Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1838-07-12
Miscellaneous.
Flom the Farmers hcgistsr.
JOHNSTON ON DRAINING.

On draining by the plough, and the pro
per formation Of ridge ana jurror.-'rhc
invention of any means by which labor may
be diminished aud expense lcsscned, is an
object desirable in every mechanical pro-
cess, and has always been literally reward
cd when found 10 be useful. In the various
branches OF manufacture, machinery has
been invented to facilita,c the operations,
and to lessen the necessity of manual Labor;
aud the thrashiug machine has been found
SO useful in that department Of husbantlry,
as to be successfully introduced into every
part Of the kingdom. 1t is imprutlent, roo
hastily to prescribe a limit to human invcm
uon; but the probability Of an effective hoi-
low draining plough, to work so much
GhsRPeF HAL tas Spade; AZ 10 render it an
object OF economy, Is not very hattering.-
There can be no difficulty Of making one
10 prepare for the narrow draining spade,
where surface drains of no great depth are
required; but beyond that the attempt
would be frui,Icss.
Various plouchs. indeed. havo been in
vented, and premiums given 10 the invcn-
tors; but all, or most OF them. have been
found deficient, and have thereiire hcen
laid aside. From the number of horses or
oxen required to work them, ploughs caIcu-
lated for this purpose are more expensive
than the spade, and never can come into
general use. In lawns and smooth pas.
lures, where only grips or small surface
drains are useful, the common draining
plough may be employed with advantage;
out Ill soils that are strong, and where n
greater depth Is necessary, The Interruptions
that would be mrt with are insurn o,Inrabl,.
The method followed by some good farm
ers, who do not possess ploughs constructed
on purpose for such work, is this: with
their common plough drawn by four horses
they turn double fnrrow, about six inche.
deep, throwing the earth. on each side.
and leaving u baulk. or space untouched, IN
the middle. This baulk they remove by a
second tout or turn, in the same manner;
they then go i'll the wide liIrIow or space
thus opened, twice with their common
double-breast plough, getting what adt-
tional depth they can. After this. they re-
move, with spade or shovel, all the loose
mould, to smooth and form the bottom to
about Il foot in breadth; and thus having
gained more than foo. in depth. according
to the soil. and strength Of the plough, they
dig one portion with The draining spade.
sixteen inches deep, aud after thai another
Of twelve inches, making in the whole a
drain forty inches in depth two feet wide
az 'top, ana very llhfrOW at bottom. IhIS
IL filled with stohc or brush wood as comes
most readily to hand and forms cheap and
useful drain i'll certain soils and situations
The ploughs called the miner and mole
plough, as also machine of cast iron. i'm
form Of a wheel, are used in several parts
of England, and said to answer we'll bur
as they have not been Introduced ;nto gen
eral practice, drawings or descriptions of
them, are here unnecessary.
Ii has been already observed, that on some
soils, where the suface is fiat and vcrv re-
tentive, no number of covered drains can
operate effectually in keeping it dry. I'm
such land therefore. much NAV he effected
by proper formation and direction of ,be
ridges and fnrrows. Much has heen wri,
ten against high ridges. without consid
GRAFTON of their pDpriciy; and because
they have been applied on dry soils alb.
surdly, and being the custom in some parts
of the country, no discrimination ha. been
made; but their being improper in some
cases and i'll managed in other affords no
just argument against them, when adapted
to the soil and we,ness of the climrtc
One objection, indeed. aud that moi n
slight one, against raising ridges too high.
is, that the rain falling, washes of finer
particles Of the soil aud manure from the
sides into the firrows, in which it is carri
cd off the field; and that The seed cannot be
80 equally sowp, and may be drawn ip,o