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Show SEjLECTJiD. Irrigation Tube?. The S. R Bulletin says: A few years ago, a man in one ot the eastern states commenced the mannfacture of irrigation tubes, a patented article, of which large numbers were sold and their use highly recommended by or-chardists, or-chardists, nurserymen and others who tried them. .We never heard of their being introduced into this state, for which they seem to be particularly adapted. They consisted simply of a straight tube of cast or galvanized iron, wood or pottery, eighteen inches or two feet in length, and an inch or so in diameter, with a funnel-shaped top, with or without a moveable cover. Tney cost only a few cents apiece. Any farmer, tinman or potter could make them. When a fruit or shade tree was planted in a place where it was required to be watered, one of these irrigation tubes was set close by it, running down among and below the roots, having the top only above the ground. When it was required to water the tree, the water was pouied from a bucket, can, or hose, into the funnel-shaped top of the irrigation tube, and thus conveyed directly down among the roots, instead of being spilt over the surface and wasted by evaporation. Liquid manures, soap suds, etc , were applied in the same manner, without waste. The tubes can be removed at any time when no ; lotvror needed. The result was three fold. First, much le.-s water or liquid manure was thus required, and no waste occurred ; second, the roots of the plant were thus ld t) strike down wards, following the water as it sunk into the earth, instead of ri.sing to I he surface upon which it was poured, and where they are liable to be affected by every variation of heat or cold, drought or dampness, and sooner than is otherwise oth-erwise the case, reach a depth where they become independent of artificial ii ligation; third, when liquid manures are thus applied, they reach the roots they are intended to feed and the vol utile portions are not dissipated by evaooration, and they enrich the subsoil sub-soil penetrated by the small roots instead in-stead of the surface earth, fruit and shade trees thus treated surpassed all others irrigated in the usual way. |