IMPORTANCE OF IRRIGATION.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 39, 24 March 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

IMPORTANCE OF IRRIGATION.

Mr Shepherd, well known in New South Wales for the great interest lie has always manifested in Australian agriculture, i n a series of lectures delivered in Sidney some years ago, said : — "About three years back, I planted about 1000 cauliflower plants upon a piece of land in my garden which had been properly trenched and manured, and by chance a large hollow place was left open in the upper end of the piece of ground, where the rock had been taken out ; soon after the cauliflowers had been planted, the hollow space got filled with rain water, and this reservoir supplied the plants with moisture for nearly three months, and they grew amazingly. About this time the reservoir got empty, but more rain fell und filled it again, so that the cauiflower plants were regularly supplied with moisture throughout the season of their growth, and produced such cauliflowers as have never been seen in this colony for their delicate whiteness, fineness of grain, and delicious flavor; many of them measured from a foot to fifteen inches diameter ; they were sold in the market at from 8d to Is 6d each, which amounted to the sum of LSO. Now is this a sufficient reason for my having so strenuously recommended irrigation, or is it not ? This is not a mere supposition — this is what has been done ; and I am convinced that, unless our gardens are irrigated, our sr~:ess will always be hazardous. " Let me go a little furt'ier to prove this. I planted about one thousand . more cauliflower plants about the same f time ; the plants were taken out of the i same seed bed and were placed upon