Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-01-14
AoaIsUl TuRAL.
From The american Farmer,

the habit of resting. becomes dry enough 10 ad-
nit the labors of the husbandman II Is still found
Ia he wet beneath, and the waters even III dry
seasons not unfrequently remain where the roots
of the crops would otherwise be inclined to
come Or if the surface soil permits ready
passage to the rains and water fingers only IN
the moist subso, still-though the fdrner may
not be DELAYED i'll his labors-the subsoii repels
the approach of the roots of his grain, and com
pels them to seek their nourshment from the
surface soil only But remove the waters, and
the soil becomes dry to greater depth The
air penetrates and ditfuses itself wherever the
waters have been The roots now freely ana
safely descend into the almost virgin soil beneath
And not only have they larger surface through
which to send their iibres in search OF food, but
in this hitherto ungenial soil they find store OF
snbstances-but sparingly present 1t may be, IN
the soil above-whieh the long continued wash
ing of the rains, the demands of freqcnnt crops
may have removed but which may have been all
the time accommodating in the sub~oil, into which
the roots of cultivated plants could rarely with
safety descend 1t is not wondelf Il. then, that
the economical effects of draining should be
found by practical men to be not only dimnu-
ton of the cost of cultivation, but considera-
bly, "A gmented produce, also, both in corn and
grass; or that this iner' ased produce should alone
be found sufficient TO repay the entire cost OF
thorough draining III two or three years.
"An obvious practical suggestion arises out OF
the knowledge of this fact. The deeper the
drains, prouided the mater hare StiHa ready es-
cape, the greater the depth Of soil which Is ron
dered available for the purpose Of vegetable nu-
triton, Deep rooted plants such as ucernr,
often fail even III moderately deep soils. because
an excess of water, the presence of some nox-
ious ingredient which deep drains would remove
prevent their natural descent in search of food.
Even plants, which like that of wheat or clover,
do not usually send down their roots SO for, will
I vat bara tba st,I,.o1 il snun1 and 1rv nytpul
their fibres for three more feet in depth, in
quest of more abundant nourshment.
mot only, then, do deep drains permit the use
/ of the subso plough without the chance of in
! jury, not only are they less liable to be choked
up by the accumulated roots of plants which
naturally make then way into them ii search OF
/ water, but they also increase the value and per-
manent fertility of the land by increasing its a
valuable depth. In other words, that kind of
drainage which is most efficiently performed with
/ regard to the greatest number OF contingencies
will not only be the most permanent but will
also be followed by the greatest number of econ
omical advantages.
40. Nor do the immediate and practical bene-
fits OF draining end with the attainment of these
beneficial results. Ii is not till the land is
dercd dry that the skilfu and enterprising farmer
has a fair field on which TO expend his exertions.
In wet soils, bones, wood ashes raped dust nit
rate of soda, and other artificial manures, are al
most thrown away. Even lime exhibits only
one-haf of its fertilizing virtue, where wnter is
allowed to stagnate in the soil. Give him dry
fields to work upon, and the well-instructed ag-
ricuturist can bring all the resources, well of
modern science as of old experience, to bear upon
them with fair chance of success. The disap-
pointments which the holder OF undrained land so
often meets with, he will less frequently expert
ence. An adequate return will generally be OBJ
tanned for his expenditure in maturing and 9TH
mn his soil nd no will hn
couraged to proceed in devoting his capital to
the permanent amehoration of his farm.
10 lie who drains and thus improves his
own land, confers benefit upon his neighbors
also In the vicinity of wet and boggy lands, the
hopes of the industrious farmer are often disap-
| pointed. Mists are frequent, and rains more a.
bundant on the edges of the moor, and mill dews
retard the maturity, and often seriously injure
the crops. OF undrained land, in general, the
same l. true to less extent, and the presence of
one unimproyed property in the centre of an en-
terprsmg district, may long withhold from the
Looming farms that full measure of benefit which
the money and skill expended upon them would
i'll other crcum stances have Immediately secur-
ed.
al. | would not here willingly neglect to call
your attf ntion to higher benefit still, which the
skilfu drainage of an extensive district is fitted
to confer upon its population. Not only is this
drainage equivalent, above stated, to II change
ing of plants, but it is also in reference to the
general health of the people, and to the number
and kind of the diseases to which they are OBJ
served to be exposed.
81 may quote, in Illustration of this fact, the
interesting observations of DIR. Wilson, on the
comparative state Of health of the laboring popu-
laton IN the District of Kelso during the last two
periods of ten years. In his excellent paper on
this subject in the Quarterly Journal of Agri-
culture, (vo xii, p. 3l7,) he has shown that fe-
yer and ague, which formed nearly half of
all the diseases of the population during the for
mer ten years, have almost wholly disappeared
during the latter ten, in consequence of the gen
era extension of an efficient drainage through
out the country; while ut the same time, the ia.
tally OF disease, or the comparative number of
deaths from every hundred cases of serious all
ment, has diminished in proportion of 4.6 to 2.59
such beneficial results, though not Immediately
sought tor by the practical farmer, vet are the in
evItable consequence of his successful exertions
Apart, therefore, from mere considerations of ne
cuniary profit, Il desire to promote the general
comfort and happiness of the entire inhabitants
OF district, may fairly influence the posscssors
of land to promote this method of amelioratinp
the soil; while the whole people, on the other
hand, of whatever class, ought gratefully to ack
nowledge the value of those improvements which
at once render our homes more sulubrious and
our fei Is more fruitful"