Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-07-06
USEFUL KNOWLEDGE.
Drainage Of Wet Soils.

Drainage Of Wet Soils.
The expenses of draining in this country
deters many farmers from executing more of
it. Besides, when undertaken, it is so fre-
quently Intellectually done, that it does not
pay, and the farmer becomes discouraged ard
abandons it. "Anything worth doing at all,
is worth doing WE'LL" says the maxim. 1t is
true of draining, which if not done well, had
better not be attempted at all.
Who has not seen marshes, ponds, swamps
&c, that were worthless, permanently drained,
and then produce such astonishing crops as
to reimburse the farmer, the first or second
year, for the outlay Of money in draining them!
Again you have seen such lands said to be
drained, bring good crops for one, two or three
years, and then fail to produce and abandoned
as failure. What is the reason of thiss The
reasons are obvious, viz: The draining was not
effectual1y done. The water was taken only
one or two feet from the surface Of the earth,
and no more. Cultivation of the land caused
a rapid decomposition Of the peaty and other
vegetable matter, to which such lands QUE their
fertility mostly and, if not abundant, is soon ex-
hausted; it fills up the bitches and causes the
land to contract and sink beneath the level or
bottom Of the ditches, and packs it so close that
instead Of being light, spongy and dry, as when
first drained, it becomes close, adhesive, cold,
and as wet as it was before draining again.
Drain them again effectually, and we guarantee
them to produce good crops, with proper tillage
!. Before commencing to drain marsh, pond,
swamp, or low lands, bordering streams
l. Ascertain the depth Of the soil and Of the
subsoil. 2. the nature and composition Of the
soil and subsoil by accurate chemical analysis.
8. The location and relative situation Of the
land to streams and to high lands. 4. The
cause or causes of wetness. 5. The degree Of
the fall Of the outlet, and that Of the stream or
streams, if there be any, passing through, or
bordering on the lands 9. Make careful
survey Of the land and estimate its value before
and after draining, and the cost Of draining.
As regards the fall necessary to conduct Oft
water engineers have ascertained that one foot
fall per mile in large rivers; two feet per mile
in smaller rivers; four feet per mile in brDoks
and creeks; and eight feet per mile in open
bitches for surface drainage, is sufficient fall TO
conduct off water with less fall the water will
not pass off freely and keep the channels open.
The fall required for surface drainage BY
open bitches, depends upon the nature Of
the soil, the kind, the size, and number Of ditch
es, and the quality of water to be conveyed by
them. NJ i; sastGl3gtas
Generally speaking, the straiter the channel,
and the greater the fall, the sooner water runs
of, and the less liable it is, in proportion to the
velocity with which it flows, to wash the sides
and the bottom Of the channel and overflow its
banks. @ .,a seo S..z.-s &. a a,ag
To drain land we'll the water must be re-
moved from twelve inches to, four feet from
surface and conducted off by the greatest fail
without washing away thessoil. 81 sfal yia
Land subject to inundation during the winter
and spring, requires deep and broad ditches, to
hold the water and convey it away as soon as
possible by the greatest fall without washing
the land. 7lT s& g a9sagssse's3% ssf8
In obtaining fall in ditching nearly leyel
land, by commencing at the lowest point At the
mouth Of the ditch, and making the walter fol
low the spade, is often erroneous, becauseiw
ter will rise over level, and in . ditch .milp
long several feet fall may be lost. Hence, ditch
ers should use adrainer's level in cutting every
important ditch where the fall is small; where
the fall is great tits not 50 important especially
in short bitches, though we should bear in mind
the fall given shonld be gradual and the same,
and that no ditch can be cut with accuracy With
out the assistance Of the level 's'' 1%a4s s''1+
In this State there are not many swamps or
sections of drowned lands which can beeeffe-
ctually and permanently drained without the
use Of permanent engines constantly working
a pump But large tracts may be drained into
one reservoir, which can be kept low BY one
engine. Combination of capital and application
of the proper means may rescue millions oil
acres from inundation.- - Southern Cuhipdtor.
-. ~ 5tsy3