impurity are termed 
 soft. 
 
 " When a stone building has stood for a few hundred years, the 
 smoothly-dressed face which its walls received from the mason is 
 usually gone. Again, in the burying- ground surrounding a ven- 
 erable church you see the tombstones more and more mouldered 
 the older they are. This crumbling away of hard stone with the 
 lapse of time is a common familiar fact to you. But have you ever 
 wondered why it should be so ? What makes the stone decay, and 
 what purpose is served by the jDrocess ? 
 
 " If it seem strange to you to be told that the surface of the 
 earth is crumbling away, you should take every opportunity of 
 verifying the statement. Examine your own district. You will 
 find proofs that, in spite of their apparent steadfastness, even the 
 hardest stones are really crumbling down. In short, wherever 
 rocks are exposed to the air they are liable to decay. Now let us 
 see how this change is brought about. 
 
 " First of all we must return for a moment to the action of car- 
 bonic acid, which has been already described. You remember 
 that rainwater abstracts a little carbonic acid from the air, and 
 that, when it sinks under the earth, it is enabled by means of the 
 acid to eat away some parts of the rocks beneath. The same action 
 takes place with the rain, which rests uj^on or flows over the sur- 
 face of the ground. The rainwater dissolves out little by little 
 such portions of the rocks as it can remove. In the case of some 
 rocks, such as limestone, the whole or almost the whole, of the 
 
90 THE NEW AGKICULTURE. 
 
 :substance of the rock is carried away in solution. In other kinds, 
 the portion dissolved is the cementing material -svhereby the mass 
 of the rock was hound together; so that when it is taken away, 
 the rock crumbles into mere earth or sand, which is readily washed 
 away by the rain. Hence one of the causes of the mouldering of 
 stone is the action of the carbonic acid taken up by the rain. 
 
 " In the second place, the oxygen of the jDortion of air contained 
 in rainwater helj)s to decompose rocks. AVhen a piece of iron has 
 been exposed for a time to the weather, in a damp climate, it rusts. 
 This rust is a compound substance, formed by the union of oxygen 
 ' with iron. What happens to an iron railing or a steel knife, haj)- 
 pens also, though not so quickly nor so strongly, to many rocks. 
 They, too, rust by absorbing oxygen. A crust of corroded rock 
 iorms on their surface, and when it is knocked off by the rain, a 
 iresh layer of rock is reached by the ever-present and active oxy- 
 gen. 
 
 " In the third jilace the surface of many j^arts of the world is 
 TQiade to crumble down by means of frost. Sometimes during 
 ivinter, when the cold gets very keen, i^ipes full of water burst, 
 and jugs filled with water crack from toj) to bottom. The reason of 
 this lies in the fact that water expands in freezing. Ice requires 
 more space than the water would if it remained fluid. When ice 
 forms within a confined space, it exerts a great pressure on the 
 sides of the vessel, or cavity, which contains it. If these sides are 
 not strong enough to bear the strain to which they are put, they 
 must yield, and therefore they crack. 
 
 "You have learned hoAv easily rain finds its way through soil. 
 Even the hardest roots are more or less 2:»orous, and take in some 
 water. Hence, when winter comes the ground is full of moisture; 
 not in the soil merely, but in the rocks. And so, as frost sets in, 
 this pervading moisture freezes. Now, precisely the same kind of 
 
THE NEW AGKICULTUUK. 91 
 
 action takes j^lace with each particle of water, as in the case of the 
 water in the burst water-pipe or the cracked jar. It does not mat- 
 ter whether the water is collected into some hole or crevice, or is 
 diffused between the grains of the rocks and the soil. When it 
 freezes it exjjands, and in so doing tries to push asunder the walls 
 between which it is confined. 
 
 " Water freezes not onl}^ between the component grains, but in 
 the numerous crevices or joints, as they are called, by which rocks 
 are traversed. You have, perhaps noticed, that on the face of a 
 cliff, or in a quarry, the rock is cut through by lines running more 
 or less in an uiDright direction, and that by means of these lines 
 the rock is split up by nature, and can be divided by the quarry- 
 men into large four-sided blocks or pillars. These lines, or joints, 
 have been already referred to as passages for water in descending 
 from the surface. You can understand that only a very little water 
 may be admitted at a time into a joint. But by degrees the joint 
 widens a little, and allows more water to enter. Every time the 
 Avater freezes it tries hard to push asunder the two sides of the 
 joint. After many winters, it is at last able to separate them a 
 little; then more water enters, and more force is exerted in freez- 
 ing, until at last the block of rock traversed by the joint is com- 
 23letely split uj). When this takes j^lace along the face of a cliff, 
 one of the loosened parts may fall and actually roll do\vn to the 
 bottom of the precipice. 
 
 "In addition to carbonic acid, oxygen and frost, there are still 
 other influences at work by which the surface of the earth is made 
 to crumble. For example, when, during the day, rocks are highly 
 heated by strong sunshine, and then during night are rapidly 
 cooled by radiation, the alternate exjDansion and contraction caused 
 by the extremes of temperature loosen the j^articles of the stone, 
 
92 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 causing them to crumble away, or even making successive crusts 
 of the stone fall off. 
 
 " Again, rocks which are at one time well soaked with rain, 
 and at another time are liable to be dried by the sun's rays and by 
 wind, are apt to crumble away. If then it be true, as it is, that a 
 general wasting of the surface of the land goes on, you may nat- 
 urally ask why this should be. Out of the crumbled stones all 
 soil is made, and on the formation and renewal of the soil we 
 depend for our daily food. 
 
 " Take up a handful of soil from any field or garden, and look 
 at it attentively. What is it made of ? You see little pieces of 
 crumbling stone, particles of sand and clay, perhaps a few vege- 
 table fibers ; and the whole soil has a dark color from the decayed 
 remains of plants and animals diffused through it. Now let us 
 try to learn how these different materials have been brought to- 
 gether. 
 
 " Every drop of rain which falls upon the land helps to alter the 
 surface. You have followed the chemical action of rain when it 
 dissolves parts of rocks. It is by the constant repetition of the 
 process, drop after drop, and shower after shower, for years to- 
 gether, that the rocks become so wasted and worn. But the rain 
 has also a mechanical action. 
 
 " "Watch what hapjpens when the first pattering drops of a show- 
 er begin to fall upon a smooth surface of sand, such as that of a 
 beach. Each drop makes a little dent or impression. It thus 
 forces aside the grains of sand. On slojDing ground, where the 
 drops can run together and flow downward, they are able to push 
 or carry the particles of sand or clay along. This is called a 
 mechanical action ; while the actual solution of the j^articles, as 
 you Avould dissolve sugar or salt, a chemical action. Each drop of 
 rain may act in either or both of these ways. 
 
THE NEW ACiKICULTUKE. 93 
 
 " Now you will readily see how it is that rain does so much in 
 the destruction of rocks. It not only dissolves out some parts of 
 them, and leaves a crumbling crust on the surface, but it washes 
 aAvay this crust, and thereby exposes a fresh surface to decay. 
 There is in this way a continual pushing along of powdered stone 
 over the earth's surface. Part of this material accumulates in hol- 
 lows, and on sloping or level ground ; part is swept into the rivers 
 and carried away into the sea. As the mouldering of the surface 
 of the land is always going on, there is a constant formation of 
 soil. Indeed, if this were not the case, if after a layer of soil had 
 been formed wpon the ground, it were to remain there unmoved 
 and unrenewed, the i^lants would by degrees take out of it all the 
 earthy materials they could, and leave it in a barren or exhausted 
 state. But some of it is being slowly carried away by rain, fresh 
 23articles from mouldering rocks are being washed over it by the 
 same agent, while the rock or subsoil vmderneath is all the while 
 decaying into soil. The loose stones, too, are continually crum- 
 bling down and making new earth. And thus, day by day, the 
 soil is slowly renewed. 
 
 " Plants, also, help to form and renew the soil. They send their 
 roots among the grains and joints of the stones, and loosen them 
 Their decaying fibers supi)ly most of the carbonic acid by which 
 these stones are attacked, and furnish also most of the organic 
 matter in the soil. Even the common worms, which you see when 
 you dig up a spadeful of earth, are of great service in mixing the 
 soil and bringing what lies underneath up to the surface. 
 
 " One part of the rain sinks under the ground, and you have 
 traced its j^rogress there until it comes to the surface again. You 
 have now to trace, in a similar way, the other portion of the rain- 
 fall which flows along the surface in brooks and rivers. 
 
 " You cannot readily meet with a better illustration of this sub- 
 
94 THE KEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 ject thau that -whicli is furnished by a gently sloping road during 
 a heavy shower of rain. Let us suppose that 3'ou know such a 
 road, and that just as the rain is beginning you take up your 
 station at some part where the road has a well-marked descent. At 
 first you notice that each of the large heavy drops of rain makes 
 in the dust, or sand, one of the little dints or rain-prints already 
 described. As the shower gets heavier these rain-prints are ef- 
 faced, and the road soon streams with water. Now mark in what 
 manner the water moves. 
 
 " Looking at the road more narrowly, you remark that it is full 
 of little roughnesses — at one place a long rut, at another a pro- 
 jecting stone, with many more inequalities which your eye could 
 not easily detect when the road was dry, but which the water at 
 once discloses. Every little dimjDle and j^rojection affects the flow 
 of the water. You see how the raindrops gather together into 
 slender streamlets of running water which coui'se along the hol- 
 lows, and how the jutting stones and pieces of earth seem to turn 
 these streamlets now to one side, and again to another. 
 
 " Toward the top of the sloj^e only feeble runnels of water are to 
 be seen, but further down they become fewer in number and at 
 the same time, larger in size. They unite as they descend, and the 
 larger and swifter streamlets at the foot of the descent are thus 
 made up of a great many smaller ones from the higher jDarts of the 
 slope. 
 
 " Why does the water run down the Hloi)ing road ? Why do 
 rivers flow? Why should they always move constantly in the 
 same direction ? They do so for the same reason that a stone falls 
 to the ground when it drops out of your hand; because they are 
 under the sway of that attraction toward the center of the earth, 
 to whicli, as you know, the name of gravity is given. Every drop 
 of rain fall.i to the earth because it is drawn downward bv the 
 
THE NEW AGBICULTUHE. 95 
 
 force of attraction. "When it reaches the ground it is still, as 
 much as ever, under the same influence, and it flows downward irt 
 the readiest channel it can find. Its fall from the clouds to the 
 earth is direct and rapid, its descent from the mountains to the 
 sea as part of a stream is often long- and slow; but the cause of the 
 movement is the same in either case. The winding to and fro of 
 streams, the rush of rapids, the roar of cataracts, the noiseless flow 
 of the deep sullen currents, are all proofs how paramount is the 
 sway of the law of gravity over the waters of the globe. 
 
 " Drawn down in this way by the action of gravity, all that por- 
 tion of the rain which does not sink into the earth must at once 
 begin to move downward along the nearest sloj)es, and continue 
 flowing until it can get no farther. On the surface of the land 
 there are hollows, called lakes, which arrest part of the flowing: 
 water just as there are hollows on the road which serve to collect 
 some of the rain. But in most cases they let the water run out at 
 the lower end as fast as it runs in at the upper, and therefore do 
 not serve as permanent resting-places for the water. The streams 
 which issue from lakes go on as before, working their way to the 
 sea-shore. So thct the course of all streams is a downward one, 
 and the sea is a great reservoir into which the water of the land is. 
 continually pouring. 
 
 " The brooks and rivers of a country are thus the natural drain^ 
 by which the surplus rainfall, not required by the soil, or hy 
 springs, is led back again into the sea. When we consider the 
 great amount of rain, and the enormous number of brooks in the 
 higher part of the country, it seems, at first, hardly possible for all 
 these streams to reacli the sea without overflowing the lower 
 grounds. But this does not take place, for when two streams unite 
 in one, they do not require a channel twice as broad as either of 
 their single water courses. On the contrary, such an union gives. 
 
96 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 rise to a stream which is not so broad as either of the two from 
 which it flows. Bvit it becomes swifter and deeper. 
 
 "Let lis return to the illustrations of the roadway and rain. 
 Starting from the foot of the slope, you found the streamlets of 
 rain getting f mailer and smaller, and when you came to the top 
 there were none at all. If, however, you were to descend the road on 
 the other side of the ridge, you would probably meet with other 
 streamlets coursing down hill in the oj^posite direction. At the 
 summit the rain seems to divide, part flowing off to one side, and 
 part to the other. 
 
 " In the same way, were you to ascend some river from the sea, 
 you would watch it becoming narrower as you traced it inland, and 
 branching more and more into tributary streams, and these again 
 subdividing into almost endless little brooks. Bi;t take any of the 
 branches which unite to form the main stream, and trace it upward. 
 You come in the end to the beginning of a little brook, and going 
 a little farther, 3'ou reach the summit, down the other side of 
 which all the streams are flowing to the opposite quarter. The 
 line which separates tAvo sets of streams in this way is called the 
 watershed. In England, for example, one series of rivers flows 
 into the Atlantic, another into the Korth Sea. If you trace iipon a 
 map a line separating all the uj^per streams of one side from those 
 of the other, that line will mark the water shed of the country. 
 But there is one important point where the illustration of the road 
 in rain quite fails. It is only Avhen rain is falling, or immediately 
 after a heavy shower, that the rills are seen ujDon the road. "WTien 
 the rain ceases the water begins to dry up, till in a short time, the 
 road becomes once more firm and dusty. But the brooks and 
 rivers do not cease to flow when the rain ceases to fall. In the 
 heat of summer, when perhaps there has been no rain for many 
 days together, the rivers still roll on, smaller usually than they 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 97 
 
 were iu winter, but still with ample flow. What keeps them full ? 
 If you remember what you have already been told about under- 
 ground water, you will answer that rivers are fed by springs as 
 well as by rains. 
 
 " Though the weather may be rainless, the sj^rings continue to 
 give out their supj)lies of water, and these keep the rivers going. 
 But if gx-eat drought comes, many of the sj)rings, particularly the 
 shallow ones, cease to flow, and the rivers fed by them shrink up 
 or get dry altogether. The great rivers of the globe, such as the 
 Mississippi, drain such vast territories, that any mere local rain or 
 drought makes no sensible difference in their mass of water. 
 
 " In some parts of the world, however, the rivers are larger in 
 summer and autumn than they are in winter and spring. The 
 Rhine, for instance, begins to rise as the heat of summer increases, 
 and to fall as the cold of winter comes on. This haj^pens because 
 the river has its source among snowy mountains. Snow melts 
 rapidly in summer, and the water which streams from it finds its 
 way into the brooks and rivers, which are thereby greatly swollen. 
 In winter, on the other hand, the snow remains unmelted ; the 
 moisture which falls from the air upon the mountains is chiefly 
 snow ; and the cold is such as to freeze the brooks. Hence the 
 supplies of water at the source of these rivers are, in winter, 
 greatly diminished, and the rivers themselves become proportion- 
 ately smaller." 
 
 In conclusion of this chapter, and by way of complete demon- 
 stration of the wonderful effects of subsurface irrigation, we quote 
 from an article telling a story which, read by the average farmer 
 and gardener, cannot fail to j^rove convincing. These surely will 
 be glad to know that the way has been found to escape the calam- 
 ities to which i:)roducers have been hitherto subjected on account 
 of frosts, floods and droughts. Nor will it become necessary to 
 
98 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 argue tlie case in the newspapers and publish books to convince 
 them that to adopt our system is the way and the only way open to 
 reliance uj^on a full and j^erfect crop year in and year out. 
 
 Having in previous chapiter made mention of the subterranean 
 river in lower California, where, in the midst of the desert is found 
 a valley of perpetual green abounding in rarest j)roductions of the 
 fruits of the earth, we j)roceed to quote from the article referred to, 
 as it api:)eared in Harper's Monthly for April, under head of " Along 
 the Rio Grande." 
 
 "It was the wonderful fertility of the far-famed Mesilla which 
 led to its jDurchase from Mexico by the United States, under the 
 Gadsden treaty, moving the Ijoundary about thirty miles south- 
 ward and making American citizens of the Mesilleros. La Mesilla 
 is a charming looking place with luxuriant gardens and noble 
 trees densely shading its streets. The United States land office for 
 the southern j^art of New Mexico is here, and the great excess in 
 the number of paid up mining claims over those of the northern 
 district at Santa Fe, speaks well for the jirosperity of the mining- 
 interest of the section. 
 
 " Contemplating the uncultivated soil, one wonders a\ here the 
 Mesilla Valley got its fame for fertility, since it apparently consists 
 of barren sand, tufted with i-ank weeds. But an abundance of 
 sunshine and water, works wonders here, as is testilied by the rich 
 tilled fields, and the many beautiful orchards and vineyards. The 
 profits of agriculture here are great. One of the leading' citizens 
 of Mesilla, is said to have an annual income of something like ten 
 thousand dollars from eighteen acres of vineyard and orchard. 
 Several hundred acres of prairie land would hardly accomjilish so 
 much. The mildness of the climate is shown by the existence of a 
 beautiful large fig tree in the patio of one of the Mesilla houses. 
 Considerable Mesilla wine is now taken east bv the railway, and it 
 
THE NEW AGKICULTUEE. 99 
 
 is averred that in the hands of New York dealers, the Mesilla label 
 is not infrequently replaced by the legend " Fine Old Sherry'" 
 
 " The onion is a famous j)roduct of the Mesilla Valley ; it grows 
 to an enormous size — larger than I have ever seen or heard of 
 elsewhere. Onions seven or eight inches in diameter are not 
 uncommon. 
 
 " The Acequias madres, the " mother canals " of the irrigating 
 system, broad and shaded bv fine trees, are a beautiful feature of 
 the scenery. Their water is of a tawny orange, and flows as rap- 
 idly as the river. It is genially warm ; delightful for bathing, 
 despite the abundant earthy matter held in suspension. The fear 
 has been expressed that it would be hardly possible to irrigate the 
 Mesilla Valley much more extensively than at present, as the water 
 supply is scanty, and in some seasons the river runs dry alto- 
 gether ; but it is likely that a system of wells would make the 
 water supply ample enough for all demands. 
 
 " In Syria extensive vineyards are irrigated from large wells dug 
 for the jDurpose, and some day it may be found profitable to apply 
 the same idea to the Mesilla Valley. The water of the river under- 
 lies the whole valley bottom. A few feet below the ground at any 
 place water is always found in abundance. This accounts for the 
 magnificent trees in La Mesilla. Their roots strike down into the 
 ground watei", so that in the driest of weather and fiercest of heats, 
 they are never athirst, but always proudly lift up their crowns of 
 deep emerald. Fruit trees, after a good start, never require irri- 
 gation. They grow very large here, and in the enormous peach 
 trees one would hardly recognize the short lived tree of the 
 North." 
 
CHAPTER in. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW SYSTEM " HOME ON THE HILLSIDE " THE HOT 
 
 WATER METHOD. 
 
 Those of our readers w^ho have followed us through the intro- 
 ductory chapter and especially in that section of it w'here the 
 methods of " The New Agriculture " have been described by visit- 
 ing farmers and agricultural editors, have not failed to get a suc- 
 cint idea of the new system, hence it is un4iecessary for us to give 
 in this chapter more than a simple resume of the methods adopted 
 by us at our "Home on the Hillside." 
 
 The processes of " The New Agriculture " are so simjDle and 
 plain that the average intelligence can not only understand and 
 apply it, but having so conformed soils as to set the system in 
 ojDeration, he may go to sleep and leave it to run itself, which it 
 ■will do, year in and year out, winter and siimmer alike, and so j)er- 
 fect will be found its work at all times as to result in the utmost 
 possibilities of production. 
 
 To conform soils under our system, the ordinary laborer has 
 only to move along the hillside with plow, pick and sjiade, sink- 
 ing trenches three, four or five feet wide, and as many feet deej) ; 
 of sufficient depth, at least, to drop the waters below the frost lines, 
 guided by no level other than the water moving along the bottom 
 
THE NEW AGBICULTURE. 101 
 
 of the trench. Then cast in round stones to the depth of from 
 eighteen inches to two feet, and shingle perfectly with flat ones 
 when obtainable, and flat tile or timber where stones are not ac- 
 cessible, and in the absence of round stone, making use of tile so 
 conformed as to secure reservoirs. Then rake out the fine stone 
 from excavations for use in the construction of overflow trenches, 
 in which, if stone is not procurable, use tile, perforated or those 
 leaking at joints, or making use, if disposed, of other suitable ma- 
 terial. 
 
 On reaching level or bottom lands during construction, the 
 overflow trenches should be so constructed as to secure a continued 
 flow through them from each successive reservoir trench. 
 
 Let no reader doubt that, in regions where rains and dews de- 
 scend and snows fall, the waters, always in motion so that stagna- 
 tion in no case occurs, will not only find their way into the trenches 
 filtered and filtering as they flow, but will emerge in form of springs 
 or enter streams at their bottoms, with soils of the surface remain- 
 ing unwashed and steadily fertilized by the flow of waters through 
 them. When the waters come to the cold clay and clod of the sub- 
 soil the latter will be aerated, warmed, loosened and rendered soft, 
 porous and productive to the dej^th of the deepest trenching, and 
 every acre thus treated will be increased in value and that perma- 
 nently to a degree vastly lucrative. 
 
 Let us suj^pose that a farmer has a hillside and that he has 
 adopted our system, in which case he goes to work as follows: 
 
 A ditch is opened on a water-level along the side hill or slope, 
 say a yard wide and from three to five feet deep. At the bottom 
 of this ditch is loosely placed cobble and blocky stones for a foot 
 or two, then flat stones are laid over these, then a quantity of 
 smaller stones; cover these over with weeds, briars, bramble, fine 
 brush, straw, cornstalks or any available material, to prevent the 
 
102 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 fine earth from falling- among and filling- the crevices bet-w^een the 
 stones. A heavy coating of manure may foUo-w and then the ex- 
 cavated soil is to be spread over it, grading a terrace if desired. 
 "Whatever course the trench may take, the surface of the hard-pan 
 at the lower side of the ditch or trench must never vary from a 
 water-level. A series of such ditches, one above the other, are 
 dug a rod or so apart and similarly filled, over as large a surface 
 as is to be imjDroved, each forming an elongated reservoir which 
 will be filled by the water courses cut off, or by the melting snows 
 and early rains; and, if the subsoil is firm clay or hard-pan, it will 
 be retained and as the surface soil dries it will be absorbed by 
 capillary action and brought within reach of the roots of vege- 
 tation. See diagrams on oj^posite page. 
 
 In regions where the conditions are favorable, suffice it to say 
 that land fitted as above described, will with wonderful celerity and 
 great economy j)roduce most surprising results. 
 
 If the reader will take the above brief description of our 
 methods and consider it carefully in connection with the cuts illus- 
 trating- our system, he will find no difficulty in understanding the 
 principles of its construction. A few jioints only remain to be 
 stated to make it perfectly plain: 
 
 In soils where fine stone can be raked out, it should be done for 
 the purpose of constructing the connecting overflow trenches. 
 These overflow trenches should be in the subsoil, and filled with 
 fine stone to a depth of a foot at least, and shingled with flat 
 ones in the same manner as the reservoir trenches. All shingling 
 should be of sufficient depth to escape the plow or the deepest 
 spading. 
 
 The construction of overflow trenches, bearing the waters from 
 the reservoir at base of slope, will need to be as perfectly done as 
 possible. The finer the stone below the shingling, and the more 
 
^4^4. Surface soil. 
 
 B. Trenches. 
 
 C. Subsoil. 
 D. Overflovj trenches. 
 
 M Outlet or drainage trench. 
 
 Futenh'd July 22(Z, 1881. 
 
 DIAGKAMS OF NEW SYSTEM. 
 
THE NEW AGKICULTUEE. 105 
 
 perfect the sliiiigiing-, the more complete will filtration be found, 
 the more crystal the waters as they emerge into the stream and 
 the more complete will be the work of leaving solids behin d as 
 food for plants. The head of the overflow trenches at base of 
 slope should be at least twelve or eighteen inches above the 
 bottom of the reservoirs. In most cases, when the flat or bottom 
 land of the valley is reached, the construction of overflow trenches 
 should have an oblique direction towards the stream, or lowest 
 point aimed at, in order to secure sufiicient fall to 'keep the waters 
 freely moving. Two or three inches of fall to the rod will be am- 
 l^le and wdiere this is not obtainable, less will suffice. 
 
 On the west bank of the Genesee, at a jDoint about twenty 
 miles from its source, is found our " Home on the Hillside," with 
 its model five acres, where the author of this volume is engaged in 
 demonstrating what may be done by conformation of soils and 
 conservation of the waters. Nothing has been, or will be, left un- 
 done to make our model so far perfect as to develope the entire 
 possibilities of production, hence calculations of cost, based upon 
 our own experiment, will be found greatly at fault. An equal area 
 jjut under conditions ensuring an average yield annually of from 
 three to five fold of that hitherto realized under former systems, 
 would likely be cultivated liy parties gardening for profit; in this 
 case the expense ^vould be only from one-fourth to one-half of the 
 amount laid out on our model. 
 
 The location of our home, could not well be improved, looking 
 out as it does toward the East at the sun in its rising. A town of 
 about four thousand population lies in the valley below, through 
 which runs the far famed Genesee River for a distance of about 
 forty miles above the Portage. In confluence with the river at 
 this point, several tributaries unite, forming dells of rare beauty 
 and attraction. All about the town rise up lofty hills on which 
 
106 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 are seen comfortable dwellings witli cultivated fields surrounding. 
 A few only of the summits remain forest crowned. No town with- 
 in our knowledge of like population, boasts a larger number of 
 elegant dwellings. In looking out from our observatory, the view 
 is one far reaching, both up and down the valley, and it is seldom 
 surj)assed. 
 
 Not comjoletely is our home a model, nor do we j^ropose to j^re- 
 sent it as such, and yet, having j^lanted here the garden whose 
 green in the season has no parallel, altitude and latitude considered 
 outside of isothermal influences, we assume that the accompany- 
 ing engraving of it will be of interest to our readers. "Were the 
 hillside of gentler sloj)e, the effect would, in the eyes of some peo- 
 ple, be a more pleasing one, and yet, such has been the effect of 
 spade, pick, hoe and rake, as to make gradation so iiniform and 
 gentle in decline, as to produce a most jileasing effect. So tall and 
 symmetric are the trees crowning the summit, and so lustrous the 
 green of the garden, whether in bud, blossom or fruitage, such is 
 the scene presented as to delight all who visit us. Here in mid- 
 summer when the season proves one of ordinary fruition, will 
 doubtless be discovered a greater wealth of production than on 
 any equal space, not under glass, in America. 
 
 Above and to the west of the house, covering an area of less 
 than two acres, trenching, fitting and jjlanting to trees,bushes and 
 vines is complete. The trenches above do not quite flank the rear 
 of the lawn to the east of the house, embracing about the sixteenth 
 of an acre. The lawn is planted with trees, chiefly the sugar ma- 
 -ple, grown to impressive proj^ortions. The surface of the lawn is 
 one of the gentlest incline and were it not for injury to roots of 
 the trees trenching would be forthwith pushed to the south and 
 east, as already done to the north and west of the house, so that 
 the green of the grass at all seasons of the year might evidence 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 107 
 
 the magic inspiration coming of conserved, waters at spring water 
 temjjerature. Let nobody conclude however that we propose to 
 let our lawn remain in its jDresent condition. Despite possible 
 damage to our trees from cutting off a portion of tlieir roots, we 
 jDropose to trench this lawn and make connection with the«network 
 of trenches and drains to the north and. west of the house, thus 
 surrounding the earth with hidden waters, warmer in winter and. 
 cooler in summer than the atmosphere. 
 
 The question will doubtless be asked, can homes everywhere be 
 thus environed ? Our answer is, yes, beyond doubt, esj^ecially 
 those located on hill and mountain sides, slopes and inclines; and 
 that too, regardless of subsoil. That this can be more economically 
 and readily done where firm clay or hard-pan siibsoils are found, 
 than on those where these conditions do not exist, is true, but we 
 repeat our declaration that it can be done on other lands by the 
 xise of substitutes, doing no more than facing the bottom of the 
 trench to the depth of two or three inches with clay, cement or flat 
 tile, thus permitting the trench to fill with water during rains. If 
 reserve is an object it can be accomplished by facing the lower 
 wall of the trench with like material within two feet of the surface, 
 and by arranging an inclined plane of kindred material, thus hold- 
 ing the waters in uniform currents of overflow from trench to 
 trench. Whatever the character of subsoil existing in lawns, door- 
 yards, gardens and grounds surrounding the dwelling, systems of 
 reservoirs, planes and inclines can be so arranged as to prove avito- 
 matic, and the waters kept moving in continuous flow, feeding and 
 watering grasses, plants and trees at deepest root, always in abun- 
 dance, and never in surfeit. 
 
 Certain gross misrepresentations have been made and reports 
 set in circulation that we had made use of springs or other 
 natural and artificial sources of supply to secure results reached 
 
108 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 under our system of subsurface, subterranean or underground 
 irrigation. All of these have not enough of foundation to be dig- 
 nified by contradiction. There is not one man in America of ordin- 
 ary intelligence who is not capable of understanding, after reading 
 the preceding pages of this volume, that a system which gathers in 
 all of the waters coming of rains, dews and melting snows, beget- 
 ting perpetual irrigation during every month in the year, needs no 
 artificial sources of supply, and we will not insult our readers by 
 entering upon a discussion of so absurd a supjDosition that after 
 saving all waters falling from the clouds upon a given watershed, 
 more is needed for the growth of plants. Under old methods and 
 conditions fully nine-tenths of the water of rains, and nearly all 
 waters of melting snows, have been wasted in floods, hurried off by 
 the insensate use of tile, or absurd systems of drainage; and when 
 it comes to snow waters, these nearly all reach the streams along- 
 frozen grounds and are lost. Under our system all are saved, such 
 portions used as needed, and the remainder passes off in j)urity to 
 streams in the valleys. 
 
 Up to this jDoint, discussion has been confined to the uses and 
 influences of the waters as they fall from the clouds, and find their 
 way into trenches at spring water temperature. 
 
 Now, however, we will treat of that feature of our system where- 
 in a steady stream of cold water, drawn from a trench or reservoir 
 above, is passed through a coiled pipe or boiler, and then emerg- 
 ing, is dropped into the trench, the stones heated and by surface 
 protection, the winter months are, to a great extent, made those of 
 production. Let the following serve as an illustration. 
 
 " A curious experiment has lately been made at Acqui, Italy, by 
 the proprietor of some baths there. The gentleman has at his dis- 
 posal an inexhaustible supply of hot water from a natural sju-ing, 
 the temperature being 167 degrees Fahrenheit. The surplus not 
 
THE KEW AGHICULTUKE. 109 
 
 required for the baths has been diverted so as to flow through 
 pipes to a garden on the outskirts of the town. Here the warm 
 liquid flows beneath a number of forcing frames containing melons, 
 tomatoes, asparagus and other garden jn-oduce. The result is 
 that a supply of these delicacies is ready for market at a very early 
 jDeriod of the year, when, therefore, they fetch high jjrices." 
 
 The significant feature of this method is the fact that evapora- 
 tion of the waters at this high temperature is graduated and kept 
 up night and day by heating of the stones in trenches constructed 
 on substantially the same principles as those sunk under our sys- 
 tem, hence the results realized. The great drawback hitherto, to 
 the adoption of methods in this country, akin to those of Europe, 
 viz. that of bottom heat, has been the difficulty and expense attend- 
 ing keeping up fires night and day, securing the uniformity of 
 temperature required for success. The case in which the barber 
 in Italy quoted above makes use of the waters of hot springs to 
 turn winter into summer, is by no means an isolated one, since in 
 many cases throughout Europe, this is being done, and with grati- 
 fjdng success. The finest of pineajDples and other tropical fruits 
 are grown in England by bottom heat. There is no good reason 
 why the expensive, and in many instances unsatisfactory methods 
 of glass and green-house should not give way in our own country, 
 and that Europe should have the monojioly of growing the hardier 
 varieties of vegetables and fruits in midwinter, when by surface 
 protection of cambric dipped in oil, and by the addition of glass 
 the fruits of the tropics may be readily grown in this country. 
 
 Not unlikely our book may fall into the hands of readers un- 
 aware of the fact, that natural gas as fuel is being used in thou- 
 sands of households in certain sections of our country. The cold 
 winter through which we have jjassed has not been nearly so 
 rigorous with ourself and neighbors on account of this wonderful 
 
110 THE NEW AGKICtJLTUEE.' 
 
 agency. Not only Wellsville but Friendship, Cuba, Bolivar, Ricli- 
 burg, Allentown, Genesee and others of our Allegany county towns 
 in the state of New York are being supplied with it, but Pitts- 
 burgh and numberless other cities and towns of Pennsylvania, 
 Ohio and West Virginia, have been, and are being, made recipients 
 of its blessings. No fuel comjoares Avith it, nor is any i:)rovision of 
 the Creator of greater benificence. Discover}^ of its existence, to a 
 greater or less extent, is being made in all j)arts of our country, 
 and so soon as the inhabitants of colder and more inhospitable 
 regions find out that they have only to dip down with the drill, 
 and bring up from the cold clods of earth a fire which burns night 
 and day, comforting many of the inhabitants of earth, there will 
 be less digging for gold, and more for golden opportunities. 
 
 Let nobody wait, however, for gas developement in order to aj)- 
 ply our system as a substitute for the greenhouse. Coal and 
 wood are abundant in most portions of our country, and these can 
 be used for heating w'ater with which to warm the stone in the 
 trenches. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PEACTICAL RESULTS OF THE NEW SYSTEM. 
 
 Mr. Stewart in his practical work prints the following notes on 
 the growth of crops more especially those of grasses : 
 
 "What are the ultimate possibilities of growth in any croj) is 
 unknown, but it would seem as though they depended greatly upon 
 the supply of water absorbed, sufficient nutriment, of course, being 
 l)rovided. Rye grass upon irrigated fields, richly fertilized, has 
 grown at the rate of one inch per day, and repeated cuttings have 
 been made at intervals of fourteen days, during a season of 
 months. Crops of grass on irrigated fields of a total weight of 
 more than eighty tons per acre have been rejDorted by trustworthy 
 English farmers. Irrigated grass fields in Italy support easily 
 two head of fattening cattle per acre, every year, and have long- 
 done so. In hundreds of localities in European countries are irri- 
 gated meadows, which have borne grass without any sign of 
 deterioration within the memory of the inhabitants, or the knowl- 
 edge of readers of local histories, although the crop has been cut 
 and removed every year during this indefinite period. Whether 
 or not these immense crops coiild be further increased by more 
 skillful management is not neccessary to inquire. These products, 
 are so far bevond the dreams of an American farmer, that thev 
 
112 THE NEW AGKICULTUEE. 
 
 may be well considered fabulous. But there is no reason to doubt 
 the facts. On the contrary, they should be used as a stimulus 
 for us to adopt, wherever practicable, the methods by which these 
 crops are produced." 
 
 The methods above referred to are those of surface irrigation, 
 which, when compared with those of subsurface are, in results, as 
 fractions to units. 
 
 We have as before stated, grown three perfect crops of timothy 
 in a season under conditions not nearly as favorable as those se- 
 cured under our system as at present existing. This can be done 
 not only by the farmers of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Mary- 
 land, the Virginias and Carolinas, but in New York, New England 
 and the more northern states generally, and quite as well in 
 regions still farther north, where snows fall deeply, and remain 
 upon the ground during the entire winter. These are facts, and 
 as such should result in insuring adoption of our system wherever 
 American thrift, intelligence and enterprise prompt to action. 
 
 In the cultivation of the vine, there opens a field so wide as to 
 make its growth a source of wealth not easy to estimate. Along 
 mountains and hillsides, where grajDes are grown, there is almost 
 invariably found pools of water, deep hidden in chambers of stone. 
 
 From these the waters should be dropped, below the frost line, 
 where, warm in winter and cool in summer, moving from trench 
 to trench, the health of the vine, hence its wealth of j^i'oduction, is 
 promoted. Mr. Stewart ojiens the ninth chapter of his book as 
 follows : 
 
 " It is doubtful whether there is an orchard or vineyard in the 
 United States, except in California, Utah or Colorado, subjected to 
 systematic irrigation. At the same time it is doubtful if there is 
 any country in the world in which irrigation could be more profit- 
 ably apjjlied to fruit culture than here. The experience of orchard- 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 113 
 
 ists proves that drouth is accompanied by destructive attacks of 
 insects. How far these depredations might be j^revented by irri- 
 gation cannot be jDredicated, but it is beyond doubt that the vigor 
 of growth that would result from a sufficient suppl}^ of moisture to 
 the roots would greatly mitigate the effects of these attacks. The 
 apple trees which never have an off year are those grown near 
 bodies of water. A California vineyardest who irrigated his vines, 
 immediately raised his product to eight tons of graj^es per acre, 
 and greatlj^ improved the quality. The newly planted orange 
 groves of Florida are frequently destroyed by drouth, and methods 
 of irrigation are eagerly sought to render their culture more safe 
 and certain. But if it were necessary to enforce the advantages of 
 the irrigation of orchards, abundant evidence could be gathered 
 in the south of France, Italy and other countries of southern Eu- 
 rope, where the olive, orange, lime, almond, fig, aj^ple and other 
 orchard trees, as Avell as the vineyards, are systematically brought 
 under irrigation. As to the vine, it is a question, so far, which has 
 not been thoroughly investigated, whether or not irrigation might 
 be made the means of vanquishing the destructive phylloxera." 
 
 Possibly our readers may weary with our much quoting from a 
 single author. If other testimony than that of Mr. Stewart were 
 required, the field from which to gather is a wide one, but Mr. 
 Stewart has gleaned facts from all sources and Ave find in his book 
 the history of the experience of individuals and peoples covering 
 many centuries, hence the invaluable character of his conclusions. 
 
 Among American authors, few, if any, are more popular than E. 
 P. Hoe, who writes with a versatility of information and talent 
 upon almost every subject, and upon none with greater accejjtance 
 than upon those of agriculture and horticulture. Before us, as we 
 write, lies an elegant voliime entitled " Success with Small Fruits." 
 This is an exiDensive Avork, and all the more a pity since a book 
 
114 THE NEW A(UUCULTUKE. 
 
 containing so much of knowledge and combining so many attrac- 
 tions, should be within reach of all classes. Mr. Roe's book is one 
 of three hundred pages, six only of which are devoted to the sub- 
 ject of irrigation, and brief as is the chapter treating of it, the 
 author makes apology for devoting even so much space to consid- 
 eration of a matter ere long to be recognized as one of jiaramount 
 importance. At the opening of the chapter on irrigation he says: 
 
 " This is a tojnc on which a book might be written." 
 
 If Mr. Eoe will look into our system, j^erhaps he will be in- 
 clined to write another book. Sincerely do we wish he would do so, 
 since there is a recognized charm about his writings making the 
 dullest subject one of interest. 
 
 " The c[uestiou, as we shall consider it," says Mr. Roe, "is a jiractical 
 one. In California and other sections, the land must be irrigated; 
 here, and where the rainfall is more equally distributed through- 
 out the year, we can water if we find the practice remunerative." 
 
 ]VIi\ Roe quotes Mr. "W. D. Philbrick as saying: 
 
 "The amount of water required will depend largely on the rain- 
 fall, velocity of the wind, atmospheric humidity, soil, etc. A loose, 
 sandy soil will reqiaire much more Avater than a retentive clay. In 
 general, however, it may be assumed that, in the Avarm growing 
 months of May, June, July, August and September, most vegeta- 
 tion requires an inch in depth over the entire surface of the land 
 every five days. This is, of course, only an average. This quan- 
 tity, estimated as needed by our gardens, would l)e equivalent to 
 six inches per month of rainfall. If we compare this amount with 
 the actual rainfall, we shall arrive at an idea of what is to be sup. 
 j)lied artificially. The rainfall at Boston for the jjast six years 
 1873-1878, for the five growing months named, varied from a max- 
 imum of 101 inches in August, 1872, to a minimum of 0.65 inch, in 
 June, 187o. During these six 3-ears there was not a single season 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 115 
 
 when we did not suffer more or less from drought during some 
 portion of the summer. Twenty-one of the thirty months in ques- 
 tion had less rainfall than six inches jjer month, and the average 
 of these twenty-one months was about 3.02 inches per month, or 
 only about half of what was needed. Some of the protracted sea- 
 sons of drought were almost entirely rainless for six weeks, during- 
 which the weather was excessively hot and windy, and vegetation 
 suffered extremely in consequence." 
 
 But why multiiDly witnesses touching the necessity of saving, 
 instead of wasting the waters ? In our colder climates of the 
 North, the waters of rains, dews and melting snows should all be 
 halted, housed, husbanded and held back so far as may be, getting 
 all jDossible advantages from them. As we write, there comes to 
 hand a letter from Hon. John Swinburne of Albany, N. Y., which 
 will find its i^lace on the pages of our book, alongside of another 
 from the pen of Hon. C. R. Early of Pennsylvania. Both these 
 gentlemen are representative men, eminent in jDublic, private and 
 jDrofessional life. Both agree that the future of the waters is the 
 one of the Avorld. The one would gather them in, purify and use 
 them to make an end of fungus, deadliest enemy of vegetable and 
 animal life ; the other shows how this can be done, and vividly 
 portrays the advantages to come of the achievement. 
 
 Let no reader conclude that, from the frequent mention made 
 along these pages of firm subsoils, that these are the only ones 
 where our system will apply. It can be applied on all soils to 
 great advantage. Two out of three among correspondents writ- 
 ing us have asked whether our system can be made to appl}^ to 
 level lands. Oiir answer is, it will apply everywhere. The rela- 
 tive advantages of its application are those of economy, and the 
 lands to which it is most readily adapted will be found the most 
 profitable. 
 
116 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 Not in the North, where demonstration of its great utility has 
 "been first made, is it to perform its greatest wonders, but in the 
 South, the land of cotton and corn, will be seen its greatest 
 triumphs. Corn as a crop and for ensilage, and sorghum and 
 beets for sugar, can be grown to an extent and with a measure of 
 success hitherto unparalleled. Orange groves can be doubled and 
 trebled in yield, and not merely the English grasses, but all varie- 
 ties of fruits can be grown to a degree of perfection hitherto unat- 
 tained. And then too, the orchard. 
 
 "WTio shall estimate the wealth to come to North, South, East and 
 "West from a system causing trees to grow, though planted amid 
 droughts ? Nor only so, but a system under Avhich the old fruit 
 tree becomes young and vigorous, making new roots, dropping its 
 scurvy bark, its parasitic mosses, and doubling, trebling, quadrup- 
 ling, and not unfrequently quintupling its yield of fruit. 
 
 How about jDotatoes ? Let us answer this question by stating 
 results as regards a single row planted in the spring of 1883. We 
 had planted on lands near by for an early crop, when nearly a 
 fortnight later finding sj)ace for a row immediately below one of 
 our completed trenches, devoted it to the Early Rose variety. The 
 first planted potatoes aj^peared above the ground five or six days 
 in advance of this test row. By the first of June, the latter show- 
 ed much larger and finer growth of vines than the former, and the 
 X^otatoes of both matured about the same time, the 25th of July. 
 All were perfectly ripe, the earliest planted, however, were dwarfed 
 by blight, and more or less eaten by wire worms, their average size 
 being about that of a hen's egg. The vines of our test row lived 
 their full life, and died a natural death, showing a crop of marvel- 
 ous size, beauty and jDerfection. Sufiice it to say that not a single 
 jiotatoe was found rotted in our test row, nor was there the mark 
 of the •' tooth" of a wire worm found, The jDotatoes averaged the 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 117 
 
 size of a goose egg, and a few specimens were as fine as the very 
 finest we have ever seen. The yield from this one row was nearly 
 or quite three times as miicli as from any grown that season on 
 our own grounds or on those of our neighbors of equal area. In 
 nearly or quite every hill outside of the test row, was found from 
 one to three or four rotten potatoes, and these, as usual, were the 
 largest ones. 
 
 Why this very great difference ? nearly or cjuite every reader 
 will naturally enquire. Here is our answer: No uncomposted 
 manure was mixed with the soil, and consequently no seeds of 
 fungus were sown. On lands above the trench, manures were 
 spread between rows of rasjjberries, while still farther up our 
 manures had been corded for composting. The snows of winter 
 and rains of early spring had sent their waters in flow adown 
 the incline, and when our first trench was reached, these were 
 dropped into its dej^ths and the trench filling and overflowing, 
 the waters passed through the sponge of our single row, feedings 
 the tubers with " broth, soup or porridge,'' and hence there was 
 l^erfection in growth and fruition. This accounts for the fact, at- 
 tested by Dr. C. R. Earley, in his chapter on fungi, that nowhere 
 on our grounds is that deadly enemy of vegetable and animal 
 life to be found. 
 
 Perhaps the point has not yet been reached to proj)ound the 
 question ere long to be everywhere asked: Will it pay to drink 
 water and grow fruits uncontaminated with stagnation and other 
 sources of infection and contagion ? In other words will it pay to 
 grow fruits and vegetables to sell, which, when eaten by yourself and 
 family, are liable to engender disease and joroduce death, when by 
 the simplest of means, through adoption of methods discovered and 
 fully demonstrated, those of far greater perfection and with larger 
 profits, can be grown free from infection, and perfect in all ways. 
 
118 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 How about vineyards ? Can more grapes be grown under sys- 
 tems of subsurface irrigation than by ordinary methods in coun- 
 tries of rainfall ? That surface irrigation has been found a neces- 
 sity in arid regions, is well understood; and there also, have the 
 finest gra^Des of the world been grown. Uj) to this time, however, 
 no vineyard, so far as we are aware, has been planted under 
 circumstances, and ciiltivated under conditions conforming to the 
 utmost develoj^ement of the vine and product. The terrace is 
 constructed and when the rainfall is abundant the waters, des- 
 cending the incline, are checked in degree by the level of the ter- 
 race, but when this becomes dry and baked the water of brief 
 showers moves off in rapid flow, and, if the shower is a hard one, 
 the terraces in groups come little short of jiresenting an ap- 
 l^earance of successive cascades. In rainless regions, where jDro- 
 vision is made for irrigation by mechanical means, and in those 
 of an abundant rainfall, so numerous have been the cases of 
 failure to realize a croj^ as to have had a discouraging effect. 
 
 In no regard has Mr. Stewart's book more jDrofoundly im- 
 pressed us, than his frank confession throughout the work of 
 the impossibility of so apjilying water to the surface, as to in- 
 sure jDrofitable results. Nothing could be more convincing of 
 the superiority of our system than this confession. 
 
 After devoting a large amount of space to j)rove that winter 
 irrigation of meadows and pastures has proven not only suc- 
 cessful but profitable in climates of Southern Europe, and de- 
 monstrating the fact that in all portions of our own country 
 where the ground freezes only to the depth of a few inches or 
 not at all, irrigation in the winter months would have wonder- 
 ful effect in continuing the growth of grasses at their roots, 
 Mr. Stewart hands over to the hoi^eless desolation of winter the 
 regions in which dwell millions of our most intelligent, enterpris- 
 
THE KEW AGRICULTURE. 119 
 
 ing and thrifty people by saying that "in the Northern States 
 and. Canada, winter irrigation is impracticable." 
 
 In turn, we do not hesitate to declare, that if a series of trenches 
 along inclines was constructed from three to five feet deep, at any 
 and all 23oints in the States of New England, New York, New Jer- 
 sey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Wis- 
 consin, Minnesota and throughout the Canadas, Nova Scotia and 
 NeAv Brunswick, drojjping the waters of autumn rains so deeply 
 down as to hold them during winter at spring water temperature, 
 they would be found to melt the snows at bottom and hold the 
 trenches nearly or quite full of pure spring water during every day 
 of winter. 
 
 In no particular do we propose to leave demonstration incomj)lete. 
 The following article from the Chicago Journal tells the story : 
 
 " When the hair on the heads of the young and rising generation 
 shall have been whitened with age; when their descendants of the, 
 second generation shall be toddling around their great arm-chairs 
 or begging to be taken on their knees and told some stories of the, 
 to them, mysterious past, the grandparents will, no doubt, on many 
 such occasions recall the winter from which we are just emerging' 
 but which has clung so tenaciously to the lap of spring, and which 
 still seems so unwilling to leave us, and speak of it as the terrible 
 winter of 1884-85, when the thermometer for fully one-third of the 
 w'hole season remained below zero, and when, during the entire 
 months of January and February, the mercury rose to the freezing 
 points or above on only fifteen occasions; when snow-storms were 
 of almost daily occurrence, and when the regular sj^ring-time of 
 the year had run considerable of its course before the great moun- 
 tains of snow, which had almost hidden the earth, had disap^Deared 
 from view. It can not even now be gainsaid that the past winter 
 was a pretty tart one. Setting in as it did about the middle of De- 
 
120 
 
 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 cember, it has continued with the full force of its rigor till the end 
 of March, and its whole course has been marked with the fewness 
 and long distance apart of its intervals of mildness. Its record for 
 severity cannot be surpassed by that of many seasons in the I3res- 
 ent centiiry. 
 
 " The coldest day of the year, taking it all together, Avas Febru- 
 ary 10, when the thermometer stood at 16 degrees below zero for 
 almost the entire twenty-four hours, though at other times it sank 
 for a short time as low as 30 degrees below. 
 
 " Below will be found a record of the dates on which the ther- 
 mometer was below zero between 8 a. m. and 1 p. m. : 
 
 "December 17, 2 degrees; 18, 12; 19, 7. January 2, 4 degrees; 18, 
 5; 14, 10; 19, 17; 20, 8; 21, 6; 22, 16; 26, 7; 28, 15. February 10, 
 16 degrees; 11, 13; 12, 3; 13, 10; 15, 10; 16, 13; 17, 7; 18, 2; 19, 
 1; 20, 9. March 20, 2 degrees. 
 
 " The dates in January and February when the thermometer rose 
 above freezing were: 
 
 "January 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 31, and February 2, 3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27 
 and 28." 
 
 Unless other winters of greater severity remain in store for the 
 present and future generations, we have no hesitation in declaring 
 that our system is good for irrigation from December to Aj)ril of 
 anv year likely to come while there remains alive a single child 
 now born, and we believe at any parallel of latitude between Mason 
 and Dixon's lines, and Hudson's Bay. Certain is it, that Southern 
 Alaska can safely count on having been released from subjection 
 to the dominions of the Frost King, since it has been discovered 
 that this hitherto little understood portion of our country possesses 
 a climate producing crops vastly superior to those of the more 
 northerly countries of Europe and Asia, and that grasses can be 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 121 
 
 made to greenly grow all winter beneath the snoAvs of this inost 
 inhospitable of our territorial possessions. 
 
 The article quoted from the Chicago Journal, will, we are sure, 
 convince every reader that the past one has been a winter through- 
 out the North and East, justifying- \is in saying that so far as Alle- 
 gany County, N. Y. goes, that farmers using our system may defy 
 the Frost King-. 
 
 It is three years since the Hon, Warner Miller, so ably and emi- 
 nently representing New York in the United States Senate, re- 
 marked : 
 
 " If you can realize the results claimed under your system, Mr. 
 Cole, and I incline to believe it, then our State is caj^able of main- 
 taining a population within its limits of an hundred millions, sup- 
 jDorted in comfort, from agriculture and horticulture alone," 
 
 If this is possible in the State of New York, we ask our readers 
 to read the following copied from The Norlhwest, of March, 1884, 
 and estimate what our system would do when applied to the most 
 inhospitable, and hitherto deemed, from an agricultural point of 
 view, hopeless region embraced within the boundaries of the Ame- 
 rican Union : 
 
 " Alaska is a broad peninsula situated at the northwestern ex- 
 tremity of the continent, washed on the south by the mild waters 
 of the Pacific and on the north by those of the frozen Arctic. 
 Upon its frozen and deej)ly indented shore line, towering and rug- 
 ged headlands enclose quiet and picturesque coves and harbors, 
 within many of which the united naval fleets of the world might 
 float, secure from the storm-tossed billows of the encompassing 
 oceans. Extending back from its coast is a broad zone of fertile 
 lands, characterized by wide-i"eaching plateaus and magnificent 
 valleys, richly clothed with native grasses, and watered l)y deep- 
 flo-^ing, majestic rivers. 
 
122 THE NEW AGKICULTURE. 
 
 " Within its interior the Rocky Mountains attain their greatest 
 altitude north of Colorado, Mt. St. Elias, near its southern boun- 
 dary, towering to the height of 17,000 feet. The mountain regions 
 are distinguished by immense forests of j)ine, fir, cedar and hem- 
 lock, sometimes extending in an unbroken growth for many miles 
 upon the lower portions of the range, and broad low-lying basins, 
 (ancient lake beds), shadowed by naked, rocky cones and snow- 
 clad i^eaks. The climate of Alaska is not so intemperate as its 
 northerly situation would indicate, the Kurho-Siva or Japanese 
 current, an ocean stratum of heated waters, flowing from the South 
 Pacific, exerting upon it a climatic influence, analogous to that of 
 the Gulf Stream upon the British Isles. Moist, warm winds blow 
 across the Alaskan sea-coast regions, and the Aleutian Islands, 
 situated near, in the Behring Strait, lending to them a delightfid. 
 summer climate, and I'endering them fruitful in the extreme. The 
 fiftieth isothermal, which leaves the eastern coast of Asia near 
 Pekin, strikes the continent of North America near the 50th paral- 
 lel of north latitude, then trending rapidly to the south, passes 
 near the region of the great lakes, and leaves the eastern coast of 
 the continent, near the city of New York, 
 
 " Thus we find the climate of the lower regions of Alaska very 
 similar to that of Wisconsin, Michigan, and the New England 
 States. The records of the Signal Ofiice established at Sitka for 
 five years, show the mean temperature of the year to be the same 
 in Alaska as in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the productive 
 power of the soil is certainly equal to that of any portion of the 
 northeastern j^art of the United States." 
 
 That this is no picture of fancy, we have occasion to know as a 
 few hours further sail of the steamer which, a year ago, bore us 
 to Victoria the cajDital of British Columbia, situated on Van 
 Couver's Island and lying in the same latitude as northern New 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 123 
 
 Foundland, would have borne us into Alaskan waters. Here at 
 Victoria fruit trees had dropped their blossoms, and apples, pears, 
 plums and other fruits were developing. No spot of earth was green- 
 er nor one blander and more summer like in atmosphere. Keep- 
 ing no diary, as nearty as we can fix the date from memory, we left 
 Victoria the last of April, and reaching our Allegany County home 
 on the sixth of May, found our family and neighbors just begin- 
 ning work in their gardens. "While our own little plat was a fort- 
 night ahead, even this was fully three weeks behind what we had 
 found the gardens of Victoria to be ten days before. The calcula- 
 tion is therefore a safe one, that the average March of Victoria 
 is the May of Allegany, and that the springs of Southern Alaska 
 average as early as those of Western New York. 
 
 On the 13th day of April, within a week after the dejDarture of 
 the snows, the soil of our garden being soft and porous, its surface 
 having been warmed by the sun, we began garden making by put- 
 ting in peas, onions, lettuce, beets, etc. Though all around and 
 
 about, the earth was frozen to the depth of from two to four feet 
 
 > 
 
 upon that portion fitted under our system not a particle of frost 
 was discernable. Having begun garden making on the 13th of 
 April, a week later visiting New York and casting our eye out of 
 the car vdndow going and coming, in no spot did we see the com- 
 mencement of seeding. In fact, we were assured by Alfred Hen- 
 derson, son of Mr. Peter Henderson, seedsman, of New York City, 
 that work in the open grounds of New Jersey had not begun, and 
 that in shaded spots all over the northern portions of that State, 
 frost remained in the ground. 
 
 Such, nevertheless, was the condition of the soil in our garden 
 at the period of first seeding, that germination immediately fol- 
 lowed, and our peas, sowed on the 13th, were out of the ground on 
 the morning of April 28th ; onions were sprouted, and other seed- 
 
124 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 ing had resulted in germination. Our rhubarb, or pie plant which 
 had shot up into the snows before their departure was large enough 
 for use, and the promise, made to the Jerseymen j^resent on the 
 occasion of our address before the Farmers' Club of the American 
 Institute had been made good, the present season finding us ahead 
 of New Jersey in planting our garden. When we say that Alle- 
 gany County, N. Y., is usually a fortnight, and not infrequently 
 three weeks behind New Jersey in the opening of the spring, it 
 will not be questioned that water in trenches at spring water tem- 
 perature produces wonderful results. That the i^roducing season 
 will be lengthened from forty to sixty days on lands fitted under 
 our system, may be therefore set down as a fact. 
 
 The virtues of " The New Agriculture," was most severely tested 
 on the morning of April 28th. The wind was in the southeast, 
 and the mercury at 10 A. M., stood at 50*^ above zero, and 
 reached 65° at noon ; the day was one of spring balm. It began 
 raining about 3 P. M., the wind south, and the shower Avas one 
 more of May than April. Shifting suddenly into the north, 
 Boreas put on the lion in earnest and a violent snow storm en- 
 sued. The night was one of severe coldness and when we awoke 
 at 4 A. M. on the 29th, we made up our mind that if there was 
 virtue in cold water, this was the time to test it. Repairing to 
 our garden, the frigid condition of the ground all around, out- 
 side of our two acres, was about as hoj)eless as in dead of win- 
 ter. Beneath our feet, however, the soil yielded, and upon mak- 
 ing examination we found no frost. The " noses " of our jjeas, 
 sticking out of the ground, had a look much more nearly blue 
 than green. Only the day before, meeting friends in Elmira, 
 we had boasted of our pie plant, challenging comjiarison with 
 any grown in open grounds either in New York or New Jersey. 
 These, howevei*, to our discomfiture, next morning were found 
 
STRAWBERRY BOUQUET. 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 125 
 
 frozen to the consistency of an icicle, breaking like glass on 
 bending. Observing however that the ground was not frozen, we 
 concluded that the root was not killed, and, by way of experiment, 
 we subjected the frozen stalks and leaves to a cold bath. RejDair- 
 ing to a pile of forest leaves, we bore several bushels to our plants, 
 and covering them deeply, poured upon each hill, four pails of 
 water, drawn from the hydrant near by. The saturation was com- 
 plete. The sun rose coldly, and shone out in a frigid way all day, 
 and yet, had we not protected them by the wetted leaves from the 
 effects of its rays, there would probably have been an end of pies for 
 a fortnight thereafter. Once or twice during the day, we ventured 
 to take a look at our frozen jDlants, and each time had more and 
 more hope of saving them. Removing the leaves on the 30th, we 
 found our pie plant uninjured. Precisely one year before, we ate 
 rhubarb ytie at a hotel in Victoria, British Columbia, grown in the 
 open ground, beneath the balmy breezes of the Japan current. A 
 little upwards of a week later we reached our Allegany home, but 
 ate no rhubarb pie till after the middle of May. 
 
 Our five hills of rhubarb or pie jDlant were four years ago (1881) 
 transplanted, and in resetting, were planted along the line of one 
 of our leads or overflow trenches. Not till last fall, however, were 
 they so connected with the reservoirs, as to keep a steady 
 stream of water rvinning beneath them, and since September last, 
 the flow has not ceased. And so it was, that on the departure of 
 the snows about April 10th, our jiie jilant had shot u-p into its 
 snowy covering, getting the start of any in our State by a week or 
 or ten days. It is not only in this, but in numberless other ways 
 we have demonstrated the fact that a stream of spring water run- 
 ning beneath Avill give inspiration to the growth of plants in win- 
 ter It is in this regard that our system differs, and in fact is 
 distinct from all methods hitherto iJi'Ojjosed and in some instances 
 
126 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 put iu oi3eratiou throvigli lueaus of 2:)erforated. tile, begetting what 
 has been denominated sub-irrigation. 
 
 Tile has been laid to considerable extent in California, Nevada, 
 Colorado and New Mexico, and the resulting irrigation has been 
 found phenomenally successful, leaving that of the surface meth- 
 ods completely in the shade. There has been a patent allowed on 
 the tile, but not upon the system, yet the ordinary drain tile an- 
 SAvers every purpose, leaking suflficiently at joints to diffuse the 
 Avaters. To lay a network of this tiling at sufficient depth to 
 escape the effects of frost in winter, more especially in regions 
 Avhere the freezing reaches a dej^th of several feet would be a most 
 exj^ensive and unpromising undertaking at best, and when to the 
 great expense of this mode of preparing lands to receive the 
 water, is added that of making provision for water supply depend- 
 ent upon springs, streams, artesian wells, windmills, current wheels, 
 and the thousand and one other devices necessary to such a system, 
 not one man in a thousand can he found to give the thing a 
 moment's attention especiallj'^ if he farms in rainfall sections. 
 "NVe desire here to give the wonderful history of the old apj^le tree 
 that stood and now stands renewed in life upon our hillside. This 
 tree, the only fruit bearing one on our original j^lot, was up- 
 wards of thirty years old, and l^efore trenching began was 
 so unthrifty, covered with moss and in all ways so unpromis- 
 ing as to incline us to cut it down as a cumberer of the ground. 
 Nor was the tree alone undesirable. The fruit, a golden russet, 
 grew no larger than what is known as the lady apple, nor nearly 
 as large as we have for the last two years grown strawberries iii 
 certain instances. The fruit was so tough as to he left in the cel- 
 lar until all other aj^ples were gone, and not unfrerpientJy thrown 
 away in the end. Not to exceed a bushel and a half had been 
 gathered from the tree in any one season i:)revious to 1883. In the 
 
THE NEW A<iRIOULTUKE. 127 
 
 month of October, 1882, a deep and model trench was sunk imme- 
 diately above this June russet apjjle tree. The sjDring- succeeding, 
 the wealth of blossoms on this tree was surjirising. The blossoms 
 were of a size attracting attention of even the children, being 
 nearly tAvice the size of the ordinary aj)ple blossom. The fruit 
 developed rapidly, and by the first of August the apples had 
 reached a growth larger than at any time before when the fruit 
 was harvested. Such was the Aveight of the fruit as to necessitate 
 the propping of nearly every limb. When the aj^ples ripened, com- 
 plete transformation was discovered. Little, if any russet coating 
 was to be seen, the fruit having dropped its color and coating, and 
 some of the better specimens would have passed for greenings. 
 
 When Mr. J. F. Langworthy visited us, we presented him with 
 specimens of plums of the size of an ordinary hen's egg, j)icked in 
 his presence from a tree which, before our system was adopted, had 
 never given them larger than a small pullet's egg. Si^ecimens of 
 these plums were also sent the same year, (1883), to Hon. E. E. 
 Fenton, ex-Governor of our State, and exhibited in New York to 
 Hon H. J. Jewett, President of the N. Y. Lake Erie and Western 
 Railroad Company-, and to Alfred Henderson, son of Mr. Peter 
 Henderson, and were pronounced by all to be the finest specimens 
 they had ever seen. 
 
 WTiile Deacon B. F. Langworthy was looking over our grounds, 
 Ave plucked heads of timothy of second cutting, eight inches in 
 length, fully seeded, and subsequently cut others, a third crop avera- 
 ging six inches. As near as we can now recollect, the first of these 
 cuttings was about the middle of June, the second the last of July, 
 and the third about the middle of September. In the first cutting 
 the heads averaged nine inches, and in some instances reached ten, 
 and in one, at least, eleven inches in length and of most surprising 
 weight. Specimens of the Kittatinii}' blackberry were also pre- 
 
128 THE XEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 sented to Deacon Langwortliy of such marvellous size and beauty^ 
 as to excite wonder. We also showed Mr. Langwortliy four rows of 
 the Philadelj^hia red raspberry, in which the bushes were so hea^dly 
 laden as to make it imjDossible to stake them sufficiently to prevent 
 the bushes from being i^rostrated by the wind. As near as we 
 could calculate, the yield would have equalled five hundred bush- 
 els to the acre. This, however, is mere guess work, since to pick 
 the berries as fast as they ripened was impossible, and more than 
 half of the crop perished. 
 
 That hillside lands having clay or hard-pan subsoils valued at 
 fifty dollars j^er acre, and scarcely paying at that, Avill have their 
 soils deepened and rendered correspondingly productive, and at 
 an expense not exceeding fifty dollars per acre in trenching, be- 
 come permanently improved, paying sjilendidly on from two to 
 five hundred dollars j^er acre, we have no doubt. Although differ- 
 ent views may exist as to the increase in value of farm lands by 
 adoption of our system, when it comes to the matter of gardening 
 and fruit farming, our own experience is conclusive. 
 
 It has only been four years since the first stroke of work was 
 done on our model five acres. We have now about a quarter of an 
 acre of strawberries, plants three years old in August of the j^res- 
 ent year (1885); not far from an eighth of an acre two years old; 
 another eighth, eighteen months old, and a quarter of an acre will 
 be a year old the last of September, 1885. Our first quarter of an 
 acre, three years old the present season, will be found only good 
 for the half of a full croj), from the fact of having imi^erfectl}' done 
 our work at the beginning. Our currants, raspberries and black- 
 berries are just fairly coming into bearing, also our quince, pear 
 and plum trees. ^Vlien all are in full bearing, (which we cannot 
 count iipon short of five years yet), to put the income from our five 
 acres at five hundred dollars and upward joer acre is jDerfectly safe. 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 129 
 
 marketing what fresh fruits and vegetables we can at or near 
 home, and evaporating and jDreserving the remainder. It is 
 equally as safe to calculate that, were a like five acres situated 
 near any of our great northern cities, the profits would be corres- 
 pondingly increased. It is no uncommon thing, as we note by the 
 newspapers, for strawberries to sell in the New York markets dur- 
 ing the holidays, which can be done under our hot water system, 
 for several dollars per quart. One acre of strawberries, at the rate 
 we have grown them, would bring a sum we leave to our readers 
 to calculate. 
 
 Before us lies a letter received some time since from Mr. F. G. 
 Jones, of Keuka, Putnam County, Florida, who writes : 
 
 " If there could be found out a way to retain the water here for 
 future use to all jalants, Florida would become one of the richest 
 fruit growing states in the Union. We have a rain nearly every 
 day all summer, but it sinks below the surface almost immediately, 
 and as the soil is sandy will not retain moisture like northern soils. 
 I want to set some strawberries this fall. They do well here, and 
 are gathered from January to July, and bring from twenty-five 
 cents to one dollar and twenty' -five per quart." 
 
 From all portions of the South as well as from States like New 
 Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Missouri, and notably from states and 
 territories embraced in what has been denominated the Great 
 American desert, letters have been coming for months, asking all 
 sorts of questions touching our system. The burden of these is 
 always the same, " the droughts, the droughts, how shall we escape 
 the droughts." But for the ordinary farmer, one who is cultivat- 
 ing from fifty to an hundred, and thus on to thousands of acres, 
 the question again is, will it pay ? To this we answer, if any far- 
 mer doubts it, let him make experiment on a single acre of meadow 
 land. Let him try an acre of potatoes, beans, peas or corn on 
 
130 THE NEW AGEICULTURE. 
 
 trenclied lauds, and compare results, year in and year out, and if 
 it is not found to pay immeasurably better than any farming lie 
 has ever done, our five acres are growing lies. 
 
 Not a day j^asses but there comes to our place the farmer, the 
 fruit grower, the gardener, the greenhouse man, each in turn look- 
 ing over our grounds, and are filled with amazement at results, and 
 yet they still ask, will it pay ? All agree that it will pay us to ex- 
 jjend five hundred dollars in fitting an acre to i^erfection, and yet 
 question whether it will pay other i:)eoj)le, costing no more than 
 from fifty to an hundred dollars an acre according to conditions of 
 soil and original lay of the land. AVe went to work four years ago 
 on one of the most uni:)romising sjDots possible to imagine, and did 
 next to nothing with the team, plow, scraper, or anything else in- 
 deed but the i^ick, sj^ade, hoe, potatoe digger and rake; our hard 
 clay and gravelly hillside abounded in stone, with little of surface 
 soil, and we were at an exj^ense twice as great as that to which the 
 horticulturist would be ordinarily subjected. 
 
 "When it comes to agriculture, the same amount of work could 
 be done in most instances at from a third to a fifth of the cost, fit- 
 ting lands in a way to grow two, and probably three perfect crojDS 
 of grass of from three to four tons each annually to the acre, from 
 five hundred to a thousand bushels of potatoes; from an hundred 
 to an hundred and twenty-five bushels of oats; an hundred bushels 
 of shelled corn on an average, and other crops in i:)roj)ortion. 
 
 A perpetual green of grasses can be realized in regions of 
 the North where snows fall deepl}', and lie on the ground during 
 the winter, since the water in the trenches constructed under 
 our system are drojDped beneath the frost line, and such is 
 their effect upon soils, as to j)revent freezing, and the hardier 
 varieties of plants are made to grow greenly beneath the snows. 
 The regions in Avhich this can be most economically^, readily and 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 131 
 
 perfectly done, are those of hills, vallej's and undulations having 
 firm clay or hardpan subsoils, where an abundance of stone, 
 round flat and fine, are found in the soil. This class of lands are, 
 in fact, the most valuable for purposes of ag-riculture and horti- 
 culture in the world. Upon and along them, will, within a few 
 years, be found the loveliest houses, the richest peoples, the finest 
 farms, and gardens, and in their neighborhood and vicinity, the 
 grandest cities of the world. 
 
 We have found no difficulty in convincing every man who has 
 examined our methods of gathering in and flowing on and out of the 
 waters, that these can be controlled in subsurface flow, yet there 
 are few who have yet realized the fact, that, when there is a general 
 adoption of our system the springs of the primeval forest are to 
 not only reappear, but that hundreds and thousands of others will 
 develope, forming rivulets and rivers, growing lakes, the latter alive 
 with trout and other varieties of fish, jDresenting a scene akin to 
 transformation of the earth's surface. 
 
 Fearing that we might occasionally mislead people to adojDt our 
 system if we published estimates based on the actual cost of 
 trenching to us, we have coimted as an investment all moneys ex- 
 pended, not merely for fitting of lands, but for manuring, making, 
 harvesting and marketing products, as Avell for plants and trees 
 set upon our grounds. Three acres of our jolot, or thereabout, are 
 being prepared for strawberries. On this jDortion all stone, big 
 and little are taken out and placed in trenches. To do this, as it 
 appears to us, pays better than to leave the work imperfectly done. 
 Few people, i^erhaps, will be found to agree with us, however fav- 
 orably lands to be fitted may be located in proximity to profitable 
 markets. 
 
 We note that the question has been asked : 
 
132 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 Do our trenclies ensure this marvellous growth and perfection 
 of fruitage, or is it not rather the fifteen inches of fine tilth upon a 
 hard pan subsoil which we have formed, that holds the rainfall 
 producing the extraordinary resvdts as exhibited on our hillside ? 
 
 That fifteen inches of fine tilth will produce a marvel of growth 
 we well know, for years ago we tried the experiment by dipping as 
 deep down as possible with spade and fork, securing fifteen, pos- 
 sibly twenty inches of fine tilth, growing the Triomphe de Gaud 
 strawberry and other fruits to marvellous size, beauty and perfec- 
 tion. It cost us more to secure that fifteen or twenty inches of 
 fine tilth on one-sixteenth of an acre, than it is now costing to secure 
 an equally productive one five feet deep on &full acre by trenching. 
 
 A few weeks since, among invitations received, asking us to dis- 
 course on systems of irrigation and drainage came one from Mr. 
 Newel Cheney, Secretary of the Western New York Agricultural 
 and Horticultural Association, for an address at Cuba, Allegany 
 County, during the annual meeting of said association on the 11th 
 ■and 12th of June. Coupled with this invitation came also a pamph- 
 let containing report of proceedings and addresses at last year's 
 annual meeting of the association held at Kandolph, Cattaraugus 
 County, March 13th, and 14th, 1884. Among addresses on that 
 occasion none was read with greater relish than that by Prof J. T. 
 Edwards, D. T>., of Kandolph, N. Y., on the Conewango Valley, 
 w^hich consists of a dead level of " about forty thousand acres of 
 oozy, unproductive swamp lands." In the opening of his address^ 
 Professor Edwards asks how these swamps can be converted into 
 beautiful farms, waving with timothy and clover. From first to 
 last, the Doctor gives us a compend of good things. That Doctor 
 Edwards gave becoming directions as regarded straightening the 
 bed of the creek, and so deepening it at one point as to set the 
 waters in rapid flow along the valley beyond, is evident. So far as 
 
THE NEW AGKICULTURE. 133 
 
 the Doctor goes, lie makes no mistake, but stops short at the very 
 spot where he shoukl have gone ahead. Pointing to EurojDe, he 
 says : 
 
 " Holland, for instance, is one of the most j)rosj)erous countries 
 in the world, a land where banks never fail, where pauperism is 
 unknown, and bankruptcy unheard of. It is held against the 
 hourly protest of the sea. The houses rest upon piles driven into 
 the soft earth, yet its drainage is so perfect, that its productive- 
 ness is wonderful. The dykes cost more than sixty millions of 
 dollars. It is the best example of plucky farming on the planet." 
 
 To cover the case the Doctor should have added that, Hollanders 
 have found out the way and put it in practice, how to drain and 
 irrigate, irrigate and drain, not starving by fits and stuffing by 
 starts, but feeding and watering the vegetable kingdom, always 
 abundantly and never in surfeit, never attempting to grow crops 
 in the way some people do pigs, with a streak of fat and a streak 
 of lean, but so arranging their dykes and ditches as to keep the 
 waters always moving through their soils. 
 
 Let us suggest that should the State of New York continue in 
 its determination not to extend aid to undertakings such as re- 
 claiming the swamp lands of the Conewango Valley, and a stock 
 company will organize and purchase the entire forty thousand 
 acres and do precisely what Doctor Edwards projDOses, not stop- 
 ping there, but sinking trenches and cross drains for overflow in a 
 way to do what the Hollanders have done, and though it were to 
 become necessary to manufacture tile, conforming them to the 
 work in hand, thirty dollars an acre at least can he made, or in the 
 aggregate, one million, two hundred thousand dollars. 
 
 The Doctor tells us that three kinds of land are found in the 
 swamps, one composed of deep muck, another of fine silt reaching 
 an unknown depth, and a third composed of a mixture of the two. 
 
134 THE XEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 There are i^robably very few stones, if anj', found in the soil, and 
 recourse to tile would become necessary. The rains, dews and 
 waters coming- of melting snows should be droj^ped at the least 
 four feet deep, with overflow drains or tile and cappings about 
 eighteen inches beneath the surface. Such perforation of the tile 
 should be made as to most evenly and generally diffuse the watei's, 
 and if all is done in a common sense way, so pure will these l)e 
 found, so uniform the temperature, that dwellers in the Cone- 
 wango Valley will every year see a green Christmas, and instead of 
 growing frogs, toads, lizards and the like, will be able to bring 
 out lakes crystal clear all along the track of their waters, alive 
 with bass, perch and pickerel, and not unlikely the mountain trout 
 of California, or jDOSsibly those of the brooks of Allegany, Catter- 
 augus and Chautauqua, of an half century ago. 
 
CHAPTER y. 
 
 THE INFLUENCE OF THE NEW AGRICULTURE UPON THE HEALTH OF MAN AND 
 
 DOMESTIC ANIMALS COMMUNICATION FROM THE HON. JOHN SWINBURNE 
 
 THE BANE OF FUNGUS, BY PROF. C. R. EARLEY. 
 
 It is the last of June (1885) and all over the country come reports 
 of drought, nor any wonder. The tile manufacturers and their 
 jDatrons must by some means find out that this hurrying off and 
 drying up of the waters, is a most serious matter, and one which^ 
 persevered in, will result in disasters greater, first or last, than 
 has been as yet realized in any civilized land. New York City, 
 with her vast population is fearful of an impending water famine. 
 Doctors Edson and Taylor recommend the purchase of a tract of 
 land half a mile wide on each bank of the Croton River to 
 i:)rovide against contamination of its waters. This recommendation 
 should be heeded. The entire water shed of the Croton ought to 
 be purchased, trenched and planted to trees; made a park, and 
 filled with babbling brooks and crystal lakes and stocked with 
 trout. That the w^ater supply would, under such conditions, be 
 found at all times abundant for a city as large as London, New 
 York and Paris we are inclined to believe. 
 
 This brings us to the introduction of a witness whose reputation 
 is such as to need no endorsement from us, standing as he does in 
 
136 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 the front rank of American physicians and surgeons — the Hon. 
 John Swinburne, late Mayor of the city of Albany, at one time 
 Health Officer of the Port of New York, and now^ Member of Con- 
 gress elect from the Albany district. 
 
 Albany, May 7th, 1885. 
 Hon. A. N. Cole : 
 
 Dear Sir: — After quite thorough examination and consideration of 
 your invention, or system styled by you " The New Agriculture," I 
 have become deeply interested in the matter, and beg leave by letter 
 to express to you the imin-essions I have formed in reference to it. 
 
 Careful thought about the system impels me to the conclusion 
 that as a j^lan for the storage and preservation of waters for irrig- 
 tion and purposes of general use, it demands and merits far more at- 
 tention at the hands of farmers, gardeners and the jDublic generally 
 than has as yet been given to it. 
 
 In a country like ours— in the eastern, southern and central 
 portions fast filling ujd with large cities and villages and thickly 
 poj)ulated neighborhoods — the question of the most available 
 means of obtaining a projier and sufficient suj^j^ly of water for 
 mechanical manufacturing and household puiposes, and for pro- 
 tection against fires is calling to its consideration the earnest atten- 
 tion and careful study of many of our ablest scientists and most 
 practical thinkers; while to agriculturists, manufacturers and mill 
 owners generally, in these sections, the very perceptible decrease in 
 the volume of our rivers, creeks and other irrigating streams, upon 
 the sufficiency of the supply of water from which they have been 
 compelled heretofore (some in part and others wholly), to dej^end 
 for success in their various avocations, has been to man}- of them 
 the cause of great diminution of business and business profits, and 
 to others a subject of deepest anxiety. The reduction of our forests, 
 it is said, (and very properly too), has resulted in a consequent re- 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 137 
 
 duction of our rivers and streams, which were once freely naviga- 
 ble from their mouths nearly to their sources, until they are now 
 only kept open for commerce in many parts by the application of 
 great labor and large expenditures of money almost continually. 
 And as have failed these larger streams, so have also their smaller 
 tributaries (from which they all in fact derive their supplies), be- 
 come lessened in volume, until at length farms wiiich were once 
 properly and abundantly watered are now comparatively without 
 supjjly, and streams which once furnished sufficient water-power 
 for the running of mills and factories, now scarcely afford power 
 sufficient to propel the churns of the farmers occupying their 
 banks. The depreciation in the value of lands in many parts of 
 the country for agricultural purposes, and in the supply of crops 
 therefrom, and from the same cause, has become equally percepti- 
 ble. Yet, the supj^ly of water from the clouds — from rains and 
 snows — has not, so far as we know, in any way decreased; — but 
 the forests are not here to husband them, and these waters are 
 jDcrmitted to soak into the ground, or run to waste from the sur- 
 face almost as soon as they strike the earth. 
 
 The problem heretofore has been how best to secure and hus- 
 band these supplies, by artificial means, so as to most effectually 
 jDreserve them for the vast demands of our wonderfully increasing 
 j^opulation, for family and business purposes, and especially so as 
 to make them more useful in the cultivation of the soil. 
 
 Many able and ingenious thinking men have for a long time 
 given this question their attention; and many plans have been 
 suggested — some of greater and some of less merit — but all accom- 
 l^anied with an apj^arent intricacj' of detail and weight of expense 
 in their application, which has prevented the general or consider- 
 able adoption of either. 
 
 But you, Mr. Cole, seem at last to have discovered a scheme. 
 
138 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 plain and practical in itself, and evidently of but moderate expense 
 in its adaptation to the uses and necessities of a very large propor- 
 tion of the people who are now suffering severely from the evils to 
 which I have above called attention. You style your system " The 
 New Agriculture," and from its probable effect upon agricultural 
 districts in which it may be hereafter adopted, as indicated by the 
 exj)eriments you have already made, the name would not seem to be 
 in any way misapplied. If the results of its use in general should 
 be an increase in crops and vegetation, to but half the extent fore- 
 shadow'cd or promised by those experiments, (and I can see no 
 sufficient reason why your claims in this respect may not be fully 
 verified by practical application of your plan) you have developed 
 and now offer to the country and the race a new system for hus- 
 banding the falling waters and a new plan for their use which will 
 not only establish a new era in agriculture, but which may be so 
 used as to afford the needed supply of good, healthful and jDure 
 water for the other ordinary uses of life to very many sections of 
 the earth, where the inhabitants are now suffering disadvantages 
 and deprivations from its want. 
 
 Your plan or invention is exceedingly simple in detail, and the 
 greatest wonder to any one who shall see or read of it will be, 
 that it had not been thought of, developed and adopted long be- 
 fore. It bears the impress of reason and sound sense upon its 
 first presentation to the mind and more mature reflection ujDon its 
 merits only results in more strongly developing these characteris- 
 tics in it. The scientist and the plow-boy alike can each with 
 equal promptness and facility perceive its scheme and merits at a 
 glance, and the person who proposes to use it on his farm or gar- 
 den, or in connection with his shop, dwelling-house, mill or fac- 
 tory will not require the assistance of the scientific and mathemati- 
 cal knowledge of the civil engineer or architect to enable him to 
 
k» <s-^?Jh.^' -,~*-X'^''i 
 
 'mm 
 
 
 
 
 
 STRAWBEEEY, NATURAL SIZE. 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 139 
 
 put it in successful operation, the brain of an astute accountant to 
 estimate its cost, or the eye or mind of the learned student of 
 nature to discover its results. Combining- in itself a plan for the 
 accomplishment of these objects highly essential to the comfort, 
 convenience and business interests of the people,- — storage of water, 
 irrigation and drainage, — it will be seen at once by even the ordi- 
 nary mind upon most casual inspection, to be practicable and 
 feasible for either purpose, and it must be equally evident that 
 great advantages must accrue to the user of the system either for 
 agricultural purposes, the storage of water for other general uses, 
 or as a means of drainage simply. 
 
 Scarcely a township exists in our country, in which there are 
 not many farms upon which your admirable system could be ap- 
 plied to great advantage and profit. Large portions of territory 
 in agricultural districts are now entirely useless, or at least com- 
 paratively unproductive, by reason of insufficient irrigation ; and 
 these through the appliance of your "New Agriculture," could be 
 made vastly more productive ; while the present productive por- 
 tions would be increased in productive power through the same 
 instrumentality. To the grape and other fruit growers, it seems 
 to me, it affords especially inducements for use, which will speedily 
 bring it into imperative demand with the large majority of this 
 important business class. Through it thousands of agriculturists 
 in every state may easily and with little expense make their bar- 
 ren wastes to smile with jiroductiveness, and the better portions of 
 their farms to double in value by reason of increase in crops. 
 
 But the advantages to be derived from the use of your plan in 
 the storage of water for other than agricultural purposes are 
 equally apparent, and must eventually bring it into active demand 
 and use in localities where the supply of water is now insufficient 
 for the requirements of cities and villages ; and by its application 
 
140 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 many such corporations will be enabled to furnish their citizens 
 with good, cool and pure water, in sufficient quantities, and at 
 far less expense than they can by any other plan or system 
 now known. Of course, whether it can be so utilized as to furnish 
 very large cities with sufficient supply is a j^roblem hereafter to be 
 demonstrated ; but in our own state, (and without doubt in every 
 other state), there are hundreds of smaller cities and thickl}^ pop- 
 ulated villages and hamlets, whose inhabitants are now suffering 
 great inconvenience, and incurring risks of sickness and death 
 from malarial and ej)idemic diseases, from insufficient supplies of 
 healthful and pure waters — whose surroundings are such that, by 
 the reasonable aijplication of your simjile system for collection 
 and storage of water they could each, at much less cost than in 
 any other way, be furnished with a permanent and sufficient quan- 
 tity of the best of water for all the purposes for which it may be 
 required by them. Then too, the hills or mountains surrounding 
 or adjoining these places, — often now utterly unproductive, and 
 sometimes even unsightly in appearance, — can by this same plan 
 be transformed into j)roductive and ornate terraced gardens, far 
 excelling in products and profit the ordinary agricultural lands of 
 the neighborhood and rivaling in beauty the most famous of the 
 ornamental gardens of the old world, — presenting at all times " a 
 thing of beauty " to the eye, season by season affording more jyvoi- 
 itable remuneration to their owners from the crops and fruits and 
 vegetables which shall spring from and adorn their slopes ; and at 
 the same time and always affording to the inhabitants of the popu- 
 lous places beneath their shades a Ijountiful suj^ply of Heaven's 
 "best and only beverage for man. 
 
 I am confident that your system will grow in pojmlarity with its 
 use ; and eventually a grateful people, thankful for the blessings 
 your invention has brought to their hands, will rank you as a ben- 
 
THE NEW ACiEICULTURE. 141 
 
 efactor of the human race, who has not only succeeded in making 
 two blades of grass grow where one was Avont to appear ; but who 
 has also taught them by simple method, and at cheapest cost, the 
 way to secure for themselves a sufficiency of one of the most im- 
 jDortant of God's gifts to man, and beast, and nature. 
 
 This letter requires no answer — it is written to testify my appre- 
 ciation of the merits of the invention of an old friend, and he is 
 at liberty to use it as he may deem proper. 
 
 With sentiments of respect I am, as ever, yours truly, 
 
 John Swinburne. 
 
 The case of water jDoisoning, at Plymouth, Pennsylvania, should 
 o^Derate as a warning that all over our land water works have been 
 and are being constructed, in the sources and supplies of which 
 are found the germs of disease and death. AVhatever the source 
 of water supply filtration is imiDeratively necessary, except where 
 springs or sj^ring brooks discharge their waters so directly into 
 reservoirs as to prevent infection, pollution, or even the existence 
 of roil. Can waters admixing with those of the surface be render- 
 ed pure and healthful, is the paramount question. This brings us 
 to the introduction of an article l)y Professor De Smedt, District 
 Chemist, of "Washington, D. C, as published under date of June 
 26th, the subject being the water of the Potomac river. 
 
 " Is perfect filtration and aeration j)OSsible in a volume of water 
 sufficient to supj)ly large cities ? This is a question for the consid- 
 eration of engineering science; the chemist can determine only the 
 results of the scheme should it j^rove to be j^ractical. 
 
 "Water, in the order of its purity, may be divided into three 
 classes: First, rain water, which is the most impure; second, river 
 Avater; and third, spring and deep well water, which are the purest. 
 The purity of the spring water is owing to the fact that it has been 
 filtered and aerated through sandy soil, Avhich is indisj^utably the 
 
142 THE NEW AcilUCULTURE. 
 
 most perfect j)urifier of Avater containing organic impurities; this 
 is demonstrated by natural facts. Spring water, generally so pure 
 and limi)id, proceeds from surface waters jDolluted with vegetable 
 and animal impurities, but becomes purified during its passage 
 through the earth. This evidence furnished by springs, is confirm- 
 ed by j)ractical results of the irrigation of sewerage instituted in 
 England and France. Finally, the proof is made conclusive by 
 analysis and scientific experiments that jDerfect artificial filtration 
 can produce water almost as pure as spring water. 
 
 "Water, more or less polluted, having i)assed through a deep 
 filter composed of sand, containing a small jDercentage of argillous 
 matter, the insoluble jjarticles are stopped at the surface and the 
 more minute jjarticles are retained deeper in the body of the filter. 
 This is the first result jDroduced, — it is a simple mechanical filtra- 
 tion. The water being cleansed of the insoluble matter, descends 
 deejJer; each particle of sand is drenched with a thin film of water; 
 thus divided, the water offers to the confined air in the earth or 
 filter an enormous surface of action. Now commences the second 
 effect of i^erfect filtration and aeration, which is the combustion of 
 the organic matter in solution in the water. It is a general saying 
 that fire purifies everything, and indeed there is no organic matter, 
 so impure or so unhealthy, which fire, with the aid of the oxygen 
 of the air, will not transform into carbonic acid, water and nitro- 
 gen. In the interior of this filter a purification likewise takes 
 23lace, not violent and visible like that caused by fire, but slow and 
 without any perceptible evidence; nevertheless it is a combustion 
 which reduces all organic impurities to carbonic acid, water and 
 nitrogen. It is even a more jierfect combustion than that caused 
 by fire, producing oxydation of the nitrogen and the formation of 
 nitric acid, a result which fire cannot produce. 
 
 " In conclusion, I will say that the filtration and aeration of all 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 143 
 
 river waters would be beneficial, but as to its jiracticability, I beg 
 leave to refer the subject to the consideration of those whose prov- 
 ince it is to determine such matters." 
 
 The following- extract from the New York Tribune refers to the 
 recent epidemic at Plymouth, Penn. : 
 
 " The result of the investigation of the causes of the epidemic at 
 Plymouth, Penn., made by Dr. Cyrus Edson and Dr. James B. 
 Taylor, of the Board of Health, assisted by the chemist of the 
 Board, Dr. Edward W. Martin, will be reported to the Board as 
 soon as the analysis of water taken from the Susquehanna River 
 where it flows past the town from a mountain stream, from wells, 
 and from mines in the vicinity, are completed. The investigating* 
 jDhysicians went to Plymouth last Wednesday and returned on 
 Saturday. Dr. Edson yesterday told a Tribune reporter what 
 they saw and what conclusions they had arrived at. He said: 
 
 " The fever iDrevailing at Plymouth is one of the most interest- 
 ing epidemics that we have ever had in this covmtry. The great 
 majority of the cases have been caused by one case of typhoid 
 fever. That case has inoculated between 700 and 1,000 cases 
 almost simultaneously — all within the period between March 26 
 and Aj)ril 1. No doubt the infection was sjDread by the water, 
 though other causes assisted. The town was just ripe for it. The 
 streets were filthy, and the place altogether in bad condition. 
 The systems of the people were in a condition that made them easy 
 victims to the disease. They had been drinking water polluted 
 with sewage. On March 26 a new supply of water was received 
 from a mountain stream which had been polluted by the dejections 
 of a typhoid fever patient, who was sick in a house near the 
 stream. They were thrown on the snow within a few feet of this 
 water course. The snow melted and flowed into the stream, the 
 water of which, being released bv the melting of the ice that had 
 
144 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 confined it, soon filled vij) the reservoii's, which until then were 
 almost empty. The water passing through the ice and hardly 
 exposed to the air reached the reservoirs a little over one-eighth 
 of a mile distant. The great outburst of the typhoid fever oc- 
 curred between Aj^ril 12 and April 18. The time of incubation of 
 typhoid fever is generally from ten to twenty days. "We looked 
 into the milk supjily carefully. A few cases were due to that, but 
 many who had their own cows had the fever. The epidemic is now 
 d^dng out. The water is all right now and was before, but it was 
 infected by accident. The river water, although that was hardly 
 contaminated, was pumped into the mines for several weeks prior 
 to March 26. 
 
 " The result of the investigation only shows the necessity of 
 keeping a water supply pure and free from contamination. The 
 wells in this city are all worse than any in that town, where they 
 are frequently polluted by adjacent filth. I have found 2)eople 
 using water from wells dug in this city. I had to arrest John 
 Gelston, a large mineral-water manufacturer, a few weeks ago for 
 using Avell water in making his beverages. He was convicted 
 in the Sj^ecial Sessions and fined $25. I discovered that he was 
 using well water by having his mineral waters analyzed. A manu- 
 facturer like him can save from $2,500 to $3,000 in Crotou water 
 taxes by using well w^ater. Our recent investigation at the Croton 
 water-shed shows that there is no reason for ajjprehension on ac- 
 count of the pollution of the water at jDresent, but the population 
 near the river bank is increasing, and after a while there will be 
 danger unless the city purchases the land on both banks for half a 
 mile back, or takes some other measures to prevent contamination. 
 It would be cheaper to buy the land now than to Avait until the 
 danger is imminent and the land dearer." 
 
 Not only at Plymouth but in other towns and cities without 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 145 
 
 number, the streams run dry, or nearly so, not only in the heat of 
 summer but in the winter months also, and everywhere " there is 
 death in the pot." Nor is the craze to make money by manufac- 
 turing tile, having no other purpose than to hurry off the waters 
 as fast as possible, in any degree greater, than that of the farmer 
 who seizes upon it, paying his money for a curse rather than a 
 blessing, and digging trenches regardless alike of exj^ense and 
 philosophy, begetting water famines as surely to come in time as 
 death and the undertaker. 
 
 There is no reason why the river at Plymouth should have been 
 dry in March, nor, indeed, during any month of any year. All the 
 springs, brooks, rivulets and rivers of our land can be made, 
 should be made, those of perpetual flow. Their waters should be 
 pure and undefiled, bringing life, joy, health and happiness to the 
 jDeople, instead of being defiled by decay and bearing death to 
 animal and vegetable creations. 
 
 Should the doctors continue on with the work they have under- 
 taken, which they will surely do, they will succeed in curing nearly 
 everybody hitherto sick, and preventing disease in the future. 
 They have but to convince mankind that pure water is the source 
 of health, and its opposite an equal fountain from which flows dis- 
 ease and death, and the world will not be long finding out 
 that passing the waters through soils purifies them completely. 
 
 Among all who came to look over our grounds during the sea- 
 sons of 1883 and '84, no one made so careful an examination into 
 the principle of our system, as the Hon. Charles E. Earley, who has 
 a divided residence between Philadelphia and his model hillside 
 home at Ridgway, Elk County, Pennsylvania. We say model home, 
 since such it cannot fail to become, should the Doctor carry out his 
 present intentions of making application of our system to his 
 place, demonstrating the utmost of its possibilities. To do this. 
 
146 THE NEW AGEICULTURE. 
 
 would call for the use of tile, clay or cement, since, unfortunately 
 in the light of economy. Dr. Earley is not as well situated as those 
 who can with greater economy and facility avail themselves of the 
 advantages of our discoveries, as he does not possess what is, 
 in due time to be recognized as the greatest of good fortunes, a 
 retentive subsoil coujoled with an abundance of stone. Notwith- 
 standing this the Doctor was one of the first among friends who 
 entered heartily into sympathy with us, carefully examining our 
 methods. A man of rare intuition he seemed to discover the whole 
 thing at a glance, pronounced us on the right track and predicted 
 that our work was one sure to result in making an end of the run- 
 ning of the waters in riot over soils ; that the latter could and ulti- 
 mately would be so conformed as to pass the waters of rains, dews 
 and snows through them, and that waters of streams, jDOols, ponds 
 and lakes would be by this means filtered and made pure, and rel- 
 atively an end be made of the seeds of fungus now producing de- 
 cay and death. Doctor Earley, was, in fact, the first man whom we 
 met who agreed with us as regarded this fertile and fundamental 
 cause, from which, come the ills to which all flesh is heir. 
 
 Philadelphia, Pa., March 28th, 1885. 
 Hon. A. N. Cole, Wellsville, K Y. 
 
 Dear Sir : — Your letter enclosing circular, was forwarded to me 
 here from my home at Eidgway, Pa. I see in the circular that I 
 am expected to write a chapter on fungi, for your forthcoming vol- 
 ume, devoted to the promotion of your new system of agriculture 
 and horticulture. 
 
 This demand comes upon me like an electric shock, as I fear that 
 the time will be too short to do justice to so important a subject. 
 My time is so fully taken uj) with a diversity of interests, that I 
 hardly know how to gain the time required to treat a subject of 
 such prime importance, since it is one that will not bear hasty 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 147 
 
 iittention. The life, health find happiness of the human family 
 depends greatly upon a full and correct understanding of the part 
 which fungi occupies in the A'arious diseases with which mankind is 
 burdened. AVe might say that to this one cause may be traced a 
 greatev part of the diseases known to medicine. The food we eat, 
 the water we drink, and the air we breathe are all to a greater or 
 less extent impregnated with poisonous fungoid atoms. 
 
 To bring this chapter consistently within the scope and tenor of 
 your volume, it will be necessary for me to go into the subject in 
 some order and system, and to that end I will divide the matter 
 into the following heads : 
 
 Fungi — its action on Man. 
 
 Fungi — its action on Stock Animals. 
 
 Fungi — its action on Vegetation. 
 
 Fungi — its action on Man. — Now in treating the subject under 
 this head, I wish it understood that I do not propose to go into a 
 technical analysis or treatise on the genera, forms, phases and no- 
 menclature of fungi, but rather to speak of it in a general way, and 
 of such as exert a baneful influence. 
 
 In order to investigate its action on man, it is but natural that I 
 .should examine more especially as to the vehicles that carry the 
 deleterious caixse to the circulation and tissues. It may be by in- 
 halation, but it is certainly more frequently carried into the system 
 by means of food and drink. That fungal spores are constantly 
 afloat in the air, is certain, and apart from my own investigations, 
 I could cite a number of reliable authorities. 
 
 The experiments of Dr, Cunningham, conducted in India, have 
 been convincing on this jooint *" Spores and other vege- 
 table cells are constantly present in the atmospheric dust, and 
 
 *From microscopic Examinations of Air, from the 9th Annual Report of the Sanitary Com- 
 mission. Cslcntta. 1872. 
 
148 THE NLW AGRICULTUKE. 
 
 usually occur in considerable numbers ; the majority of tliem are 
 living and capable of growth and development." 
 
 " Recently a case occurred at the Botanic Gardens at Edin- 
 burgh, ^vhich was somewhat novel. The assistant to the Botanical 
 professor was j^reparing for demonstration some dried specimens 
 of a large j)uff-ball, filled Avith the dustlike spores, which he acci- 
 dentally inhaled, and was for sometime confined to his room under 
 medical attendance from the irritation they caused." * 
 
 This seemingly is an endorsement that the air we breathe is at all 
 times more or less charged with fungal material, Avhich under certain 
 conditions is caj^able of development to such an extent as to 
 cause local irritation, and as I well know, from 2^ersonal experience 
 and investigation, will at times jDroduce blood jDoisoning with its 
 train of concomitant evils. 
 
 Commencing the practice of medicine at the age of twenty-two, 
 I devoted my best energies to that j)rofession, during a period of 
 about forty years. In April, 1846, I left my native state. New 
 York, and settled in the wilds of upper Pennsylvania, where the 
 nearest jDhysician was forty miles away. I was thus alon6 in my 
 struggle with those enemies of man, — death and disease. To my 
 surprise I found, that there was hardly a man, woman or child in 
 that whole region in perfect health. On the mountains and hill- 
 sides, in the valleys, and in the tow^ns, I found that nearly every- 
 one was in some way diseased. 
 
 This was to my mind an anomalous condition of affairs, and be- 
 ing of an investigating turn of mind, I sought in every instance, 
 where I was called upon to attend the sick, to trace its cause. I 
 said to myself, here is my work, which must call forth my full 
 energies. Here begins the work of the doctor, which never has, 
 can or will end ; to examine into the remote and latent cause of 
 
 *Furigi. M. C. Coole, M. A.. L. L. D. 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 149 
 
 disease. It is not only the duty of the physician to help nature in 
 the cure of disease, but it is also part of his work to seek out and 
 remove the primary cause. He must examine the dwelling inside 
 and out, the cellar beneath, the food the family eat ; the water they 
 drink and the air they breathe. In fact it is preeminently his duty 
 to prevent as well as cure disease. 
 
 It is requisite in investigating for a first cause, that the i^hysic- 
 ian should examine closely into the modes and ways and living of 
 the j)eople immediately surrounding the patient. One great cause 
 of disease of the i^eople with whom I was brought in contact, was 
 the ill-advised custom of storing their winter supply of vegetables 
 and provisions in the cellars of their houses. It is a fact demon- 
 strated beyond the possibility of a doubt, that such a thing as per- 
 fectly healthy fruit or vegetable is rarely to be found. The unde- 
 tected incipient potatoe rot has frequently done its work of death 
 by the production of blood poison. It is almost impossible to find 
 an unblemished ajjple, pear, peach, plum, cherry or berry. They 
 all have spots or blemish of some kind, and wherever you find fer- 
 mentation and decay, you will also find fungi. 
 
 The fungi as germs of disease are always present both in the air 
 and food. Go to a market, tell the fruit dealer that you want a 
 bushel of apj)les without speck or blemish, and that for that bush- 
 el you will give him the price of a barrel. His answer to you will 
 be: 
 
 " I could not do that sir, for the price of four barrels, and I 
 doubt if I could do it at all." 
 
 This is not only the case with fruit, but with all vegetables and 
 cereals. 
 
 Now in view of all this, is it not patent that we are constantly 
 taking the germs of disease ? Most assuredly it is. Our circida- 
 tion and tissues are full of disease-bearing germs, only awaiting 
 
150 THE NEV AGKICULTUEE. 
 
 full development and opportunity to do their fell work. Whj^ 
 when I think of it in all its details, I am only surj)rised there is not 
 more sickness and death. Surprised that there should be any ap- 
 parently well jDeople anywhere. Most people eat their food with- 
 out a thought as to whether it is pure and healthy, or that diseased 
 food can not do otherwise than j)roduce diseased and poisonous 
 blood. Go into the gardens of our towns, and those out in the 
 country, and examine the growing vegetables. How many of 
 them will 3'ou find in a healthy condition ? I think you will fail to 
 fiind one single plant that is jDerfect. Either the roots, stalk, leaf 
 or fruit will be found affected in some way. Take the water we 
 drink. It will not take long, nor will you need the aid of a power- 
 ful microscojDe, to convince you of the presence of fungi, or germs 
 of some kind. 
 
 Fungi — its action on stock animals. 
 
 As man is only a higher type of animal, it is but natural, that 
 that which affects him, will also affect the lower animals ; the only 
 difference being that of degree. That which would probably be 
 very virulent in man, would be of a milder type in the other. Then 
 too the tyi^e of its manifestation might be different, but the same 
 first cause will be always i)resent. Poisoned blood and tissues 
 produced by poisoned food, water and air. But there is another 
 feature that is generally overlooked. There is not so much care 
 used in selecting their food and water as is the case with man. If 
 the bran or corn meal haj)pens to be a little musty, sour or wormy, 
 it is not thrown away. No ; it is fed to the stock. They Avill not 
 notice it. If the sides of the water trough are green with slime, 
 it is not thoroughly cleansed. They will drink. Cattle are not 
 fastidious. If the hay is a little musty, it is not discarded. The 
 stock have not very discriminating eyes, they will eat it. If the air 
 of the stables reek with ammoniacal gas and have little or no ventil- 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 151 
 
 ation, it matters not. The animals do not notice it, or if tliey do, 
 they can not remonstrate. But here let me ask, are the people not 
 being surely punished ? I think the reply to this would be unan- 
 imously affirmative were we able to follow the effect that the ma- 
 nures from these animals have on the food cereals brought to fru- 
 ition through its use. Not only the human family is suffering from 
 this terrible condition and neglect of our soil, thus producing 
 fungi, but our stock animals are suffering in an equally bad way. 
 The grasses that they feed from in our pastures, and the hay made 
 from same and stored for winter use, if examined under a micro- 
 scope, will be found to be extensively covered with fungi. This 
 bears various titles, such as smut, rust, or mildew, or other names 
 applied in different localities. Corn, in many sections, is sowed for 
 fodder, and this, uj)on examination, will be found to be in the same 
 condition. In this connection I would refer to the recent develop- 
 ments in Texas, where cattle were suffering with what a number of 
 authorities pronounced contagious j)l6uro-pneumonia; but upon 
 investigation, were found to be in a diseased condition, from eating 
 of corn that was extensively smutted. Oats with their rust, wheat 
 and rye with their ergot and other diseases, all these different pro- 
 ductions are alike affected. 
 
 Our writers on the subject of stock, refer frequently to (so-called) 
 contagious pleuro-pneumonia. Cows kept for their milk for sup- 
 j)lying our large cities and towns, are nearl}^ all fed with this 
 mass of poison, and kept in badly ventilated stables, shut up 
 and excluded from the air. Congress and our legislatures pass 
 laws and appoint commissioners to examine into and destroy all 
 stock affected, to prevent the spread of the contagion. They 
 never for one moment think of examining the farms and stables, 
 and the feed of the animal. In my investigations in the vicinity 
 of Philadelphia, into "contagious pleuro pneumonia" (so-called,) 
 
152 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 I found diseased mucous membrane, the air j^assages thickened, 
 congestion of the lining membranes, all more or less congested and 
 covered with slime and fungi, so much so indeed, that the smaller 
 tubes of the bronchials were collapsed, thus preventing free pas- 
 sage of air, consequently making it imjDossible to fully inflate the 
 lungs. Not only were the bronchials affected, but I also found the 
 throat and mouth extensively covered with slime and fungi. On 
 examining into the character of the food which had been fed I 
 found that, in many cases, it consisted of malt dust, full of fungi. 
 Garbage in some cases was fed, and many different kinds of food 
 sujDposed to produce milk rapidly. The grass and hay in almost 
 every case, I found to contain mould or fungi in some form. 
 
 Is there such a disease as " Contagious Pleuro-Pneumonia ?" 
 
 I clip the following from the morning papers of Philadelphia, of 
 Saturday, June 6th, 1885. 
 
 {From the Becord.] 
 
 " Much excitement has been occasioned among the farmers in the 
 vicinity of Pavonia on the northern outskirts of Camden by the 
 appearance of the pleuro-pneumonia in the herd of cattle on the 
 farm of M. Feenfer. Drs. Miller and Dyer of the State Board of 
 Health have investigated the outbreak and believe that the rigid 
 quarantine which they have established will prevent the sjpread of 
 the disease. The herd of nine cows was purchased last February 
 at the West Philadelphia stock yards. Two of the infected ani- 
 mals have been killed and the remainder inoculated." 
 
 [From the Times.] 
 
 " A general examination is being made of herds of cattle in 
 Camden and Gloucester Counties by Drs. "VV. B. E. Miller and C. K. 
 Dyer, of the New Jersey State Board of Health. On the farm of 
 M. Feenfer, at Pavonia, near the Camden Water Works, a herd of 
 fine cattle is said to be infected with pleuro-pneumonia. The dis- 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 153 
 
 ease was brought to the farm by three or four cows which were 
 purchased by Mr. Feenfer at the West Philadelphia stock yard iu 
 February last. Great care wdll be taken by the authorities to pre- 
 vent the spread of the disease and the herd has been quarantined." 
 
 Having had some experience in investigating the causes of dis- 
 eases in both man and beast pronounced as " contagious " by many, 
 which to my mind were caused by bad food, bad air and bad drink, 
 I at once went to Camden, N. J., where we jDrocured a conveyance 
 and were taken to the " farm " referred to above, near Pavonia, a 
 distance of about three miles from the City Hall, Camden. There 
 are about fifty dwellings scattered about this place. On our way 
 there we met the two veterinary surgeons or members of the State 
 Board of Health, Drs. Miller and Dyer returning from the " Feen- 
 fer farm " where they had been visiting the sick cows. On our 
 arrival at Michael Feenfer's place about 10 o'clock A. M., we found 
 Mr. Feenfer the " farmer " referred to was away with his milk 
 wagon selling the milk from the cows not yet dead or dying, and 
 would not return before 11.30, so we were introduced to his son, a 
 young man about 17 years old, who very kindly showed us all the 
 surroundings of the place. 
 
 The " farm " referred to consisted of about four town lots on 
 which were erected, one dwelling house, and outhouses, one cow 
 stable, one cow shed, a hogpen and a hen-house, situated about one- 
 half mile from the Delaware Paver on rather low ground. 
 
 AVe found the stable about sixteen by twenty-four feet, with 
 eight stalls on each side, three feet wide. The door opened out 
 into the cow shed which was about the same size as the stable and 
 open on one side. The stable was low and had loose boards placed 
 overhead where hay was kept for feed. There was also a window 
 that opened out into the yard, which window and door were the 
 only means of ventilation provided. 
 
154: THE NEW AGRICULTUEE. 
 
 Just in front of this window and door was a cesspool about 
 fifteen feet in diameter that took xip the drainage and filth from 
 the cow stable, hogpen and hen-house, as well as the drainage 
 from the dwelling and all the outhouses. This cesspool was full 
 of the very worst of filth. The liquid was as black as tar and they 
 had recently filled it with swamp and bog sods, with long swamp 
 weeds and grass, as they said "to keep the cows from miring." In 
 the stable was found but one cow, the rest of the stalls were full 
 of all sorts of trash and filth. The shed was in like condition, only 
 worse. 'SVe oj)ened up our inquiries as follows: 
 
 " How many cows have you ?" 
 
 "We had thirteen." 
 
 " How many have you now ?" . 
 
 " Six and this sick one." 
 
 '•What became of the others?" 
 
 "Four died, one we sold and one we gave away." 
 
 " Where are the six ?" 
 
 " In the pasture." 
 
 '• How did your cows get sick ?" 
 
 "We bought one cow from the West Philadelphia stock yard 
 about two months ago and in about a week after we bought her 
 she had a calf, and in about two days after she had her calf, she 
 took sick and died. The cow doctors said she caught the disease 
 in the stock yard." 
 
 " Did the calf get sick and die ?" 
 
 " No, the calf was healthy." 
 
 "What did you do with the calf?" 
 
 "We sold the calf to the butchers." 
 
 " Were there any cows sick in the stock yard when you bought 
 this one?" 
 
 "Not as we can learn." 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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THE XEW AGRICULTURE. 157 
 
 " Had there been any sick before or has there been any sick 
 there since ?" 
 
 "No, not as we can learn." 
 
 " How many acres of land have yon in your farm ?" 
 
 " We have no land only these lots. "We rent pasture." 
 
 " How many acres do yon rent '?" 
 
 " We rent about three acres for pasture and i>aj sixty-five dollars 
 for it." 
 
 We now looked at the sick cow. The young man opened her 
 mouth, and upon looking in we found the mucous membrane of the 
 throat and nostrils much congested and somewhat inflamed with 
 but little dreuliug or slabbering. She had no cough or difficulty 
 in breathing. She did not get uj). 
 
 We then went to see the cows in the pasture. This pasture 
 bordered upon a swamj) next to the river and was about twenty to 
 thirty feet wide and bounded on the other side by a deep swale 
 which was again bounded by a swamp over half a mile long. This 
 strip of land was divided in the middle by an embankment or dike 
 which kept out the tide from the marsh land. 
 
 Therefore there was but this strip of land about fifteen feet wide 
 and a little over a half mile long that could be utilized for pasture. 
 But no grass was to be seen, save a few roots here and there, and 
 these nearly covered by the droppings from the cows. They have 
 no other water to drink excej)t that from the swamp which was 
 nearly as black as ink. These six cows were piit out there after 
 the others died and were kejjt there night and day. They were 
 placed there by order of the members of the State Board of Health 
 as above (the Feenfers called them the "cow-doctors") and quar- 
 antined. They are fed with malt grains, etc., as hereafter ex- 
 plained, drink the swamp water and breathe the swamp air. 
 
 On returning to the stable we found Mr. Michael Feenfer the 
 
158 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 ^'farmer," bad reached home. He "nas a very jileasaBt German and 
 showed us the feed which they called "malt grains and other stuff." 
 There was a large hogshead standing under the before described 
 cow-shed, just in frcnt of the door of the stable which was about 
 two-thirds full of malt grains and other material, so sour and 
 stinking that one could not look into it without getting sick. On 
 asking the old man "if the cows liked that kind of food," he said, 
 "sometimes they acted as if they did not and it made them cough 
 sometimes. 
 
 We inquired as to how much milk they got from the cows, and 
 he said they got one hundi'ed and twenty quarts from the thirteen, 
 but now' they got about sixty-five from the six. We asked, " how 
 much do you get from the sick cow at a milking ?" He said " about 
 a pint, and that they fed to the hogs. 
 
 " How many hogs have you ?" 
 
 "We have but five now, two died last fall." 
 
 " What was the matter of the hogs that died ?" 
 
 "They got sick just like the cows, the five are pretty well now." 
 
 Now let us look at this matter clearly, in the light of reason and 
 science and what do we find ? Brutes suffering. Human igno- 
 rance. Legalized cruelty to dumb animals. Woful w'ant of in- 
 telligent investigation, wilful disregard of the very first principles 
 of hygiene. 
 
 It hardly seems j^ossible that any one wdth the slightest degree of 
 intelligence could make any mistake as to where the primary cause 
 of all this sickness laid. Here was a dej^ression or hole made in 
 the ground that caught all the surface drainage for say two hun- 
 dred feet around it. All the w ash-water from the houses drained 
 into it, all the filth from the stable and jjig-pen drained into it, 
 every rain washed through the hen-house into it. There was ab- 
 solutely no exit for the water. There it was, dammed up, with all 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 159 
 
 the excrement and vegetable matter that could be imaginedj slowly 
 putrifying and throwing- off noxious gasses and vajjors. The cows 
 were confined in stables that had no means of ventilation save the 
 door, and one window, opening out upon this pool of filth. 
 
 The food they got came from this hogshead of malt grains and 
 other garbage in a high state of fermentation. This reeking mass 
 of stuff was given to support life and make milk. The smell at a 
 distance of ten feet was enough to tiirn any stomach. 
 
 This is a graphic but true pen j^icture of the home life of these cows. 
 Now the cows are sick and ailing. They must be taken out to pas- 
 ture. Mark the keen sarcasm, unintentional it is true, — these ani- 
 mals gain one thing by the change, — sunlight. They must eat of 
 the rank marsh grass and drink of the fetid marsh water. I no- 
 ticed fish in the sluices; but in this marsh water there are none. 
 It's pretty bad water that a catfish won't swim in. 
 
 Now taking the character of their food, the air and water into 
 consideration, is it any wonder that these cattle should have dis- 
 eases of the throat and lungs ? It is a wonder that they have any 
 healthy organs at all, and I doubt if they have. 
 
 Mark the ignorant way in which the State Inspector does his 
 work. Did he do as we did ? Did he look for a cause upon the 
 premises ? No, he contented himself by asking the nearly as ig- 
 norant " farmer," — " What made your cows sick ?" and upon receiv- 
 ing the reply caught at the pretext, — Ah! that is it, you got them 
 from the stock yard. Yes, yes, she brought the infection with her. 
 
 Upon looking up the matter it is impossible to find that any of 
 the stock at the stock yard was sick with this disease either before 
 or after this cow was purchased. Now, is it likely that the so- 
 called infection was brought from the stock yard ? Is it not a 
 hundred times more likely that the bad air, bad water, and bad 
 feed at the farm induced this disease ? 
 
160 THE NEW AGRICULTUEE. 
 
 The gases tliat rise from decaying manure are exceedingly poi- 
 sonous. The urine from stables of stock contains much more 
 j)utrescent matter than manure does, and is therefore more dan- 
 gerous. 
 
 Now, as in the case just mentioned, where there is a hollow in 
 the stable-yard, which hollow is not drained, it becomes the recep- 
 tacle for all the waste that is around the place. The drainage 
 from the house, pigpens, and stables drain into it. There is no 
 outlet and it must remain there, only to find an exit in eyaporation. 
 The animal and yegetable matter settles down in it, fermentation 
 begins and is hastened by the heat of the sun. Now when eyaj)- 
 orating, the particles of humidity rise from the bottom of this pile 
 of corruption, thus producing a current which carries with it the 
 j)roducts of jDutrefaction. These products are sometimes j^arasitic 
 in their nature. They float in the air, settle on the surface of the 
 water, and sift into the food. When taken into the lungs by in- 
 spiration, they find resting places in the membranes, where with 
 an even temperature of sufiicient height to bring them to active 
 life disease results. The same thing occurs when taken into the 
 stomach in food and drink. In the first instance they cause dis- 
 eases of the mouth, throat and lungs, in the latter, their effects are 
 noted in derangement of the stomach and boAvels. 
 
 Should we be asked whether there is any way of avoiding this 
 condition of affairs, we unhesitatingly would point you out the 
 real reason for all the trouble, and at the same time suggest the 
 cure. First comes, fermentalion, then decomposition, the produc- 
 tion of fungi in all its forms, and of course this must be followed 
 by disease. 
 
 Now to my mind Nature intended that the ground should have 
 air to breathe and water to drink, just the same as animals. It 
 needs these, not so much for supplying nutriment to vegetation, as 
 
THE KEW AGRICULTURE. 161 
 
 it does to carry on the great work of assimilation and purification. 
 Is it not true that all decomi30sition and filth is converted into in- 
 nocuous material in nature's laboratory ? And if so, is it not di- 
 rectly caused by fermentation and oxidation ? It is burnt and cal- 
 cined into purity. The earth being loose and j)orous, the air forces 
 its way into the crevices, and the water j^asses through it from 
 above, each, especially the air, supplying fuel to carry on the work 
 of purification. 
 
 We will suppose that the water comes to a strata that is imper- 
 vious to its onward course. What happens? Simply this, — it 
 dams up slowly, inch by inch, forcing out the air as it goes. All 
 motion and circulation is stopped. Fermentation and decomposi- 
 tion soon begin. The earth is drowned out — suffocated, — dead for 
 want of air. How is this ? Water is good for the ground ? Yes, 
 but not in this way, the water must be moving constantly. There 
 must be a current of air and water and not too much or too little 
 of the lattei'. 
 
 This very much desired result can very readily be obtained by 
 seeking a water level and j^roper drainage and full control of the 
 Avater so that air can follow and leaven through the earth; so also, 
 that God's most blessed earth reviver — rain and the dews — may cir- 
 culate through it, so that the old water may not for an instant 
 rest and start fermentation, always on and away, so that there 
 may be plenty of oxygen coming down into its pores, seeking and 
 burning out all filth and corruption. To sum up concisely: 
 
 Use Cole's system of capillary irrigation as jjatented by him. 
 Thus you get clear of all filth and corruption that is found in these 
 miserable cesspools, — they never form. 
 
 You filter all water wherever it strikes the soil from the clouds 
 and other places and localities. You convert even what is so much 
 contaminated with organic matter and other impurities into jiure 
 
162 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 water and liold it back in time of over supply, heavy rainfalls and. 
 melting- snows, for the use of the soil and vegetation as the wants 
 of each may require. 
 
 Should this system be adopted by farmers and dairy-men such 
 diseases as the so-called " contagious pleuro-pneumonia" and other 
 fatal diseases among stock will be wholly unknown, only adding 
 ventilation and stopping the feeding of garbage and decayed and 
 fermented foods and fungi. 
 
 On many of the smaller farms grass or hay is raised and stored 
 away without careful treatment. Fresh manure is frequently 
 hauled from city stables, and spread over land to ferment and rot. 
 Upon examination, the class of lands thus treated, are found cov- 
 ered with fungi in the shape of devils-bread, puff-ball, toadstools 
 and others of different names. Bone dust and other fertilizers are 
 also used. Then come the wet spells, and the dry spells, and the 
 hot spells, which together keep up a continual fermentation in the 
 soil about the roots of crops and grasses. AYe find in many sec- 
 tions of the country, places where they raise stock, particularly' 
 hogs. These animals are turned into the orchards in the fall or 
 late summer, and j^ermitted to eat of the fallen fruit. They are 
 therefore allowed to eat freely of rotten and fungi-covered food, 
 and, again, are fed upon slo]5s, swill and all manners of filth. As 
 a consequence, we hear from many j)arts of the country of hog 
 cholera. In all these cases our lawmakers, authorities, and socie- 
 ties for the j)revention of cruelty to animals, have never been 
 known to open their mouths against this worst of all cruelties to 
 the dumb animals. Their food is fed them only to their destruc- 
 tion. That which should nourish jDoisons. Bad food, bad water, 
 and bad air alike, contribute to their destruction. While poisoned 
 food is not only chargeable to fungi, there is also the decaying ve- 
 getables in our cellars and surroundings, constantly contamina- 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 163 
 
 ting and poisoning the air with its foulness which we are obliged 
 to breathe. Thus we have malaria as it is called. This without doubt 
 conies from decaying vegetable matter, whether it be from sewers, 
 streets, swamps, or from our own vegetable stores, laid away for 
 winter use. The custom of spreading fresh manure over our lands 
 to rot and ferment, throwing off noxious gasses, is another fruitful 
 cause of malaria. 
 
 Fungi — its action on vegetation. 
 
 While I have divided the subject into three heads for the better 
 handling of it, yet ai'e they so closely allied in their effects one 
 ujjon the other, as to admit of really very little difference. Under 
 this last head, we come to a field exceedingly vast, and one over 
 which, at the best, can take but a cursory glance. Even had I the 
 time to devote to it, I fear it to be too great in extent to go into it 
 in detail. That it is a field abounding in speculation, yet fraught 
 with vast imjiortance no one can deny. It is of so much import- 
 ance as to cause me to hesitate at beginning, as to whether I had 
 not better put it first in order, instead of last, Under this will be 
 found the fountain head of all the trouble. 
 
 The dry rot has destroyed, without doubt, many thousands of 
 dollars worth of valuable timber. We know that in turning the 
 soil, we frequently find a stringy, gummy mass of fungi, that runs 
 its tentacle like arms in every direction like those of the cuttle fish. 
 This it has been proved interferes sadly with the growth of plants, 
 grasses and trees. Almost all of the cereals and grasses suffer 
 from fungi in some shape. Rust, smut, mildew and caries are 
 nearly always j^resent. 
 
 Now is there any remedy ? Is there any way to prevent this 
 constant promotion, production, and spread of disease bearing- 
 fungi ? 
 
 You may remember, in the last of June, 1883, while I was in 
 
164 THE NEW AGEICULTUEE. 
 
 Wellsville, that I was invited in company with the Hon. T. L. Min- 
 ier, Hon. S. L. Taber, Hon. John H. Selkreg and others, to dine 
 with you at your home on the hillside. At your table, we were 
 much astonished to see the most delicious fresh peas just picked 
 from the vines, and the finest strawberries that all acknowledged 
 ever having seen. The question was asked : 
 
 " Where do you get such fine j)eas ? " Your answer was : " they 
 were picked from my own garden." 
 
 " "Where do you get such berries ? " 
 
 "They are also picked from my own garden." 
 
 " Come now, Mr. Cole, that will never do," I said, " I was raised 
 in Allegany County. This is too early in the season for either 
 peas or strawberries. Besides, Allegany never j)roduced such peas 
 and berries as these." 
 
 Your reply was, that this was the fruit of your system of under- 
 ground irrigation. Y"ou then explained to us j'oiu* system of 
 sinking troughs in the ground, and taking up the water as it fell, 
 and holding it back, to supj)ly moisture to vegetation as it was 
 required. This was entirely a new feature to us all, and after 
 dinner, we repaired to your garden, a lot on the hillside, where 
 you explained to us your system in detail. The more I examined, 
 the more I was astonished to find every bush, twig, stalk, tree and 
 fruit perfectly clean and healthy. No rust or fungi of any kind 
 whatsoever was to be found. You showed us a stream of water 
 coming from the trenches, a continuous, bright and sparkling 
 brook, and yet, it was a dry time ; quite a drouth. But in spite 
 of all this, we found a stream of water coming from your hillside 
 constantly, with no spring to feed it, only coming from the stored 
 uj) rains and dews that fell, caught up and garnered by these 
 troughs, furnishing a constant vapor to the roots of your vegeta- 
 bles and plants, keeping them in uniform condition of moisture ; 
 
THE XEW AGRICULTURE. 1G5 
 
 never too wet, never too dry. This system made a very deep im- 
 jDression upon me, and upon returning home and thinking the mat- 
 ter over, you will remember I wrote you a letter, suggesting that 
 by the use of natural gas (which must take the place of coal and 
 wood for heating purposes) to heat the water in the Fall and 
 SjDring, and running steam jnpes through the troughs, (or dropping 
 the warm water into them) to keep the water warm, you might raise 
 all kinds of j^roduce, and as it were, do away with winter. You 
 could do, as I found v, Idle in EuroiDe was done there, j^roduce the 
 finest pineapples by use of this warm water system, thus doing 
 away with expensive hot houses. In this letter I also suggested, 
 that, where you wished to raise "tropical fruits, you could throw a 
 canvass over the space, to keep off the winds and snows. All this 
 was in the most j)art a joke, as applied to Allegany, but upon re- 
 ceiving your reply, I was astounded to read that you had already 
 obtained a patent covering these points. 
 
 On the second day of July last, I was again in Wellsville. In pass- 
 ing through the streets, I noticed on the corner baskets of straw- 
 berries; some were small, diseased looking berries, but alongside 
 of them were luscious ones, nearly as large as peaches. Said I : 
 
 " How much are your strawberries ? " 
 
 " These are sold at thirteen cents ; and these at twenty-five a 
 quart," was the answer made by the vender. 
 
 " But why should there be such a difference in j)rice ? " I 
 inquired. 
 
 " \\hj ! these are Cole's berries." 
 
 " Cole's berries ! "What do you mean by Cole's berries ? " 
 
 " Why ! they are raised here in town, by Mr. Cole." 
 
 " Who is Mr. Cole ? " 
 
 " What ! don't you know A. N. Cole ? " 
 
 " Oh ! 3'es ; he has been termed the father of the Republican 
 
166 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 party. So lie raised these berries here in town. "Well, I do know 
 A. N. Cole, and I think he has succeeded in raising better straw- 
 berries than children, for let me tell you, that his Kepublican 
 children have given us Democrats a mighty sight of trouble." 
 
 " Yes, sir ; that is so. He generally succeeds with anything he 
 undertakes." 
 
 " How many of those berries does it take to make a quart " 
 
 " About twenty to thirty ; I suj)pose an average of twenty-five 
 would cover it." 
 
 "Why ! you had better sell them for a cent apiece." 
 
 " Well, they sell at that as fast as lightning. They don't stay on 
 hand long." 
 
 Of course I knew whose berries they were, as soon as I saw 
 them. It was only a whim of mine to interview the grocery- 
 man. 
 
 The next day a party of us were visiting your grounds, and you 
 may well remember the liberties taken by me at that time. I then 
 had with me a powerful glass, and I was determined to investigate 
 matters thoroughly. I examined the roots, leaves, stalks and ber- 
 ries of your strawberry vines. I dissected and investigated them 
 in every imaginable w^ay, as also the pea idnes, cauliflower, cabbage, 
 and in fact all vegetables and vegetation within your grounds ; 
 and as I told you at that time, I did not find a single exception, 
 wherein a j)lant was not perfectly clean and healthy. No fungi to 
 be found anywhere. Eoot, stalk, leaf, twig and fruit all in perfect 
 health, and absolutely free from fungus or parasites. Strawber- 
 ries larger than plums ; and everything in like proportion. Even 
 the timothy and other grasses seemed brighter, fresher and more 
 luxuriant. 
 
 Of course, I enquired into the expense per acre of such a system, 
 which I cannot pretend to give from memory; I will leave that to 
 
THE NEW AGKICULTUBE. 167 
 
 you. But allow me to say, that if all lands were, in place of under- 
 draining and subsoiling, treated as you do jours; deep trenches 
 broad and wide, filled with stones, and covered with soil as yours 
 are; fertilized with a comi^ost as you prepare it; having it fully 
 assimilated before using — I say, if all this could be done, then, 
 and not till then, can we do away with this creation, cultivation 
 and dissemination of poisonous fungi, which, as has been shown, 
 is working such sad disaster and death to the whole animal and 
 vegetable world. 
 
 A few pages back I asked the question, whether the people were 
 not being punished for the bad treatment their stock was receiv- 
 ing. Now let us see if they are not. We spread out over our fields 
 the manure coming from these animals. If they happen to have 
 any disease, their excrement is sure to have more or less germs in 
 it of the same disease. The manure lies upon the ground, and is 
 subjected to the action of the wet and heat, and the chemical influ- 
 ence is imparted to the soil. Now the soil is too wet, now to dry; 
 there is no happy medium. At one time it is a mass of mud, at 
 others it is baked like a brick. There is no golden mean. At all 
 events, there is a constant state of fermentation going on. If the 
 materials employed could be completely rotted, there would prob- 
 ably not be so much harm done ; but where you have vegetable 
 matter only partly rotted, you are positively sure to produce fungi. 
 This again fastens on the grasses and other products, which are in 
 turn, fed to man and stock. Can any sane man for an instant 
 doubt, that this continuous production and consumption of fungi, is 
 not bound to produce the most disastrous results. Must this dis- 
 ease producing system go on forever in the same channel ? Must 
 no one raise the voice of warning, and call attention to it ? Must 
 no one point with pregnant finger to the signs of its fell work ? 
 Are not the facts spread out that " he who runs may read?" Oh ! 
 
168 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 farmers and truckers, if you will not be warned for humanity's 
 sake, take heed and notice tlie conversation had between myself 
 and the groceryman. The j^rice of the healthy berries was twice 
 that of the jDOor ones. If the good of mankind will not move you 
 to pity and a change of method, let your pockets plead with you. 
 Try the exjijcriment, as tried at the •' Home on the Hillside," and 
 see if your wallets will not be considerably distended, and the lives 
 and health of yourselves and families preserved and lengthened. 
 Yours Truly, C. E. Earley. 
 
 Such cities as Philadelphia, Pa., Syracuse, Elmira, and Bingham- 
 ton, in N. Y., Paterson, N. J., Wilmington, Del., and others we might 
 mention are situated on what are called river bottoms, and yet, so 
 far above high water mark, as to make drainage into rivers not 
 only easy, but perfect. "Whether, for the systems of sewerage al- 
 ready arranged, our methods could be substituted we cannot at 
 j)resent decide, but have no doubt of its practicability. That the 
 municipal authorities of towns and cities thus located, could be in- 
 duced to make the change, is doubtful. In all portions of Europe, 
 beneath the dwellings in cities, towns and villages, on the grounds 
 of kings and nobility, and those of the peasant and the pauper, 
 the damj^s and decays generative of disease, bringing death be- 
 fore its time, are found. The same is relatively true of the older 
 cities of ovir own country. But younger cities and towns are in- 
 creasing in population, and new ones continually developing, and 
 with these at least, an effort should be made to obtain aj^ure water 
 supply. The fact is distressing and astonishing that such cities 
 as St. Paul, Detroit and thousands of others, developed and devel- 
 oping in different portions of our country, should have no provi- 
 sion made for conserving the rains and snows falling upon the 
 roofs of dwellings, barns, stables and other structures, or running 
 off from the lawns, gardens and grounds of the people. 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 169 
 
 Keeping watch of the measures proposed and methods being 
 adopted to purify the waters, and add sufficiently to the suj^ply of 
 Croton to furnish the City of New York with at least five times the 
 j^resent amount of good drinking Avater, we knew to a mathematical 
 certainty that it could be accomplished if the water that falls annu- 
 ally in the form of rains, dews and snows was j^reserved. We 
 also knew full well that the possibilities of our system were not 
 reached when, nearly two years ago, the Hon. "Warner Miller, hav- 
 ing looked somewhat into this question of saving, purifying and 
 utilizing these waters remarked as follows: 
 
 " I confess to being unprepared for your claims, Mr. Cole, and yet, 
 if what you anticipate can be only partially realized, the State of 
 New York alone, is capable of sustaining a population of one hun- 
 dred millions." 
 
 The Senator alluded more particularly to Herkimer County and 
 the Mohawk Kiver, great, if not the greatest among counties, and 
 grand among the grandest of our rivers, now moving turbidly on, 
 its waters as unlike those of an hundred years ago as clay is unlike 
 crystal. What is true of the Mohawk, is equally true as applied 
 to nearly all the rivers of the older settled portions of our country. 
 The waters of these are filled with roil for a large portion of the 
 year, and are always polluted ; our springs are dried ujd, and when 
 not wholly so, their waters mix and mingle with drains in which 
 death and decay widespread and prevailing, are borne by rains 
 into the streams supplying towns and cities with water for cooking 
 and drinking purposes. 
 
 We have known for years, that, unless means are j)rovided for 
 fitting and rendering the waters of these rivers and their tribut- 
 aries pure, fungus, deadliest enemy of vegetable and animal life, 
 woidd go on with its work of decimation and death, and not only 
 the fish would die out and disappear, but disease everywhere 
 
170 THE NEW AGEICULTUEE. 
 
 would increase, and our i^eojile, more especially those dwelling in 
 large towns and cities, would not live out half the days allotted to 
 man. Equally well had we become satisfied that the stagnation of 
 the waters could be provided against and by passing them through 
 soils, they could be jDurified and rendered crystal clear and cool; 
 kept from freezing in winter and held sufficiently cool -in summer, 
 to be more grateful and healthful than ice water. 
 
CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 RECLAIMING THE GREAT AMERICAN DESERT. 
 
 Months ago an article appeared, in the Scientific American from 
 the pen of Professor John Le Conte, on the subject of the arid 
 regions of our country, commonly called the Great American 
 desert. Not possessing a file of the paper and having preserved 
 only a mere scraj) of this article, we are unable to quote more than 
 the following: 
 
 " A vast treeless region, stretching away from the eastern base 
 of the Rocky Mountains and the great plains, plateaus and basins 
 lying west of the same range, and constituting the arid region, 
 embracing more than one third of the entire area within the terri- 
 torial boundaries of the American Union." 
 
 After giving a description of this vast desert. Professor Le Conte 
 proceeds to show such conditions existing as to make the lands of 
 this region only productive by means of irrigation, and gives it as 
 his opinion that, were every spring, rill, rivulet and lake of this 
 entire region made available, not more than three per cent of the 
 desert could be reclaimed. We had solved at the time this article 
 came under our eye the problem of the conservation of the waters, 
 and were not, in any degree, disheartened on account of this 
 gloomy picture, but rather greatly encouraged by the fact that the 
 Professor re-enforced our previous knowledge by his account of 
 the great water preserves of this section — the ices and snows lying 
 
172 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 upon the summits of the mountains or within the great basins, 
 during most of the summer jDeriod of each year. Often had our 
 mind dwelt upon the wastes of war, and after finding out the way 
 of the waters, we frequently reverted to the fact that, if the money 
 spent during the last half century in the support of armies and 
 navies, and the prosecution of wars, had been diverted to construct- 
 ing a canal along the northern incline of the African Continent, 
 dropping the waters coming of the melting of snows on the Mount- 
 ains of the Moon down upon the Sahara, this great desert of Africa 
 might have been made to blossom as the rose. 
 
 In our earliest childhood we noted that the spring smoked in mid- 
 winter, and that evaporation went on amid frosts. We had dug 
 earth worms for fishing in the neighborhood of springs when the 
 ground was still frozen only a few feet away, and all through life 
 W'e had kept our eye on the grass green growing as the snow^s of 
 winter melted about the sjDring. Dakota's great wheat fields, with 
 their deep laid foundations of frost, had not escaped attention, and 
 the warm suns of March and April shining upon these fields and 
 bringing early germination and steady growth until harvest time, 
 told the story of the waters beneath at sjoring water temperature. 
 Nor had the conditions along the Alps and Appenines escaped our 
 attention, where, underlying in pockets of soil, the water coming of 
 melting snows, furnished not only moisture for the vine, but inspir- 
 ation to its growth. Authentic information had been received of 
 such an increase of production and improvement in flavor of the 
 fruit of the vine, as to convince us that the same simple methods 
 might be made use of to transform the arid regions of our own 
 country into those of boundless fertility and wealth. 
 
 That our great desert is a treeless region, or one nearly so, is 
 true, nor can it ever be otherwise until the time shall come for 
 husbanding the waters, and making use of them in a way to pre- 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 173 
 
 vent penetration of the frost to the dei>th to which they descend 
 under existing conditions. That the reserve coming of melting 
 ices and snows woukl in-ove efficient for this j)urpose if halted, 
 held back and permitted to find their way into the valleys through 
 the soils of this vast region, rather than over and along them as 
 hitherto, there is no doubt in our mind. DeejD trenching would 
 doubtless become necessary, since to drop the waters below the 
 frost line it would perhaj^s become imperative to sink the trenches 
 to a depth of five or six feet. That this work will be done at a 
 comparatively early day we have but little doubt. A few acres 
 deep trenched upon the treeless mountain sides of Montana, Da- 
 kota or Wyoming, would tell the story. In this way, and this only, 
 can forest and fruit trees be grown and the j)rairies, plains, valleys 
 and mountain sides be clothed with that wilderness of wealth found 
 primeval in the Atlantic regions, and indispensable to permanent 
 prosperity. 
 
 But here comes in the question, who shall begin the work, or, 
 once begun, by whom or by w^hat means shall it be pushed forward ? 
 That the United States Government, cooperated with and aided 
 by great railroad companies, to which grants have been made of 
 lands so extensive as to appear to the ordinary observer acts of 
 prodigality, should enter at once i;pon the work of reclaiming the 
 desert, is so evident as to scarcely call for argument. In Mr. 
 Stewart's book, page 166, from which we again quote, is found the 
 following: 
 
 " Irrigation of land is an art that has existed for many centuries 
 previous to any authentic written history. The traditions of the 
 Chinese people are very ancient, and irrigation is mentioned in 
 their earliest history, as extensively practiced. In Egypt, Syria, 
 and the ancient kingdoms of Eastern Asia, agriculture depended 
 almost wholly upon irrigation, and still so depends in these coun- 
 
174 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 tries, where the j^eople have survived the jDolitical changes of 
 thousands of years. 
 
 "The irrigation of gardens, vineyards, and fiekls, is frequently 
 referred to in the Scriptures; one of the earliest books speaks of 
 it, and one of the prophets refers to ' furrows of the plantation.' 
 And so agriculture has continued to the present day, the necessi- 
 ties of the majority of cultivators of the soil in the Eastern Hemis- 
 j)here, and the natural opportunities possessed by them, continu- 
 ing to render the system vital to their existence. "When the Span- 
 iards occupied the new found continent, they introduced their sys- 
 tem of irrigation wherever the dryness of the climate demanded it. 
 
 "In Chili, Peru, Central America and Mexico, the canals and 
 ditches made by the early Spanish settlers remain, and many are 
 still in use. The systems adopted in California, Texas, New Mex- 
 ico and Colorado are mainly copied from the ancient models. It 
 is hardly necessary to say that these models are not of the best 
 construction, nor at all satisfactory to the engineer of the jjresent 
 day, but they are cheap and easy of construction. The settlement 
 of the drier regions of our territory, adds another instance to those 
 of past history of the reclamation of the deserts by irrigation. It 
 will be of interest to glance over what has already been done in 
 this way, before considering jDOSsibilities of the future. The actual 
 liistor}' of irrigation in the United States begins with the construc- 
 tion of the Pacific railroads. In the course of a few years, a great 
 impetus, was given to the settlement of lands adjacent to the rivers, 
 and which could l)e brought under irrigation, and several exten- 
 sive works were constructed." 
 
 Here follows an enumeration of many canals of great length, 
 cost and capacity, and their endless adjuncts, by w^hich thousands 
 of acres have been, in the aggregate, reclaimed, and from having 
 been an utter waste made more productive than an equal area in 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 175 
 
 regions of rainfall. What is more marvelous is the fact, that what 
 has been accomplished in this direction has been done by individ- 
 ual and corporate enterprise. That companies constructing these 
 works have niade money is true in a majority of instances, and 
 happy should everybody be on account of it. The corporations 
 and individuals who have had the fortitude to act as pioneers, have 
 been the greatest of benefactors. Even Brigham Young and his 
 polygamous church of Latter Day Saints, have not proven an un- 
 mitigated scourge. Great good has come out of a Nazareth, 
 which, in certain of its aspects, presents the features of the Sodom 
 and Gomorrah of the present age. Merest beginning has however 
 been made. 
 
 Our " New Agriculture " dates not only a new era in irrigation, 
 but is sure to date one equally new in government policies. The 
 old saw " Uncle Sam is rich enough to give us all a farm," is in all 
 probability soon to be verified in a way, which scarcely one in a 
 million of the American people have yet dreamed. While kings 
 and nobles of the Old World are quite generally looking to war as 
 a means of employment for their pauper classes, and the lazaroni 
 seem equally inclined to prefer the chances of death on battle 
 fields and in camps, to lives of toil without sufficient remuneration 
 to make life worth the living, an opportunity presents itself to our 
 government and people to do that which wall give employment and 
 bring to the present and future generations more of real wealth 
 than all the mines of the earth contain. 
 
 The unthinking citizen and the conscienceless demagogue alike, 
 have been clamoring of late for acts of practical confiscation of 
 the lands granted to companies to aid in construction of lines of 
 railway across the continent. We do not hesitate to say that for- 
 feiture of some of the grants should be made. This is never- 
 theless the exception to that rule of law and logic which for- 
 
176 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 bids government from so far disregarding its own deliberate 
 act, as to hold individuals and corporations to arbitrary com- 
 pliance with the letter of acts under which grants have been 
 made. The railroad company, dej)endent upon the sale of its lands 
 and disposition of its stocks and bonds, is hardly dealt by when 
 government, from having been its jDatron and promoter, turns 
 about and becomes a bear to destroy its credit and bring upon its 
 ward distress and disaster akin to ruin. 
 
 That our government can make millions of dollars for the people, 
 by entering ujDon a system of reclamation covering the more hope- 
 ful portions of its desert lands, is so manifest, as to make argument 
 to prove it unnecessary. No longer ago than 1873, under an act of 
 Congress, approved March 3rd of that year, a commission was 
 organized to examine the great valleys of California, with refer- 
 ence to construction of a system of irrigation. The report of this 
 commission will be found in the yearly volume of the Department 
 of Agriculture for 1874. Commenting on this report Mr. Stewart 
 remarks : 
 
 " The conclusions reached may be seriously questioned in many 
 points, but on the w^hole are, as might have been exi^ected, favor- 
 able, both to the profitableness and feasibility of irrigation works, 
 and to the interference of the national and state governments, 
 and their control over the distribution of the water." 
 
 Commenting further, Mr. Stewart proceeds to say : 
 
 " By no other authority could the conflicting interests of miners, 
 agriculturists and owners of lands to be injured or benefited by 
 the enterprise, be projjerly reconciled. In Europe, the supreme 
 control is exercised by, and the ow^nership of the w ater vested in, 
 the State. The French government in 1669, by special law, re- 
 served the ownership of all rivers and streams, and grants conces- 
 sions to irrigating companies under certain restrictions. In Italy, 
 
THE KKW AGRICULTURE. 177 
 
 the State has always exercised this ownership, and in Venice the 
 springs and even the rainfall, so far as it can be stored in res- 
 ervoirs, have been held to be jDublic property. In India, the 
 sj)rings and rainfall are accumulated in reservoirs controlled by 
 the government, and the river systems are also owned by it. Not 
 only this, but the details of the distribution of the water are also 
 directed by government officials. This is made necessary, however, 
 by the utter incapacity of the ignorant inhabitants to manage any- 
 thing for themselves that calls for more than a very low degree 
 of intelligence. Lest, however, it might be urged that govern-, 
 ment ownership and suj^ervision is likely to lead to failure, the 
 actual results attained in India may be very properly here cited. 
 During recent years, the British government has spent about sev- 
 enty millions of dollars, in irrigating works, and others are in 
 l^rogress of construction which will require half as much more to 
 complete them. In almost every instance, the investment has 
 been profitable, and in some cases enormously so, both in the way 
 of water rent, and in service to the cultivators of the soil. The 
 total annual revenue to the government from the works is more 
 than five millions of dollars, or seven and three-fourths per cent on 
 the cost." 
 
 And so it is that national, state and municipal governments of 
 our own covmtry are brought face to face with a system of irriga- 
 tion so easy of realization, as to only require the ajDplication of 
 laws everywhere governing in nature, giving them an opj)ortunity 
 to work out for themselves results at once universal, all pervading 
 and endless in cycles of beneficence. While Great Britain is engaged 
 in India not only in the construction of reservoirs for the storage of 
 the waters of springs and streams, but for gathering in the rains 
 and dews for purposes of irrigation, spending millions annually in 
 creation of works for that i'>urpose. and other millions iii keeping 
 
178 THE NEW AGRICULTUKE. 
 
 them in repair, our own country, possessing a domain of A'aster ex- 
 tent than that of any nation of the world and of incomparably 
 greater value, has only to enter upon her own possessions, and by 
 trenching her mountain sides beget reservoirs as enduring as the 
 foundations of earth. Let no one doubt that the alkaline deposits 
 in the Great Desert lands will be removed from the soil by this 
 running of the waters through them, leaving only such proportions 
 of alkali as is required for the best develoj^ement of plant growth. 
 But whence will come the money with which to do this work is 
 the question. Our answer is, let such policies be pursued by 
 governments, state and national, as will encourage and foster in- 
 dustries. Let the world find out that intoxicating liquors used as 
 a beverage are a curse, and j)rovide for the suppression of their sale 
 as such. This will save thousands of millions of money and count- 
 less numbers of lives annually. Let our schools and churches, Sun- 
 day schools and educational institutions and agencies generally, 
 frown upon, discourage, and ultimately j)rohibit the production and 
 use of tobacco, a greater curse, if j^ossible, than rum. Let no party 
 as such, attempt these reforms, but let the work be done by men 
 and women everA^where, irrespective of party or sect. Last, not 
 least, let pure water be everywhere sought, and let the waters be 
 nowhere wasted, but made to do their perfect work everywhere. 
 
CHAJPTER VII. 
 
 THE EXPENSE OF THE NEW SYSTEM. 
 
 " It costs five hundred dollars to fit a single acre under Cole's 
 system," exclaims an occasional critic. " "\i\Tiat farmer can afford 
 such an outlay?" 
 
 " Not one in a thousand, probably not one in ten thousand," is 
 our own answer. 
 
 Never have we suggested such cost for farm lands. So far as 
 ■we are personally concerned, we have nearly finished work on five 
 acres, having in view the utmost possibilities of production in hor- 
 ticulture. No plat of land equaling our five acres can be found 
 on the face of the earth. Were it within an hour's run by rail of 
 any of our larger cities, this plat would be worth more money 
 than any equal area not under glass in the world. It would be 
 worth more than any greenhouse, costing from ten to twenty times 
 as much. In the mere fitting of this land, the cost has not 
 exceeded $1,500. Here are the figures, moneys expended for all 
 purposes, sober facts that do not lie : 
 
 Expenses for 1882, not exceeding $300; for 1883, about $500; for 
 1884, not exceeding $800. This has been my investment uj) to 
 April 1st, 1885. I have this season expended about $700 up to this 
 this date August 13, 1885. Thus twenty-three hundred dollars 
 has fitted my land, j^lanted it to trees and plants, cared for and har- 
 vested and marketed all products, paid for manures etc., and during that 
 period has returned at least $500 in excess of expenses. 
 
180 THE KEW AGKICULTUKE. 
 
 Over and again have we endeavored to undeceive tlie public in 
 regard to this matter of cost, but in vain. Barely one agricultural 
 paper in the land has sought to aid us in this; all others, so far as 
 ■we are aware, have striven to increase the extent of the false esti- 
 mate. The Husbandman, however, jDublished at Elmtra, N. Y., has 
 not only treated us fairly, but generously. As this great paper is 
 an organ of the Grange, and the medium through which the famed 
 farmers of the Chemung Valley make themselves heard, its voice is 
 2)otential. 
 
 Mr. James McCann, President, and Mr. George W. Hoffman, ex- 
 President of the Farmers' Club of Elmira, together with Mr. W. 
 A. Armstrong, the latter ha\ing no superior among agricultural 
 editors of our State, have reputations quite as great as those pos- 
 sessed by most of the eminent men of the agricultural press. 
 These have carefully examined " The New Agriculture," and 
 will vouch for the fact that we have never advised exj^end- 
 ing more than from thirty to fifty dollars an acre on farm lands ; 
 yet we projjose to fit fifty acres at a cost not to exceed one hun- 
 dred and fifty dollars ])ev acre. Thus fitted, ova* lands for agricul- 
 tural and horticultural jDurposes combined, will doubtless return 
 good profits on an outlay of from three to five hundred dollars 
 per acre for the full fifty acres. 
 
 My five acres will return when in full bearing, at least five hun- 
 dred dollars to an acre in home markets. The remaining forty- 
 five acres in farm croj)s will without doubt average fifty, possibly 
 an hundi'ed dollars an acre net annually. I leave the reader to 
 maka his own figures and decide whether it will pay. The con- 
 clusion thus far reached by myself, having tried " The New Agri- 
 culture," is, that no business i^ays as well as farming and garden- 
 ing, under systems of subsurface, subterranean or underground- 
 irrigation. 
 
.>TrS»irp'*V!Sip»»-?'#W?*f^^^ 
 
 f-S 
 
 
THE NEW AGEICULTUEE. 183 
 
 The following- communications addressed respectively to us and 
 to tlie Editor of The Farm Journal, of Philadelphia, by a farmer 
 who has adopted our system, is evidence of the fact that one hun- 
 dred dollars per acre will cover the cost of fitting lands under " The 
 New Agriculture," for horticultural purposes. 
 
 IVIainsbukg, Pa., Sept. 21, 1885. 
 Hon. A. N. Cole, 
 
 Dear Sir : — I find in the Farm Journal for September, edited by 
 Mr. W. Atkinson, of Philadelphia, the following mention : 
 
 " Mr. Cole's new agriculture is not likely to be extensively imi- 
 tated. It cost him $500 an acre to make the stone ditches, and 
 yet, he has it patented." 
 
 I am satisfied this criticism by Mr. A. is to be ascribed to his 
 want of knowledge upon the subject. If he can be undeceived, ^nd 
 enlisted in favor of your system, he would prove a powerful ally. 
 I enclose a letter which I have written him, and if you approve it, 
 I will request its publication. 
 
 I finished my little model farm a week ago, and have set a few 
 rows of strawberries, which are looking finely. It has been fitted 
 to the letter in obedience to your directions — first, well rotted ma- 
 nure plowed in; next well rotted manure and. leached ashes drag- 
 ged in; then two inches thick of fine washings from barnyard, 
 where it had lodged on upper portion of the garden. The mulch- 
 ing with leaves will be attended to at proper time, and any other 
 suggestions you may make will be gladly adopted. 
 
 Leading from the barn which is eighty feet long is an under- 
 di'aiu which carries off quite an amount of water during rains. 
 The surface water from the side hill, and water from the eave- 
 troughs, together with that from the drain under the wall of the barn, 
 is gathered in to prevent washing through the barnyard. This addi- 
 tional supply is connected through an underdraiu into the trenches. 
 
184 THE KEW AGEICULTURE. 
 
 I do not see why the longing for perfection which is presumed 
 to be natural to most minds, is not satisfied by your system, nor do 
 I see why you may not now say, " what more can I do in my vine- 
 yard, that has not been done in it ? " 
 
 Yours Respectfully. 
 
 E. R. Maine. 
 
 In explanation of the above our readers need hardly be told 
 that its author is one of several who began work under our sys- 
 tem. Mr. Maine has done his work in a way to insure success. 
 His thoroughness in the matter of manuring, will secure returns 
 the ensuing year. Had he manured less at the outset, it would 
 have required a year or two longer to show the effects of the 
 system, but time has been gained and that is an important con- 
 sideration. 
 
 The following communication was addressed by Mr. Maine to 
 
 the Editor of The Farm Journal : 
 
 IVIaixsburg, Pa., Sept., 21, 1885. 
 Mr. W. Atkinson, 
 
 Deae Sir : — Having seen the working model of Mr. Cole's new 
 system of irrigation at Wellsville, Allegany County, N. Y., I was so 
 favorably impressed as to induce me to fit a small piece of land, 
 intending fully and fairly to test its merits. So far I can only 
 report upon the cost. 
 
 To fit an acre as I have done for horticulture, takes eighty rods 
 of trench, and sixteen rods for drain. I enclose diagram of one 
 acre, 8 x 20 rods. First trench lengthwise one rod from side of 
 the plat ; the next, two rods below the first, making in all four 
 trenches twenty rods long, and two rods apart. The cross drains 
 are eight rods apart in the middle, and four rods from the ends. 
 
 The maximum cost for digging the trenches in any soil, 3i ft. 
 deep and 2 ft. wide is 75 cents per rod, and the cross drains 35 
 cents, making $65.60 per acre. (See diagram on following page.) 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 185 
 
 It will be safe to say that the entire cost of labor will be less 
 than one hundred dollars per acre. In this section the stone for 
 filling in are of no value, and the work of filling- is comparatively 
 light. 
 
 As a farmer, and interested personally like yourself, I write 
 this more especially that The Farm Journal may not occupy a 
 false position inadvertently. If one half of what the system 
 appears to be is true, it is the biggest thing that was ever thought 
 of since the world was made. If land can be made to produce 
 all it is capable of doing by an equable supply of moisture and 
 the element of uncertainty removed in farming, the cost of pre- 
 paring the land would be small, compared to the benefits received. 
 If the cost is all, Mr. Cole's system is an assured success and it 
 ivill win its way whether favored or opposed by the press. 
 
 TWENTY KODS. 
 
 
 First trench. 
 
 
 
 Second trench. 
 
 
 1 Third trench. 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Fourth trench. 
 
 
 Cross drains. Cross drains. 
 
 In fairness, we should, it seems to me, withold an opinion, 
 while awaiting developments, and if there is anything likely to 
 interpose in favor of the farmer, in Heaven's name let us not op- 
 pose it. 
 
 If you can consistently publish the statement herein made, it 
 
 would, I feel, tend to correct a prevalent error, and would be 
 
 esteemed a favor by your friend and well wisher, 
 
 E. R. Maine. 
 
 Though several doubters have not omitted to say that our system 
 
 is one calling for expenditures causing the average farmer, should 
 
186 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 he adopt it, to start back in fear of bankruptcy, we have in no 
 instance controverted their statements, preferring to appeal to the 
 public through the medium of our book. We now say, once for 
 all, that the fitting of lands from year to year with the plow and 
 the spade, and their fertilization by methods hitherto in vogue, are 
 waste and extravagance by the side of those called for in " The 
 New Aerriculture." 
 
4^ 
 
 em- 
 
 
 
 . . 'i^^- yi^T^^*■i-\ feSj^/'.'"-.: >^5»^piSf 
 
 
CHAPTER vrn. 
 
 1850 — 1885-"the home on the hillside" then and now. 
 
 Mr. William Pooler, one of our present neighbors, built in 1853 
 and resided in the house now known as " The Home on the Hill- 
 side." He forwards us the following communication. 
 
 " I think it was about 1850, that I purchased the place on which 
 you now live. Wellsville was then in the woods, and the Erie 
 road had been built through from New York to Dunkirk. I had 
 been familiar with hardpan lands in Chenango and other counties 
 of the Southern Tier, and had done something of subsoiling in 
 more ways than one, and had become convinced that Allegany 
 hardpan had only to be projoerly treated, and it could be made 
 rich and j^roductive. My hillside had been cleared for several 
 years being one of the earliest lots improved in what is now Wells- 
 ville, then the town of Scio. 
 
 '' There was an old orchard on the place, and also a tree 
 which I shall never forget. It was not in the orchard but stood 
 by itself, a little to the northwest of the house, and was a Roxbury 
 russet; no more worthless fruit could have been anywhere found. 
 Yesterday (Sept. 22, 1885) I plucked from this tree two aj^ples; 
 one the smallest I could find, the other of average size of those 
 with which the tree was so loaded as to bow its branches to the 
 ground upon which the lower limbs rested. I should judge there 
 were twenty-five bushels of apples on this tree two thirds grown. 
 
190 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 These apples on the first of October in the years 1853, '51 and '55 
 did not average larger than crab apj^les at that time of year. They 
 were not so large at harvesting as the small one I picked yester- 
 day, nor "were they quarter as large as most of the apples on the 
 tree at this time. The tree was then about ten years old, and was 
 covered with moss and in all respects of no value, and I threaten- 
 ed at the time to cut it down as a cumberer of the ground. I 
 should guess that the tree might possibly have borne two bushels 
 of apples in a bearing year, and we did not jjretend to gather 
 them. The apples now on the tree are large, fine and fair; in fact, 
 they are the finest russets I ever saw. 
 
 " You showed me Early Rose potatoes grown this year, the like of 
 which I never saw anywhere. Some of these weighed from a pound 
 to a pound and a half ajjiece, and I should think one would weigh 
 two pounds. You assured me that you had grown them at the 
 Tate of over one thousand bushels to the acre the present season, 
 and I have no reason to doubt it. As there is no fungus on your 
 grounds, there is no rot. The tomatoes all over the town are rot- 
 ting, but I did not observe any rotten ones on your 2>lace, and I 
 certainly never saw such splendid fruit, nor anything like as many 
 to the plant. 
 
 " I gave you an account of my experiment with two acres of po- 
 tatoes in 1854, and here repeat it. The j^lot on which I planted is 
 a portion of the ground now embraced in your garden, on which 
 this year has been grown such crops as I never set eyes on before. 
 I fitted these two acres with greater care and painstaking than any 
 equal amount of ground in my life, mixing a portion of the sub- 
 soil with that of the surface, and covered it deep with well rotted 
 barnyard manure, making it very rich. A careful man and a good 
 farmer j^lanted the two acres to potatoes on halves, and I realized 
 just thirty bushels for my half. This completely discouraged me 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 19'1 
 
 and though there was then no better house in Wellsville than the 
 one I had built upon the i:)lace, and the barn was nearly new, I 
 gave up and sold the property for what I could get. You told me 
 yesterday that you valued your two acres completed at $5,000 an 
 acre, and that it was paying well at that. As five thousand dollars 
 at six j)er cent, interest only gives $300, I do not wonder, since I 
 am sure you are getting two or three times that from an acre. I 
 have seen the strawberries and other fruits and vegetables as sold 
 in this market for the last three or four years and have eaten of 
 the fruit, and have never seen anything anywhere near as large, 
 beautiful and fine flavored. 
 
 " You yesterday showed me pods of peas, and I carried home 
 specimens with eight peas in a j^od, of such marvelous siz e, as to 
 astonish me. The peas were of the dwarf variety, as shown by 
 the vines, and yet they were as large as Delaware grapes. You 
 assured me you grcAv five hundred bushels of pods to the acre of 
 these peas, and I believe you, since your Champions of England, 
 on vines higher than any man's head, loaded with pods and still 
 covered with blossoms, presented such a sight as I never saw 
 before. Your squashes, beets, cabbage and catiliflower were all 
 very fine, and as for the squashes, I never saw anything in my life 
 so astonishing. Though quinces are rarely grown in Allegany 
 County, I saw as fine ones as I ever came across anywhere. 
 
 " Nothing so much surprised me as the change wrought in the 
 soil. The cold clay and hardpan had been turned into a soil, deep, 
 soft and very rich, growing all forms of plants, bushes and trees 
 to perfection. You say your system wipes out the hardpan, and it- 
 certainly does. 
 
 "This latter feature of your plan surprised me more than any 
 other, but j)erhaps I should except from this your spring brook, 
 and that stream of jDure cold water, flowing out from the pipe in 
 
192 THE NEW AGEICULTUEE. 
 
 the rear of tlie liouse, there being no springs on this part of the 
 
 place. Nobody can look down into your trenches where open, and 
 
 see the long stretches of sjoring water in them as I did, and not 
 
 discover that you save all the water Avhich falls upon the hillside, 
 
 using what is needed for the growing crop and the remainder, by 
 
 far the greater portion, running off in purity. Though before my 
 
 visit of yesterday, I was convinced your system was a success, I 
 
 left your place jDreiJared to say what I now do. 
 
 " Your discovery has no equal, nor do I believe anything will 
 
 hereafter be discovered so important to the health and prosperity 
 
 of the people. 
 
 William Pooler. 
 
 Mr. Pooler's statement is one in accord with the testimony of 
 everyone who has looked over our place, and yet his evidence is 
 most convincing from the fact that he personally tried the experi- 
 ment of making farming an object on the land we now possess, 
 and though doing his utmost at a time when the demand for farm 
 products in home markets exceeded the supj^ly, failed to make 
 farming a Success, owing to the paucity and poverty of the pro- 
 ducing soil. 
 
 Let us now, in turn, post the books : 
 
 We have grown the present year Early Eose potatoes without 
 Tot, larger, finer and better than any we have ever seen in our 
 entire life, at the rate, at least, of twelve hundred bushels to the acre. 
 
 We have grown strawberries of extraordinary size and flavor at 
 the rate of three to four hundred bushels per acre. 
 
 We have grown raspberries five hundred bushels j)er acre. 
 
 We have become convinced, from experiments made already, 
 that next year we will be enabled to grow blackberries exceeding 
 in quantity to the acre the growth of our raspberries. 
 
 We have grown a few clusters of grapes on newly set vines to 
 
6 
 
 C^ 
 
 1/ 
 
 mr 
 
THE MEW AGKICULTURE. 195 
 
 such size, beauty and perfection, as to convince us tliat five pounds 
 of superior quality can be grown under our system where one can 
 be produced under established methods. 
 
 We have grown marrow fat peas to nearly or quite double the 
 size of the ordinary product at the rate of upwards of five hundred 
 bushels of pods to the acre ; we have also grown an equal number 
 of bushels to the acre of pods of McLean's dwarf varieties and 
 have now growing, a drill of the Champions of England, loaded 
 with pods promising U2:)wards of a thousand bushels iter acre, at 
 least. 
 
 We have grown the ordinary blood beet to a length of three and 
 a half feet, and become convinced that these may be more than 
 doubled in length under the best conditions of our system. 
 
 We have brought out from our hillside a flowing well of crystal 
 ^vaters of a degree of purity and temperature to grow brook 
 trout. 
 
 We are convinced, that what we have done in the growth of the 
 friiits of the earth can be done in all regions of hills, valleys and 
 undulations, and that too, at a cost in fitting farm lands, of no 
 more than fifty dollars per acre, and, in a majority of instances, 
 not exceeding thirty dollars. 
 
 We are convinced that models as perfect as our own can be pre- 
 pared at an expense of no more than two hundred dollars per acre, 
 and in a majority of instances they will cost no more than one 
 hundred dollars per acre. 
 
 Of the fruits pictured along the pages of ovir book, we will only 
 say that the quince, measuring twelve inches in circumference is 
 no more than three-fourths grown. We grew specimens in 1882 to 
 the circumference of fifteen inches, the size of a pint bowl. That 
 the specimen protographed Avould in a month longer have grown 
 to a circumference of fifteen inches, we are well convinced. 
 
196 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 The largest sijecimen of the Lombard plum, a drawing of which 
 is given, is somewhat less than another stolen from the tree be- 
 fore fully rijDe. None of the pictures of the plums come up to the 
 reality, since we were obliged to pluck them before fully ripe, to 
 save them from being stolen. 
 
 During- a visit to onv home by Mr. "William C. Harris, on Sep- 
 tember 17, we plucked a head of early Paris cauliflower, which 
 had grown in twelve days to the circumference of thirty-one 
 inches. This was measured in the presence of Mrs. Harris. At 
 same date, we dug one hill of Early Rose potatoes, the vines by no 
 means dead, but the tubers still growing, which were weighed by 
 Messrs W. C. Harris, and J. H. Selkreg, with I'esults as follows: 
 
 The potatoes from this one hill weighed 16| j^ounds, upwards 
 of a peck to the hill. Five of the jjotatoes measured the largest 
 ■way round as follows: 17, 17^, 18, 18, and 18| inches, and all 
 averaged nine inches in girth. The memorandum from which we 
 copy is in the handwriting of Senator Selkreg, and signed by him. 
 That the potatoes from this one hill would have weighed twenty 
 pounds, had they been left to their full growth, we have little 
 doubt. 
 
 We conclude this chapter by a statement, made as follows by 
 E. r. Stelle, an intelligent farmer, -svho has been the superintend- 
 ent during the last two seasons of our model five acres. 
 
 " To all whom it may concern. 
 
 "A year ago the 29th of June last, I called on Mr. Cole having in 
 view work on his place as a temporary exj^edient, not having the 
 least idea of continuing in his employment more than a week or 
 two at the utmost. I considered myself a good farmer, and felt 
 that I knew considerable about gardening. I had heard inciden- 
 tally of a new system of agriculture and horticulture of which Mr. 
 Cole was the discoverer. This he explained briefly, but at the 
 
THE NEW AGEICULtURE. 197 
 
 same time in a way which seemed rather to discourage than en- 
 courage me to look into it. I saw clearly that the author of " The 
 New Agriculture" took every man who came to ask him questions, 
 as coming more from curiosity to see what he would say, than to 
 obtain information. The more Mr. Cole said, the deeper became 
 my interest in his conversation, since I saw at a glance the man 
 was talking of a subject on which he was well posted. 
 
 " Looking me over, he concluded I was hardly stout enough to 
 work in his trenches, but after some hesitation engaged me to 
 work for a few days setting strawberry plants. He gave direc- 
 tions that no plant should he set till every stone, big or little, 
 lying in reach of the roots was removed, giving as a reason, that 
 if the root struck a stone, it would be attacked by fungus, and 
 that the plant would languish, if not die, and would bear little or 
 no fruit. He pointed out jDlants having a sickly appearance, and 
 directed me to pull them iip, dig down for the cause of unthrift, 
 and removing it, set a new and healthy one in its place. 
 
 " I soon found an abundance of work, since fully one-third of his 
 plants, set by careless or inexperienced laborers, gave evidence of 
 fungus at their roots. Security from fungus, seemed to me at 
 first a large part of Mr. Cole's system. 
 
 " ' Give your plants plenty of water, removing obstructions, so 
 that the roots will not strike them,' he said, ' and there will be no 
 fungus, unless it is planted in the soil by decaying wood or un- 
 composted and fermenting manures, or by water-logged lands.' 
 
 " I saw at a glance that Mr. Cole's system removed difficulties, 
 giving his plants an opportunity of eating and drinking all they 
 wanted, making their own selection. I had not been a month at 
 work before becoming more deeply interested in Mr. Cole's me- 
 thods of cultivating the soil, than in anything I had ever worked 
 at. While I worked for wages, I worked also to get knowledge, 
 
198 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 and though approaching three score years and ten, I have become 
 a deeply interested student of a system, bound, I am satisfied, to 
 become general throughout the land. 
 
 "Always taking a deep interest in orcharding, I have taken par- 
 ticular notice of the effect of Mr. Cole's system on apple-trees. 
 I have seen an old tree made to cast off its dead bark, and drop its 
 mosses, the trunk and limbs to the end of every twig having a 
 bright and vigorous growth. The old ajjple tree standing alone on 
 the trenched portion of Mr. Cole's farm has been with me an ob- 
 ject of continual interest. Mr. Cole has had this tree photograph- 
 ed, the picture being taken several days ago. Even then, the low- 
 er limbs had in some instances reached the ground, and were rest- 
 ing upon it. Other limbs are following suit, and it looks now as 
 though all of the lower limbs would rest upon the ground. I have 
 urged Mr. Cole to have the tree propped up, but he insists upon it 
 that none of the limbs having broken, none will. Mr. Cole tells 
 me the tof) of the tree has nearly doubled in spread since trench- 
 ing above it, and this I cannot doubt, as it has grown since I be- 
 gan working for him as I never saw any tree grow before. I have 
 rarely seen a tree so bright in the lustre of its bark throughout its 
 entire top, and to the end of every twig. The old and shaggy 
 bark on the body has been continually dropping off, moss . disap- 
 pearing, and the tree throughout has the appearance of youth, and 
 yet, according to Mr. Pooler, who knew it as a ten jesir old tree, 
 thirty years ago, it should have reached its j^rime. That it has 
 grown nearly as much in three years past, as in its entire life be- 
 fore, I am satisfied. The fruit on this tree, Mr. Pooler says, grew 
 no larger than a good sized thorn apj)le, when he owned the place, 
 and was an insignificant and worthless russet. The apjjle as seen 
 at present, shows so little of the russet coating, as to have the ap- 
 pearance of a greening, when seen at a little distance ; hence the 
 
APPLE, NATURAL SIZE, AS GROWN IN 1855 ON OLD APPLE TREE. 
 
 
 APPLE, NATURAL SIZE, AS GROWN IN 1885 ON OLD APPLE TREE. 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTUKE. 201 
 
 statements getting into the papers that Mr. Cole had turned a rus- 
 set apple into a greening, nor do I wonder at it since I must say 
 the apples resemble greenings. To describe this tree is impossi- 
 ble. I have never seen such a wonder, bearing such fine fruit, 
 tender and juicy, and of matchless flavor. I think there is nearly 
 tw^enty bushels of aj)ples on the tree, were they gathered to-day, 
 and whether to place the estimate at thirty or forty at harvest time, 
 I am at a loss, since the fruit swells out so from day to day as to 
 bewdlder me. 
 
 " Still more remarkable is the effect upon another tree which I 
 will endeavor to describe. Mr. Cole took one of his men a few 
 days after his great show on the 7th of July, and going into his or- 
 chard, i^icked out two trees well loaded with fruit. One was young, 
 eight years old. Mr. Cole tells me it was a Flemish beauty; the 
 other was an old tree. I should think it one of the oldest trees of 
 a very old orchard, there being no older orchard, as I am told, in 
 town. The ground was cultivated as a garden about the young 
 tree, while the old one stood in the sod of years. About both trees 
 trenches were dug and finished under Mr. Cole's system. Overflows 
 were provided, and the ground broken and well manured. The apples 
 on the Flemish beauty were nearly half grown, and by the first of 
 September presented an appearance in marked contrast with those 
 on other early trees around it. The fruit grew rapidly, matured 
 early, and if finer fruit was ever produced, I never saw it. It is 
 the old tree, however, bearing a nameless apple, that presents at 
 this time a wonderful transformation. The apples were about the 
 size of thorn plums when the tree w^as trenched around. Mr. Cole 
 tells me that wdiile the fruit growing on this tree is not the Lady 
 apple, he, three years ago, gave them to his grand-children as such. 
 He also tells me that an ounce was the average weight of the apple 
 three 3^ears ago. There are now apj^les growing on the tree of 
 
202 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 three ounces weight, and the growth continues at a rapid rate. 
 Where they will stop nobody knows. That apj)les will be gather- 
 ed at harvest weighing five or sis ounces, I believe. Their luster 
 is astonishing. In fact, I have never seen their equal. The fruit 
 developing to-day, is incomparably finer than any on the place. 
 
 " Suffice it to say, that results thus far realized by Mr. Cole in 
 orcharding, justifies the following copied from the Husbandman at 
 the conclusion of his address before the Farmer's Club at Elmira 
 a month ago. 
 
 " ' I conclude my remarks by saying that from the very first I 
 have found the increase in size, beauty and perfection of fruits of 
 all kinds simply incredible. I am this season making experiments 
 on two apple trees, one set four years ago, two or three years old 
 when set, and the other a tree at least forty years old, selected from 
 others in our orchard, and judging from present appearance of 
 these trees, the farmer who allows five years to pass over his head 
 without trenching his orchard, should give uj) farming altogether.' ' 
 
 " "WTiile on this subject I cannot omit saying that being a Jer- 
 seyman by birth and bringing up, I have from boyhood taken a 
 deep interest in everything connected with fruit raising and mar- 
 ket gardening. I have seen more manure used annually on one 
 acre in New Jersey than IVIi-. Cole has used on his whole five acres 
 during the last two seasons, and in no instance have I known more 
 than a quarter of a crop grown in New Jersey or in Western 
 Pennsylvania (where I now reside and own a small farm under a 
 good state of cultivation) when compared with crops grown by Mr. 
 Cole. From the first day of my superintendence of the " Home on 
 the Hillside " I have made a study of fungoid growths, the seeds of 
 fungus, their attack xipon roots, and effects generally upon plants, 
 and I am prepared to say that after reading works on agriculture 
 and horticulture for fifty years, the agricultural and horticultur- 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 203 
 
 al journals of the country as they have come in my way, I confess 
 to have learned more since taking charge of Mr. Cole's model five 
 acres than during all the former years of my life. I am convinced 
 that the seeds of fungus are engendered under many other condi- 
 tions than those described in the following extract from Bulletin 
 No. 2 of the New Series treating of pear blight at the State Exper- 
 imental Station at Greneva. 
 
 " ' The disease is due to living germs. These germs can multiply 
 indefinitely in any damp spot where there is decomposing vegetable 
 matter. From such places they are raised into the air when dry or 
 carried up by moisture. From the air they lodge upon the trees, 
 and when the conditions are favorable pass into the tissues and 
 cause blight. The conditions referred to are in general (1) very ten- 
 der tissues, such as are found within the flowers and at the ends of 
 expanding shoots in spring, and (2) a moist atmosphere. No vari- 
 eties are entirely blight proof, but the disease spreads so slowly in 
 some that they receive little injury, especially when not making too 
 rapid growth. The reason why the blight, when seen in July and 
 later, does not pass directly from one limb to another, or from one 
 tree to another, is because in the first place the germs cannot escape, 
 being confined by the bark, or else escape in a viscid exudation 
 which holds them firmly together, and in the second place there 
 are very few places on the tree at this time of the year where the 
 surface tissues are sufficiently tender for them to find an entrance.' " 
 
 " Certainly the disease is due to living germs, nor is this all ; for 
 in the air above, in the earth beneath, and in waters on and under 
 the earth are the seeds of death arising from decomposition and 
 from the stagnation of the waters, That these can everywhere be 
 kept in motion, regulated in their flow and kept at nearly uniform 
 temperature summer and winter, cannot be longer questioned, for 
 Mr. Cole has demonstrated the fact. He runs the rain water 
 
204 THE KEW AfiEICULTUEE. 
 
 through his 'retorts,' as he calls his trenches, and it is per- 
 fectly filtered, He has this season experimented on water drawn 
 from the main of the "SVellsville waterworks, and that too in the 
 midst of a drought so severe as to dry up the springs feeding the 
 reservoir, causing the water remaining in it to stagnate, rendering 
 it unfit for use. He has purified this water completely. 
 
 "What Mr. Cole does byway of purifying the water .falling 
 from the clouds, I can perhaps best illustrate by the fact that a 
 year ago last fall, (the autumn before my employment by him), he 
 corded up for composting, thirty or forty wagon loads of manure 
 in a winrow about twelve rods long near the summit of his hill- 
 side. After I commenced work for him in the spring of last year, 
 when it rained the water would issue from this winrow of the 
 color of lye and running into the first trench below, this liquid 
 manure water woiild become j^erfectly filtered, and flow out as 
 pure as the jDurest spring Avater. This convinced me that a single 
 trench sunk below a barnyard would save the manure otherwise 
 lost by the wash of rains and melting snows ; and that trenching 
 below stables, sties, hen-houses, and above, below, round and 
 about dwellings and outhouses, and drojjping the waters deep 
 down, by overflow from trench to trench and by movement through 
 the surface soil, and percolation through the subsoil, the ground 
 W'Ould absorb all impurities. I have become satisfied that the 
 stagnant waters of swamps and j^onds, and those from drains and 
 sewers can be dropped into trenches and filtered perfectly and 
 made as pure as the purest spring water. This demonstrates the 
 fact that by the use of Mr. Cole's system an end would come to 
 pear blight, rot in jiotatoes, of tomatoes, and of rot and premature 
 decay of all kinds. This very season he has been digging Early 
 Rose potatoes of a size and beauty never equalled in the experi- 
 ence of any one who has seen them; the vines continued growing 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTUKE. 205 
 
 for weeks after all others were dead in fields round about, not 
 treated as Mr. Cole is treating his lands. His potatoes average 
 from three to five times the weight of those grown under old 
 methods, and that he has this season grown from ten to twelve 
 hundred bushels to an acre, is a fact, and I have not seen a rotten 
 jiotato on his jDlace inside of his lines of trenching, while they are 
 found thick enough, on that portion not trenched. 
 
 " What is true of potatoes, is equally true of tomatoes. Where 
 very little manure has been aj)plied directly to the soil, and the 
 waters have been run beneath the plants, impregnated with the 
 manure from the winrow above, not a rotten potato has this year 
 been found on any portion of the place except where chip manure 
 was used. 
 
 " I need not say any more on this point. If there is a person in 
 the world who doubts, they should come and see the squashes 
 growing now on this j)lace. At this date, the last days of Septem- 
 ber, the largest of these squashes, a Chili specimen, measures fifty 
 by fifty-four inches around, and will weigh upwards of an hundred 
 pounds, and seems growing at a rate of three or four jDOunds per 
 day, and that it will reach and pass the size and weight of the fa- 
 mous specimen of the same variety seen a year or two ago at the 
 seed store of Mr. Peter Henderson in New York, is not unrea- 
 sonable. This of course depends upon the frost holding back. 
 That this squash would, under conditions of underground irriga- 
 tion, reach a weight of three hundred pounds in New Jersey, on 
 Long Island, Staten Island, or in Southern Pennsylvania, I have 
 no doubt. What it would do farther south must be left for exper- 
 iment. Should the Grovernment conclude to establish an Experi- 
 mental Station at Washington, as has been suggested, it is not 
 improbable that specimens of the Chili squash will be grown 
 weighing from four to five hundred pounds. 
 
206 THE NEW AGllICULTUEE. 
 
 " Most remarkable of all, however, are two specimens of the yel- 
 low cheese pumj^kiu. These vary but little in size, having already 
 grown to a girth of four feet and eight inches, and increasing at 
 the rate of an inch a day. At no time has the growth seemed more 
 rapid. The rapidity of growth increases flavor and tenderness of 
 all vegetables and fruits. The blood beet has this year been grown 
 to the length of three feet by Mr. Cole, and that a foot more will 
 be added this season, seems j^robable. That they can be grown to 
 a much greater length by prej)aring a soil deep enough, with water 
 beneath, I am quite sure. 
 
 " Mr. Cole, not having j^rotected his quince trees from the depi'e- 
 dations of the borer, his quinces are not as large at this time of 
 year, so he tells me, as those grown by him five years ago in his 
 first test of his system. That he then grew sj^ecimens to the size 
 of a i^int bowl, his family and neighbors bear witness. The speci- 
 men he has just had photographed measures at this time nine 
 inches in circumference, and as seen at Eider's photograph gallery 
 in Wellsville, N. Y., exhibited in his glass case is mistaken for 
 wax-work. That this quince would have grown to a girth of from 
 one foot to one foot and three inches, had it been left to full de- 
 velopment, I am quite sure. E. F. Stelle. 
 
 Wellsville, N. Y. Sept. 25, 1885. 
 
 "To all whom it may concern. 
 
 " This will certify that I met IVIi'. Stelle the fore i^art of the pre- 
 sent week, while looking over the jjlace I once owned and aban- 
 doned because I could not make a living upon it on account of 
 the poverty of the soil, and his statement having been submitted 
 to me, I -declare it a fair and truthful one from beginning to end, 
 corresponding with observations made by myself set forth in my 
 own statement, made three days since." "William Pooler. 
 
 WELLS^^LLE, Sept. 26, 1885. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 MANUKINa UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM ^THE AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY- 
 
 A WELCOME FOR ALL AT THE "HOME OK THE HILLSIDE." 
 
 As the success of our system has beeu mainly attributed, by 
 several doubters, to our methods of fertilizing, we desire to put on 
 record that our practice is simply that of slight top dressing, with 
 compost applied in the early spring; the land having been first 
 prepared as described in Chapter VII by Mr. Maine. AVe have no 
 hesitation in saying that not to exceed one-fourth of the quantity 
 of manure is necessary under the methods of the new as compared 
 with those of the old agriculture. 
 
 At the conclusion of an address made by us on Aug. 29, 1885, 
 before the Farmers Club of Elmira, the Hon. John H. Selkreg, 
 who had recently visited our hillside in company with Professor 
 Roberts of Cornell, was called upon for his views of " The New 
 Agriculture." His response was reported in the Husbandman, of 
 Elmira, N. Y., as follows: 
 
 " I might, with a good deal of jirojoriety, enter most earnest pro- 
 test against Mr. Cole's coaching you to call on me for testimony 
 that is not needed. The jDOsition is by no means pleasant, because 
 I have not expected to add anything to what has been said, nor am 
 I in a very high degree capable of judging questions with which 
 you, as farmers, are far more familiar. 
 
 " I came to your city on business which occupied time, so that 
 
208 THE NEW AGKICULTUKE. 
 
 the train wliicli I expected to take had gone before I was ready, 
 and I at once resolved to come here, because I desired to hear 
 about the New Agriculture, and to see friends, particularly Mr. 
 Cole, with whom I might claim slight relation, dating back to its 
 origin somewhere near Adam. I am not a farmer by a long way, 
 yet I api^reciate the wisdom in the adage that glorifies a man who 
 makes two blades of grass grow where but one grew before. I be- 
 lieve in improvement, and particularly in the most important in- 
 dustry of the land — agriculture. There is great need of every im- 
 l^rovement, for farmers have too long clung to old methods. 
 There is neither use nor sense in farmers staying by the old me- 
 thods employed by their fathers a hundred years ago, for condi- 
 tions have changed, and there is, therefore, imperative necessity 
 that better means be emj^loyed — improved methods, every advance- 
 ment that Mill lead to larger returns, and increase of profits. 
 
 " This, it is true, may be regarded as theory. It is theory. Yet 
 it is good common sense. I know very little about practical farm- 
 ing, for my experience is confined mainly to a garden of about 
 foi-ty feet square, and I am bound to say that I do not care for that 
 in the best way, as anybody who insj^ects the work would be sure 
 to say. I had heard a great deal about the New Agriculture be- 
 fore curiosity was greatly excited, but at last I began to wonder, 
 — can these things be true as rej^orted ? Is it jDossible that Mr. 
 Cole is forcing earth to production far greater than under previ- 
 ous conditions ? I visited his grounds, saw his trenches, examined 
 his work and its results; but all this was necessary before I could 
 believe that what appeared like extravagant claims were based in 
 truth. I found they were. I found that he had made most won- 
 derful improvement in land that in the outset was poor. I saw 
 him but a few days ago dig potatoes, nearly a peck from a single 
 hill. I saw on the 7th of July on his grounds strawberries mar- 
 

THE XEW AGRICULTURE. 211 
 
 velous in size and delicious in flavor. Last Tuesday I picked pea- 
 pods of a dwarf variety, the pods five inches in length and each 
 containing- eight large peas — the products of his improved land. 
 Now, when I find these evidences of imjorovement I must say there 
 is really something worth considering in the system by which the 
 gain is made. That the crops are improved may be determined 
 easily by comparison with similar products on other lands adjoin- 
 ing that which Mr. Cole has treated. Nothing of the kind can b6 
 found. No strawberries of large size, or even of ordinary size, 
 were possible on the unimproved grounds near Mr. Cole last July ; 
 no potatoes of large yield, no peas of large growth. Mr. Cole's 
 lands alone have these remarkable products. Then they are con- 
 vincing evidence of merit in his treatment, whatever that may be. 
 
 " I do not know that all his claims will be sustained, — that he 
 will realize all he exjDects. But I do know that he has effected 
 wonderful improvement in his lands, and I believe that similar im- 
 provement, perhaps less in degree, may be made in the soils of 
 these uplands in all the hilly lands of Steuben, Allegany, Che- 
 mung, Tioga, Tompkins, and many other counties where conditions 
 are similar. It is something to be proud of, to take unproductive 
 apple trees and by treatment of the soil make them bear fruit of 
 fine character, and this is what Mr. Cole has done, the fruit being 
 far superior to that on other trees but a little way off; yet the 
 trees were formerly under the same conditions. So in tomato 
 plants. Will I seem to be extravagant in statement when I say 
 that a single vine on Mr. Cole's improved land has thirty or forty 
 jDounds of tomatoes ?" 
 
 Mr, Cole. From one to one and a half bushels. 
 
 Senator Selkreg. No doubt; the yield is simply marvelous. 
 It is difficult to comprehend the change effected in all the pro- 
 ducts of that improved land. The lessons there spread out to 
 
212 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 view are worthy of your careful consideration. They may not be 
 decisive of all matters suggested, nor even conclusive in any mat- 
 ter, except that the system employed tends to wonderful improve- 
 ment of products. There may be ways of cheapening the work. 
 All these matters are for your consideration. 
 
 W. A. Armstrong. It is alleged that Mr. Cole has used a great 
 deal of manure on his grounds, and that the remarkable fruits of 
 which he speaks may be credited properly to that source. Now it 
 will be gratifying to gentlemen here to learn just how much ma- 
 nure has been used, in order that credit may be given where it be- 
 longs. 
 
 Mr. Cole. In 1883 I used possibly sixty loads of manure on the 
 whole five acres under treatment — not more than sixty loads of 
 barnyard manure, composted with muck and all the forest leaves I 
 could get, with some lime and some ashes, all used on the surface. 
 That is the extent of the apjilication, and no manure has been 
 applied since. I say sixty loads, because I wish to exceed the 
 amount ; I am sure that not more than that quantity was ap- 
 plied, but I have not the exact figures, and am, therefore, obliged 
 to fix an outside limit which is entirely safe. I believe this land, 
 after three years more, will want no more manure, for enough will 
 be obtained through the solids left by Avaters, which in draining 
 away, part with all substances, animalculse and everything else 
 that in its decay will furnish plant food. You will observe that 
 everything the water contains must stop in the soil and be held for 
 use, and there is enough in insect life, if it can be ai^propriated, to 
 nourish plants quite as effectually as moderate application of 
 manure. This very morning I gave one of my men fifty cents to 
 buy Paris green to kill potato beetles on the vines, without a doubt 
 that the beetles, when incorporated in the soil, will be worth more 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 213 
 
 than the money and the labor of destroying them in the fertilizing 
 influence they will have on the soil. 
 
 Three years ago, I prej)ared a bed for asparagus and put in chip 
 manure, a liberal supply, some of it jDine chips, that remain there 
 still without going to decay as rapidly as I desired. ^\Tiere that 
 chip manure is used, there is fungoid growth. A few tomato 
 vines planted along the border yield fruit that has rotted, the 
 trouble caused by chij) manure. There is no other place on my 
 grounds where rot affects tomatoes, and in this spot the trouble is 
 clearly traceable to chij) manure. 
 
 W. A. Armstrong. The answer to my question is not entirely 
 satisfactory, because with the sixty loads of manure there is all the 
 leaf mould that Mr. Cole could gather. Now, if we had a safe 
 estimate of that, the w^hole matter would be clear. 
 
 Mr. Cole. I can only say that I have gathered all the leaves 
 from forest and other places that I could conveniently get, but the 
 whole has not been much. I cannot state the exact amount. 
 
 G. W. Hoffman. The sixty loads of manure mean the compost 
 in which the leaves were incorporated ? 
 
 Mr. Cole. Yes ; and that is the limit. Sixty loads covers 
 everything. 
 
 G. W. Hoffman. We have here a tobacco farmer, who knows 
 very well the amount required on good lands to secure a full 
 growth of tobacco — Mr. Chamberlain, whose experience is ex- 
 tended. 
 
 George Chamberlain. I use twenty loads of manure to the acre 
 the first year ; after that about ten loads each year, provided I can 
 get so much. 
 
 G. W. Hoffman. And a load is a cord and a half or more ? 
 
 George Chamberlain. Two cords. 
 
 G. W. Hoffman. Then there are forty cords used on an acre, and 
 
214 THE NEW AGEICULTURE. 
 
 in the next year, if tobacco is continued, twenty cords — the 
 amount in either case much greater than Mr. Cole has used in the 
 three years. I visited his j^lace July 7th, and saw most wonderful 
 growth of plants and fruits, particularly strawberries, while along- 
 side the lands he has treated every kind of jDlant growth was 
 stunted. He has certainly proved great possibilities in j^roduction 
 on lands that at the beginning were very jDoor. 
 
 Mk. Cole. I wish to call again on Senator Selkreg, who has ex- 
 amined my grounds lately. I want to ask him if he saw any 
 appearance of rot in tomatoes anywhere except on the few plants 
 bordering the asparagus bed where chip manure is used. 
 
 Senator Selkkeg. Not the slightest. That is a matter that I 
 observed particularly before any remarks were made about it. I 
 saw fruit rotted in that place, and searched carefully to see how 
 far the trouble j^revailed. But there was no rot whatever any- 
 where except in that one place, where I was informed chij) manure 
 had been used, and rot was traceable to that cause." 
 
 We are convinced that well rotted barnyard manure, muck, 
 w^here obtainable, or ordinary loam, or soil of bottom lands ; soils 
 of the prairies of the West, of the swamps and morasses of the East 
 and the South, when mixed with forest leaves and composted with 
 lime, salt and ashes in equal proportions, will prove, as top dress- 
 ing, worth vastly more than the best of phosphates; and that what 
 has been denominated green manuring, the plowing in of clover, 
 buckwheat, rye-grass, etc. is of far greater value than the expens- 
 ive fertilizers of which ordinary use is made. 
 
 We think it of value to our readers to give in this, the concluding 
 chapter of our book, the following account of the jDroceedings at a 
 late meeting of The American Pomological Society. The subjects 
 discussed are of vital value to horticulturists and the information 
 given iij^on them cannot be found elsewhere. The report was made 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 215 
 
 for the Press of Philadelphia, by that able journalist, Mr. Chas. A 
 Green, Editor of The Fruit Grower, published in Rochester, N. Y., 
 and we deem the subject matter of it as correlative w^ith ovir new 
 agriculture. 
 
 " The success of the twentieth annual meeting of the American 
 Pomological Society recently held at Grand Eajjids, IVIich. was 
 largely ow^ng to the efforts of President Marshall P. Wilder, one 
 of the best men ever engaged in the work; to acting President Pat- 
 rick Barry, Prof. W. J. Beal, Charles W. Garfield, E. H. Scott and 
 other prominent Michigan men. 
 
 " President Wilder in his address glanced at the thirty-seven 
 years in w^hich the society had worked. Long may it live on prosper 
 ing, and to prosper while the earth bears fruit and man lives to cul- 
 tivate it. This society is performing an immense amount of la- 
 bor in correcting errors. There is a wonderful contrast between 
 the early condition of jJomology and that of the present day. The 
 future work will be continuous, and of vital importance. Press on 
 the good work, and when you are gone others will rise to take 
 your places. 
 
 " Mr. Angel reported that Michigan produces five million bush- 
 els of large fruits annually, and that the prospects for the future 
 are more i^romising. In the discussion of new fruits, the yellow 
 transjparent apple was spoken of by Mr. Gideon as about as hardy as 
 the Oldenburg, which had suffered the past year, when the thermom- 
 eter fell to forty-nine degrees below zero. The apple is of good qual- 
 ity and twelve days earlier than the Red Astrachan. It bears young 
 and is of uniform size. It has a tendency to crack w^hen over-i-ipe. 
 It originated near St. Petersburg, Russia. The Shannon apjjle, 
 Avhich took the first premium at the World's Exposition at New Or- 
 leans, is a seedling from Arkansas. It is profitable in the North 
 and West, is a large, show^y fruit, but not of first quality. Mr. Gid- 
 
216 THE XEV.' AGEICULTUKE. 
 
 eon considers tlie Oldenburg as hardy as any except the crabs. He 
 had found nothing but the crabs that would endure the past win- 
 ter, which was the most severe of any that they had experienced. 
 
 " Professor Bessey of Nebraska gave an illustrated lecture on In- 
 jurious Fungi. While most people look out upon the fields of 
 grass, vegetables and fruits, considering that these cover the ex- 
 tent of plant life. Professor Bessey tells us that there is another 
 race of j^lants often too small to be discovered by the naked eye, 
 one differing from another, and each having as remarkable j^ecu- 
 liarities, as the plants that are visible in our fields. This great race 
 of plants, called Fungi, should be better understood by jDractical 
 men and women, as it has much to do with the health of plants, 
 trees and human beings. Forest trees four hundred feet in height 
 differ from the j^articles of moss that thrive ujDon their trunks no 
 more than one species of fungi differs from another in size. We 
 often hear the remark made that certain disorders are caused by 
 fungus growth. This would be something like stating that apples 
 belong to the vegetable kingdom. It would scarcely mean any- 
 thing, for there are as many kinds of fungus growth as of other 
 plants, and each one has its peculiarities. The puff ball is referred 
 to as one of the largest fungi. Fungi is divided into three classes 
 — parasite, saprophytes and parasite-saprophytes. The jDarasites 
 feed only upon living tissues, and the sajjrophytes feed only on 
 dead matter, while the parasite-saprophytes are more greedy, and 
 feed upon both living and dead matter, attacking more largely lan- 
 guishing tissues. 
 
 "William Saunders remarked that scientific men were for a long 
 time puzzled to know whether bacteria belonged to the animal or 
 vegetable kingdom. Professor Bessey treated them as plants. If 
 an apple was magnified as we magnify bacteria under oiu' best 
 glasses, it vrould appear to be two and one-half miles in diameter. 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTUEE. 217 
 
 The body of a man cut up into pieces, each of which was as small 
 as a bacteria, and each piece jjlaced before the other, would create a 
 line of atoms of flesh one hundred and ninety million miles long, or 
 long enough to pass around the earth six and one-half thousand 
 times. This illustration will enable the reader to get an idea of 
 the minuteness of these small plants, which may be floating in the 
 air we breathe by the millions and yet not be observed. Bacteria 
 reproduce themselves with wonderful rapidity. They withdraw a 
 portion of the constituents of the vital part they attack, and there- 
 by cause an enfeebled condition and ultimate destruction. There 
 are many kinds of bacteria, each of which ajopears to have an im- 
 jjortant work in the economy of nature. It is wonderful to think 
 that the Almighty brings about remai'kable results from such in- 
 finitisimal creations. When the bodies of animals, plants and fruits 
 have ceased to be of further use, it is desirable that they should be 
 transformed into a condition where they may be absorbed and used 
 in the construction of other forms. Bacteria seem to have been 
 created largely for this work. Thus they assist to transform fallen 
 logs into vegetable mould, and defunct animals and fruit into food 
 supj)lies for other organisms. No doors or windows are' close 
 enough to keep out bacteria. Wherever the air can enter they 
 can enter also. — 
 
 " Professor Arthur, of the New Jersey Experimental Station, spoke 
 of his exj^eriments with pear blight. While Professor Burrill has 
 previously claimed that pear blight was caused by bacteria, some 
 of our most practical men throughout the country, like President 
 Barry, of Rochester, N. Y., and others, have had serious doubts 
 whether blight might not be the result rather than the cause. 
 Professor Arthur's experiments have cleared up all doubts on this 
 question. We know now the true cause of pear blight, and are in 
 a much better condition to fisfht it than ever before. It is difficult 
 
218 THE NE\^" AGRICULTURE. 
 
 to carry on warfare with an enemy that you know nothing of, 
 and of whose identity you are uncertain, but once have him cor- 
 nered as we now have the enemy of the pear, we shall no longer 
 fear him. Our sjmce will not permit giving a full descrijotion of 
 Professor Ai-thiu-'s thorough investigation. Suffice it to say that it 
 was thoroughly convincing. He has found that bacteria can be con- 
 veyed to the pear only when the yoiing Avood is exceedingly soft, 
 and never through old wood, or that which has become hardened, 
 except it be through the young and immature twigs. Thus the 
 bacteria may be conveyed to the older wood only through the bac- 
 teria that enters the tender wood. The bacteria enters the trees 
 in July, and hardly ever in August or later. The bark of the 
 branch attacked may be destroyed several weeks before the leaves 
 turn black, as the leaves are sustained by the wood of the branch. 
 Usually the leaves turn black suddenly during a hot day. This is 
 the first notice the orchardist has of disease, but really the damage 
 has been done weeks before. Bacteria do not enter the branches 
 by contact of diseased branches with healthy ones, neither are 
 they conveyed by the pruning knife. The bacteria gain entrance 
 to the trees through the young and tender wood, through the blos- 
 soms, or through the fruits in rains, or conveyed by the winds. 
 Also jiossibly by evajooration of moisture from the soil in which 
 they have been multiplied. Bacteria progress through the limbs 
 more rapidly in the warmest weather. They are not killed 
 by the cold, but are imable to make such fast jDrogress during 
 winter. Those in the affected branches work slowly all Avinter, but 
 perish about the time the trees leave out in the spring. Germs for 
 inoculating bacteria were secured by cutting pieces of blighted 
 wood and placing them in water, or fluid produced l)y I'oiling corn 
 meal in water, or hay tea. Soon the liquid was filled with the 
 germs. A few of these inserted In the tender wood caused dis- 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 219 
 
 ease in a short time. The germs in a diseased tree escape to the 
 surface in a sticky substance ; they are washed free of the gum by 
 the rain, dropping to the ground, multiply in decaying substances 
 beneath the ti'ees, or in wet places near by. Here they pass the win- 
 ter, and may live for several years. They are borne in the air when 
 dry by the wind, being so extremely minute that they may be thus 
 borne and carried great distances, coming in contact with the ten- 
 der twigs, or the centre of flowers, and finally into the tree, produc- 
 ing disease. Professor Arthur found that although he experi- 
 mented with many kinds of bacteria germs, only those found in 
 blighted pear trees caused blight. 
 
 "Professor Lazenby reports experiments showing that soil 
 mulched with straw is invariably lower in temjDerature than ground 
 unmulched, teaching that it was not desirable to mulch strawber- 
 ries where late spring frosts were prevalent, as strawberries mulch- 
 ed would be injured more by the frost than those unmulched. The 
 only method by which mulching would be valuable in preventing 
 damage by late spring frosts is by keeping the mulch above the 
 plants and not permit the blossoms to be exposed until the danger 
 of frost is past. 
 
 " Mr. Pierce of Ohio said that there were thousands who did not 
 know the delights of growing the finest flowers and fruits. Enlist 
 your wife and children in your work, says Charles W. Garfield. 
 
 " Mr. Lyon considered that brevity is always desirable for names 
 of new fruits. The name of the originator or introducer would 
 rarely be found inappropriate, or the name of the place where the 
 variety originated, and either will generally possess the advantage 
 of requiring but a single word. While the wish to add a charac- 
 teristic word, designed to convey an impression of superiority, 
 causes the name to be cumbersome, it does not aid in distinguish- 
 ing the variety. 
 
220 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 
 
 " Professor Lazeuby gave the result of exiDeriments with the ef- 
 fects of pollen on the strawberry. He showed that in some sea- 
 sons pistillate strawberries are influenced by the j^oUen of the varieties 
 applied. A. J. Fuller concurred in this opinion, and the question 
 was nearly decided to the satisfaction of all present, that it was 
 possible to affect the flavor, size and form of the strawberry by the 
 application of pollen to the jjistillate varieties. Yet it was not 
 claimed that the effect would be noticeable to the casual observer 
 in all cases, or might not be of sufficient imi^ortance to be adopted 
 by the market grower. Mr. Lazenby found that the Crescent 
 strawberry, growing alone under a glass, would produce no berries 
 when not fertilized. 
 
 " Professor A. J. Cook, of Michigan, delivered an illustrated lec- 
 ture on Economic Etomology. It is known that the damage 
 done by insects last year was two millions of dollars, and the un- 
 known damage was probably as much more. The number of 
 species of destructive insects is increasing every year, and the war- 
 ing against them has become more imi^ortant. Many of these in- 
 sects are formidable for the reason that they have no bird foes in 
 this country. An insect changes its taste and habits, often leaving 
 one plant and attacking another. A few years ago California was 
 free from injurious insects, but now it is thoroughly infested. In- 
 sects have foes that often supj)ress their depredations. A know- 
 ledge of these foes is absolutely necessary to the farmer and fruit 
 grower, also a knowledge of the habits and life of insects. Im- 
 ported insects are far more injurious than our native ones. They 
 seem to take a new lease of life in this country, and are more fero- 
 cious and persistent in their efforts. 
 
 " One half pound of London purple to a barrel of water, or a 
 spoonful of Paris green to a barrel of water, is recommended for 
 spraying trees at the time when the blossoms are about to fall, to 
 
THE NEW AGKICULTUEE. 221 
 
 destroy the canker worm, codling moth and numerous other in- 
 sects that are liable to do injury. This application could be made 
 at an expense of from three to five cents per tree, and should be 
 applied whether there is caiiker worm in the orchard or not. The 
 canker worm is becoming far more j)revalent each year throughout 
 the country. As the codling moth should be treated to the poison 
 even in the absence of the canker worm, it will be seen that there 
 is no excuse for permitting the canker worm to defoliate the trees." 
 
 As we referred in a former chapter to the statement of Professor 
 Roberts to us that clover roots had been traced to a depth of 
 eighteen feet, the following communication sent by him to Mr. 
 Chas. A. Green, Editor of that admirable monthly, The Fruit 
 Grower, will be of interest ; 
 
 Agkicultukal Depaktment, Cornell Univeksity. 
 
 Ithaca, N. Y., July 30, 1885. 
 3Ir. Charles A. Green : 
 
 Dear Sir : — The Tribune of July 14, containing an article on 
 " The New Agriculture " is received. In it you say that Mr. Cole 
 says that " Professor Roberts of Ithaca has told him that he has 
 traced red clover roots to a depth of eighteen feet that were 
 growing in a bed of gravel overlaying water." Mr. Cole must 
 have misunderstood me, as it was corn roots not clover roots that I 
 was speaking of to him when I visited his place the week before 
 you were there. I have a clover root j^reserved in our museum 
 two feet nine inches long, which was taken from the borders of a 
 nearby cellar. The roots of this j)lant, which was one year old, 
 were nearly traced to the depth of the cellar — four feet— but they 
 were so delicate that it was impossible to j^reserve their entire 
 length. 
 
 At the Iowa Agricultural College the railroad company under- 
 mined a portion of the corn field in August, 1873, to get gravel 
 
222 THE NEW AGEICULTURE. 
 
 •with which to ballast their road. Here I took great delight in 
 studying corn roots. They were large enough to preserve at a 
 depth of eight, but where the ground began to be moist from the 
 water beneath, by careful digging they could be traced from two 
 to four feet farther, where they reached i^erennial water. 
 
 As to the " New Agriculture " with pick and shovel, I most care- 
 fully examined the land treated by Mr. Cole, and also that adjoin- 
 ing which was not treated, and I expect in the near future to give some 
 facts and my conclusions to the public. 
 
 Very resj^ectfully yours, 
 
 I. P. Roberts. 
 
 We are growing old and anxious lest we die and see not in the 
 flesh the fruits of our life-work — a half century sj^ent in pursuit of 
 the waters. 
 
 We want to see the tile manufacturers so conforming their wares 
 as to conserve instead of wasting the waters. 
 
 We want to see the inventor at work giving the farmer a trench- 
 ing machine which will do more subsoiling in a day than an hun- 
 dred of the best plowmen can do now in a month with the most 
 efficient implements, and doing it in a way which, once done, will 
 not need to be done again. 
 
 We want to see an end of unfermented and uncomposted manures, 
 and an end also of most of the phosj^hates with which the earth 
 has been hitherto cursed. 
 
 We want to see farmers do their own fertilizing, avoiding seeds 
 of fungus and fouling of lands by sowing inoculations of noxous 
 jilants and weeds. 
 
 In this latter connection it has occurred to us that the transpor- 
 tation from West to East of alkaline deposits, might be found pro- 
 fitable to both sections. The transit is made easy by means of om* 
 railroad system, so gridironing the country as to make interchange 
 
THE NEW AGRICULTURE, 223 
 
 and admixture of soils less expensive tlian the use of phosphates 
 The wonderful salt discoveries of the Wyoming Valley, making the 
 use of brine and refuse salt for maniu-e so inexjjensive as to place 
 them within reach of every farmer and gardener, is second only in 
 importance to the discovery and development of petroleum and 
 natural gas. These latter are already transported long distances 
 through pij)es, and we see no reason why alkaline and saline li- 
 quids may not be equally diffused by gravitation and made to 
 reach all portions of our country. 
 
 In conclusion j)ermit us to repeat our belief that an universal 
 system of trenching will be adopted at an early day. We have 
 proven that it is practical and profitable. We believe also that be- 
 yond in value of all present methods of fertilization, is that feature 
 of " The New Agriculture " which extracts the solids from the wa- 
 ters furnishing food and inspiration to plant growth and fruition. 
 
 After reading these pages, indulgent reader, you fail to be con- 
 vinced of the incalculable value of our system, or do not fully com- 
 prehend its details, we cordially invite you to come and see for 
 yourself. The latchstring of our " Home on the Hillside " is hung 
 on the outside of the door. A. N. COLE. 
 
 Wellsville, Allegany Co., N. Y. 
 
The New Agriculture, 
 
 BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENT. 
 
 A General Agent having- been appointed for tlie United 
 States of America, in the person of Theodore L. Minier, of 
 Elmira, N. Y., all parties desiring information touching 
 matters relating to business in connection with The New 
 Agriculture, will address their communications to the Gen- 
 eral Agent. 
 
 State, Territorial, County and District Agencies will from 
 time to time be created, and liberal commissions allowed to 
 agents. Applications for agencies will be made to the Gen- 
 eral Agent, at Elmira, N. Y. 
 
A Journal of Aquacultiire. 
 
 ON WEDNESDAY. JANUARY, 6th, 1886, 
 
 A weelily journal will be issued iiiider the title of 
 
 THE GENESEE VALLEY FREE PRESS AND NEW AGRICULTURE, 
 
 from tlie office of the " Daily Free Press^," at Wellsville, Allpgany Co., N. Y. 
 
 Tha Editorial Department of the pajier will he patriotic rather thau iiartisau. In 
 upliolding the Union and the Constitution it will know no North, no South, no East, 
 no West. 
 
 Fully one-half of the paper will be devoted to Agriculture and Horticulture gen- 
 erally, and " The New Agriculture " in particular. I propose to edit the paper, and 
 hold myself obligated to answer all questions that my corresi)ondeuts may ask. 
 
 The pajier will be a handsome quarto, and i.ssued to siibscrilers at f 2.00 per an- 
 num in advance. 
 
 A. N. COLE, 
 Wellsville, Allegany County, N. Y. 
 
The American Angler. 
 
 THE FISHERMAH'S PAPER— THE ONLY ONE IH AMERICA. 
 
 THE AMEEICAN ANGLER is published every Saturday, aud each uumber con- 
 tains essays on Eish, Fishing and i'icih Culture, Notes aud (Jueriea relative to fishing 
 and fish life, and ijractical illustrations of the methods aud tackle used in angling. 
 Dravi'ings of seventy-five representative fish of America have already appeared in The 
 Angler, which is the only imper published in America devoted solely to Fish, 
 Fishing and Fish Culture. Mr. Scth Greeu, the veteran Fish Culturist of America, 
 has editorial charge of the Fish Ciiltm-e Department of the paper. 
 
 Subscription per annum $3 on 
 
 Single copies 10 
 
 Back numbers of the paper can be had on application at 10 cents each, except 
 thos-e issued between the dates of October 15, 1881, and June 30, 1882, for which a 
 charge of 25 cents each will be made. Specimen copies will be sent on application. 
 
 Address 
 
 THE AMERICAN ANGLER, 
 Ofiaices: 252 Broadway, New York. 
 
THE FISHES OF THE EAST ATLANTIC COAST, 
 
 THAT ARE 
 
 CAUGHT WITH HOOK AND LINE, 
 
 INCLUr^ING THE 
 
 FISHES of the EAST COAST of FLORIDA. 
 
 By Louis 0. Van Doren and Samuel C. Clarke. 
 
 This is a practical text book on the salt water fishes that are found on the Atlan- 
 tic coast from Northern Maine to the Gulf of Mexico. No other work now in pribt 
 covers this iield, and none has been published on this subject for the last quarter 
 of a century. Messrs. Van Doren and Clarke give the scientific and popular de- 
 scriptions, habits, habitat, when, wheke and how to catch them, of forty-two 
 fishes that are caught with hook and line along the eastern coast of America. The 
 Illustrations are numerous and are photo-likenesses of the fish represented . They 
 consist of the following : 
 
 The Striped Bass. 
 
 The Bluefish. 
 
 The Weakfish. 
 
 The Sheepshead. 
 
 The Kingfish. 
 
 The Bonito. 
 
 The Black Drum. 
 
 The Spanish Mackerel. 
 
 The Menhaden. 
 
 The Lafayette, oh,Spot. 
 
 The Shad. 
 
 The Tarpum. 
 
 The Channel Bass. 
 
 The Blackfish. 
 
 The Flounder. 
 
 The Sea Bass. 
 
 The Bergall. 
 
 The Tomcod. 
 
 The Codfish. 
 
 The Haddock. 
 
 The Salt Water Trout. 
 
 The Red Geouper. 
 
 The Pomp and. 
 
 The Mangrove Snapper. 
 
 The Lady Fish. 
 
 The Salt Water Cat Fish . 
 
 The Hoofish, The White, ob Silver Mullet. 
 
 Cloth, I6mo. Price, Post-paid, i?1.50 
 Address 
 
 THE AMERICAN ANGLES, 
 
 252 Broadway, New York. 
 
PORTRAITSof FISHES. 
 
 At the request of many of our readers, we have struck off on fine gray tinted 
 Bristol board, 7x11 inches each, a few copies of the following named fishes. They 
 are sixty in number; twenty-three are engravings of those killed in fresh water, 
 and thirty-seven in salt water. These fi.sh portraits have been jjrinted with much 
 care, and will be of interest and service to those who wish to preserve them either 
 framed or in a iiortfolio. We will mail them, postage paid, at the following 
 prices. 
 
 The Fresh Water Series, (23 in number), for $'2.(Ki. 
 The Salt Water Series, (37 in number), for S3..50. 
 The entire series, i60 in number), for $5.00. 
 Single copies, ten cents. 
 
 THE FRESH WATER SERIES. 
 The Small-Mouthed Black Bass. 
 The Large-Mouthed Black Bass. 
 The Brook Trout. 
 
 The Grayling. 
 
 The California Mountain Trout. 
 
 The California Salmon. 
 
 The Pike Perch. 
 
 The Land-Locked Salmon. 
 
 The Sea Salmon. 
 
 The Pike. 
 
 The Lake Lawyer. 
 
 The Salmon Trout. 
 
 The Maacalonge. 
 
 The Yellow Perch. 
 
 The Whitefish. 
 
 The Fresh Water Striped Bass. 
 
 The White Perch. 
 
 The Bisby Trout. 
 
 The Shad. 
 
 The Lake Herring. 
 
 The Bream. 
 
 The Strawberry Bass 
 
 The Rock Bass. 
 
 THE SALT WATER SERIES. 
 
 The Menhaden 
 
 The Striped Bass. 
 
 The Blue Fish. 
 
 The Sheepshead. 
 
 The Channel Bass. 
 
 The Pompauo. 
 
 The Bed Grouper. 
 
 The Lady Fish. 
 
 The Spanish Slackerel. 
 
 The Salt Water Trout, Florida. 
 
 The Weakfish. 
 
 The Bouito. 
 
 The Kiugfish. 
 
 The Sea Bass. 
 
 The Red Snapper. 
 
 The Blackfish. 
 
 The Porgy. 
 
 The Pilot Fish. 
 
 The Lafayette, or Spot. 
 
 The Hogfish. 
 
 A handsome Portfolio, in half Russia, with bevelled edges, and stamped in gilt 
 "Fish Portraits," made especially to hold a set of fishes, will be mailed, postage 
 paid, on receipt of $1.25. 
 
 Address, AMESICAIT ANGLER, 
 
 2.')2 Broadway, New York. 
 
 The Codfish. 
 
 The Tarpum. 
 
 The Mangrove Snapper. 
 
 The Haddock. 
 
 The Butterfish. 
 
 The Smelt. 
 
 The Black Drum 
 
 The Squid. 
 
 The Codling. 
 
 The Unicorn Fish. 
 
 The Moon Fish. 
 
 The Spotted Turbot. 
 
 The Northern Sculpin. 
 
 The Bergall. 
 
 The Flounder. 
 
 The Salt Water Catfish, Gaff-topsail. 
 
 The White Mullet. 
 
THE ANGLER'S SCORE BOOK 
 
 Fishing Register. 
 
 On the opp'^site page is given a full page illustration (exact size) of thia handy 
 score bouk. It ecu lains a sufficient number of pages for aseason'g record, and will 
 be tuund inuisjiensable to the angler who feels sufficient interest in his paftime to 
 derive pleasure and profit from his ptst achievementn. 
 
 It is bound in heavy paper, price 10 cents, and in limp cloth and gold, 25 cents. 
 
 Pocket size. 
 
 AMSB.ICA27 ANGZiEB, 
 
 252 Broadway, Wew York. 
 
I 
 
 J 
 
 Itt I 
 
 Q I 
 
 H :§ 
 
 Su< 
 
 ^ 
 
 Pi 
 
 w 
 
 o 
 
 W 
 
 "5^ 
 
 
 
 
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 Baits used 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Weight 
 SPECIES OF FISH CAUGHT. Number of 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 [ 
 
TEXT PAPERS FOR ANGLERS. 
 
 The six volumes, handsomely bound in cloth (after July 1, 1885, 
 seven vol.), of The Amekican Anglee, are now ready for delivery. 
 Price $3.00 each. The demand for the unbound numbers of Volume 
 I. has so largely decreased our supply of them, that we are compelled 
 to increase the price of copies to 25 cents each. New subscribers, how- 
 ever, who commence their subscriptions with the first issue of the 
 paper, October 1, 1881, will be supplied at the regular rate of $3.00 a 
 year. 
 
 To assist our readers, who art daily ordering back nximbers, in the 
 selection of those containing special treatises of practical value to 
 anglers, we give below a few of the dates and a partial list of subjects 
 contained in Volumes II, III and IV. They will be sent, postage 
 paid, on receipt of ten cents for each copy. 
 
 What is a Pike ? What is a Pickerel? Illustrated. December IG, 
 1882. 
 
 A Sole Leather Bait Box. Illustrated, December 23, '82. 
 
 Striking and Playing a Fish. Decemlser 30, '82. 
 
 The White Perch. Illustrated. December 30, '82. 
 
 A Treatise on the Mascalonge— Where, When and How to Catch 
 Them. Illustrated. (Jon.ained in the issues of January 6, 13, 20, 27, 
 '83. 
 
 A Treatise on the Black Bass — Habitat, Modes of Capture, etc. Illus- 
 trated. In issues of Februarj 3, 10, 17, 24, '83. 
 
 The Strawberry Bass. Illustrated. February 17, '83. 
 
 A Treatise on the Pike —Habitat, tackle u&ed, etc. Illustrated. In 
 issues oE Marcli 3, 10, 17, 24, '83. 
 
 The iieel-Its place oa the Hod. March 21, April 14, June 16, '83. 
 
 The Atlantic Salmon. Scientific and Popular Description^Habit.it 
 and capture. Illustrated. March 31, '83. 
 
 MuiLLOWs as Bait. Illustrated April 7, 14, 21, '83. 
 
 Catching Flouaders. Illustrated. April 7, '83. 
 
 The Trout of Maine Waters. April 14, 21, 28, May 5, '83. 
 
 The Trout Streams of the United States and liow to Reach Them. 
 April 14, '83. 
 
 A Serviceable Fishing Boat — How 'to Build it. Illustrated. April 
 21, '83. 
 
 Making a Split Bamboo — Amatenr Work. April 28, '83. 
 
 Varnish for Rods. May 5, 83. 
 
 A Treatise on the Brook Trout— Habits, Habitat and Capture. Il- 
 lustrated May 12, 19, 26, June 2, '83. 
 
 The Colorado Mountain Trout. May 12, '83. 
 
 A New Mit.now Pail! Illustrated. May 12, 1883. 
 
 The Striped Bass— Rock Fish —Descrip: ion, Modes of Capture, etc. 
 Illustrated. May 26, June 2, '83. 
 
 Any of the above papers sentpostpaid on receipt of ten cents. 
 Address 3*^ The American Anglbb, 
 
 ^ly. 252 Broadway, New York. 
 
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