The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1845-01-31
.UR.YL ECO.yO.HY.
DRAINING OF LAND.

There Is perhaps no part Of tho duty of
a farmer more neglected than tho proper
draining Of his lands, nor is there one in
the whole catalogue OF duties which would
more richly repay for a6ours bestowed.
Many fields, which, from their present wet
and eglected state, are little better, in
moist weather, lhln beds Of mortar, and
winch, in times Of drought, become almost
as hard as stone, could, by judlclous drOin-
ing, be converted into moulds, rendered ca
sy Of cultivation, and, from being sterile
masses Of intractabIe clay, be transformed
into productive soils; for i, only requires
that the superabundauce of water should be
let of 10 produce these results. Besides
the advantage TO be gained by draining, in
a pecunlnry point Of view, IN many instan.
ces, The improvement in the health Of a
place would more than compensate for all
the outlay Of money which might be incur.
red and we hazard nothing in saying
that, in neighborhood. where marshes a.
bound, if those marshes could all be drain.
ed, that the whole type of fever and ague
and intermittent ieyeTs, would, in q few
years, wholly disappear; and that such
marshes when laid dry, would prove 10 be
among the most fertile soils any where 10
be iocod, provided lime ~eIe applied to
neulralize the acids which have been accu.
mulsiug for years.
Among the most luSuriani grass lands
We have ever seen, are the meadows on Ell.
Their side Of what is called the Neck road, IN
the neighborhood Of Philadelphia. These
lands have all been reclaimed BY draining
and ditching, and having been Sc, down in
grass, bring prices for grazing lots which
render them highly productive to their
owners. We visited them eight years
since, in company with q friend, who rent.
ed hundred acres, and who assured US
that besides iatiening bullock to the acre
each season, he was enabled 10 cut as muct
grass off the lots he had in his occupancy
as served fourteen head Of cattle aud ou
horses through the winter. And from tn
iuxurlant appearance o! the grass, when "
saw ll-at which time there were 80 buI
locks grazing on our friends iarm-we woul
no doubt that each &C would have Welded
if the cattle had been KEEP, off, three tons q
good hay. What has been done on tn
philadelphia Meek lsnds, may be done an,
where else, where marshe. are susceptible
of being laid dry, and they may be IN any
situation where there i. only moderate
fall, provided the bitches are boldly con
Estruc.ed, of Sufficient width aud depth Il
draw off the water from the surrounding
/ soil. Where the main open bitches arr
thus constructed, they should be 50 contu
we'd as to carry off tho water through somt
convenient outlet, so as TO prevent it. be
coming stagnant and injurious 10 health
As auxiliary TO the main open bitches, GOV
cred or French drains should be provided
at convenient distances, leading through the
body OF the marsh or swamp SO as 10 attract
aud convey the water the greater certainty
into the open bitches. These covered
drains should not, Of course, be made until
from The drainage, produced BY the open
bitches, the soil had become sufficiently set
tied 10 render the work safe.
The open dllches which we examined OF
our friends farm, were fully Elk feet ~ldt
and four fee, deep--ihey extended all roun'
each of his two fifty acre fields, while thro
the centre of each, there was ano'hor on
of equal dimensions. which served the dou
bic purpose Of drain and division, actin
in the latter capacity instead Of fence.