Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-08-07
DRAINING.

peculiarly gratifying, and in it / thought
perceived the influence of what is too often
snecrin2ly called book farming a term,
venture TO say, was never sincerely used, but
where stupidity or stubbornncss reigned SUI
prcmc. To a considerable extent, ditching
and draining low lands has been practiced,
and in every case with entire success. Land
that before yielded scarcely handful Of
coarse heritage during the season, by the ex-
penditure of few dollars in ditching and
putting into state of cultivation, has been
made worth SO to $50 per acre for almost
invariable, the low swamp lands, when freed
from water, are vastly the most productive.
Much controversy exists as to the mode OF
draining best suited to our country, and tho
question yet remains unsettled. 1t is UNI
doubtcdy proper that the plan should vary
with the situation of the land.
1t would seem, on a hasty view Of the
subject, that the laborcd efforts Of some well
disposed persons TO introduce the expensive
modes adopted in Europe into our own coun.
try, are as inappropriate as if the attempt
were made to introduce the pharaplcrnalia
of royalty, or church establishment into
our republican institutions. Their system
is thorough undertaking, principally with
tiles or loose stones, placed at suffcen.
depth to allow coating Of soil deep enough
for all the operations Of husbandry to bo
carried on as if no drains existed and this
is undoubtedly the perfection of draining
but the expense of this in our country, would
be from 50 to $50 per acre; an outlay 80
excessive that we apprchend for half CEN
fury to come, it cannot be practiced here I'M
less in the ncighboreood of large cities, where
land is worth from 300 to 5000 per acre for
cul,ivation-the price of good farming lands
in Europe. The system may be applicable
and advantageous to this country, and it is
much to be wished that some wealthy and
patriotic individual would institute series of
scientific and practical experiments on this
sub cct, and communicate the result, and it
is possible it might he found, after all the ex-
pensc, the capital would be more iudicously
invested than if expended in additional land
to be cultivated in our hurried and imperfect
manner. If once, however, but generally
adopted our whole career of border extern
sion and colonization must be abandoned,
and the constantly expanding wave of emi-
grafton must contract and speed its rcflnent
force ccntcrward again, for we have run
) around land enough on this continent al
ready, to sustain, with proper cultivation, 4
nation of untold millions. Can our national
taste for adventure and western emigration
be checked and turned into the more sober
and perhaps rational pursuits Of highly cul-
tvated husbandry? We think not-a truce
then to understanding with us, for without
, the countless hordcs that are yearly migrat-
ing westward, like the locuss of Egypt, we
cannot pursue it to any extent.
There Is much, however, we can do, in
this matter, and at a trihing expenditure Of
manual labor And here will mention ono
mode of understanding, probably of Yankee
invention, as have never seena description
OF it. 1t is performed in heavy clay lands,
, where bitches arc most required, by eXcava,-
ing trench, say Of IL inches wide, with
perpendicular and parallel sides to the depth
of II inches; or if it is contemplated sing
a subsoil p!ow, TO the depth of l6 inches.
then from the center Of the bottom a sub.
ditch is cxcavatcd, of 5 to inches square.
The sod taken off the entire width from tho
top sthen inverted and placed at the bottom
of the upper ditch, and becomes durable
cover when filled to the top, thus doing away
with the large expense Of tiles or stones.
Our system must essentially combine
economy with utility, and this can be effect
ed to very great extent in surface drains.
These should exist wherever water remain.
on the ground after rains, or when it is too
much saturated with springs in the vicinity.
No stagnant water should ever be allowed in
a civilized country, for besides its enectual
hostility to all useful vegetation, it poisons
the atmosphere and becomes the prolific
saurcc of half our diseases and deaths. If
a systematic course be pursued in all the op.
eratlons OF the farm, much draining may bo
effected with scarcely any additional trouble
and expense. For instance, all clay and flat
lands should be plowed into narrow ridges,
and every successive blowing should be di.
rccted to make the more elevated portions
higher, and the depressed one still lower, al
ways preserving an outlet, that the water ac-
cumulatcd in the last shall be carried off free.
~, and by this means the whole surface be.
comes succession of surface drains without
the expenditure of days labor to an acre.
In many instances, however, main bitches
will require to be cut for considerable dis
lance, to get sufficient depth and slope to car
ry oil the water rapidly, and when the prin-
cIpal drain is made, the tributaries can be
completed at trining expense, either with
the pillow and hoe or the spade. To illustrate
my meaning, will describe the manner of
draining piece of land recently adopted.
The lot consists of stiff clay running back
from the Niagara river, with gradual ascent
OF not more than five or six feet for a mile.
1t is traversed through the whole distance
with irregular undulations, but the ridges al.
most universally running parallel with the
river. AT right angles with the river, and
across these, run ditch four feet wide at
the top, two feet at the bottom, from one 10
three and half feet deep, so as preserve
a uniform descent on the bottom, thus cuttinr
transvcrSely all these longitudinal ponds, for
they were nothing else in ordinary wet sea.
sons, and little additional work with tho
spade or pillow, efectuay carries off all tn
surface water. The whole expense of ,hi,