Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-01-20
From the American Farmer, for January, "a.

In commencing a year, your
should so arrange your system of farming. never
to be a loss throughout the for what next
you are TO do. Make it point of duty no, 10 cult. |
vate more than you can cultivate well Let not the
ambition of being considered large cultvator in
duce you 10 overcrop yourself. One we'll ma |
nured, well ploughed narrowed and rolled If well
tended afterwards, will produce more than three
where these things may have been omitted. The
more noble ambition for agricultursts, is that which
excites the desire moi only of being considered, but
of being in reality good cultIris of so cutvaing
his land as that, while Yields abundant harvess it
may be gradually improving in lis productive capaci
ties. After having cautiously matured your system Of
cropping, be systematic In carrying out all the
operations essential to give it success. While you
should abstain from overwokng your force, to it,
that an yonr employ cheat you out Of your time,
for you may rest assured that whether your workmen
be slaves free, there is prevailing disposition in
all to kill time al the expense OF an employer. Ex-
perience and close observation, through long series
of years. have impressed this fact upon minds as
indeliby as though it had been engraven there La
borers in most instances lose light altogether of that
great truth, that just as immoral Just dishon
est, TO rob a master on employer OF has time, as At
uoud be 10 stall his purse We have studied the
question long and often, and always with the desire
10 arrive at ust conclusion, and we have nvarla-
bly, arrived at the opinion, that in point of moral
enormity, the offence was great as the other.
To prevent this despoiling you of time that belongs
to you, be vIgllan yourselves. No matter who your
managers OF OFeFSeeIS may prove NY your eAdH'
pie and attention TO carrying out all The details of
your farming and planting operations, that omissions
! of duty will neither be overlooked or suffered TO go
unrebuked Have all things done at the right time,
and be to have them done well. Delays in
farming and planting are not to be tolerated. except
when occasioned by the season, in which latter
obedience 10 the will of Providence teaches the great
full heart lesson of willing and cheerful SUBMISSION
Referring our readers to the preceding remarks we
shall endeavor to claim attention 10 such matters on
| HI HoIaI
| X X
| DRAINING.--As there many periods during win
ter, and many localities when and where the opera
tons of draining can be advantageously carried on
during this season, feel called upon to call spe-
cia attention to the fact that all wet lands should be
drained. Profit and health both require that such
soils should be relieved of their of water. In
the first place. no lands with soil, subsoil, con-
nually saturated with water, can produce more than
half the crop that it will be mpeten to yield when
drained, and it is equally obvious that the crops
themselves will be improved in quality by the opera
ton. Equally obvious is it, that by draining lands
the of several diseases will be removed
Upon the advantages of draining we will copy the
views of Professor James F. w. Johnston, which APP
pear to Us TO be enlightened and just.
''OF DRAINING AND ITS EFFECTs,'
He says -
'sAmong the merely me ,hanical methods by which
those changes to be produced upon the soil, that
are fit for the better growth of valuable crops, drain
an important step in heavy clay lands and that 1t
must be the first step in all where water
abounds in the surface soil, will be readily conceded
but that ii can be beneficial also in situations where
the soils of sandy nature--where the suhsol is
light and porous--or where the inclination of the
field appears sufficient to allow ready escape to the
water does not appear evident, and Is not untre-
quently, therefore, matter of considerable doubt
and difficulty. 1t may be useful then. briefly to
state the several effects which in different localities
are likely 10 follow efficient drainage of the land
l. 1t carries off all stagnant water, and gives a
ready escape to the excess of what falls in rains.
2. 1t arrests the ascent of water from beneath,
whether by capillary attraction. by the foce of
springs, and thus not only preserves the surface soil
from undue moisture but also frees the subsoil from
the lingering presence Of those nOxious substances
which in undraned land frequently lodge in it
and impair the growth of deep-rooed plants"
"3. II allows the water of the rains, instead of
merely running over, and often in uriously washing
E the surface. to make its way easily through the
soil. And thus. while flterrng through. not only
does the rain-water impart to the soil those sub
stances useful to vegetation which it always contains
in greater or less abundance, but it washes out of
the upper SOIL and when the drains deep enough,
out Of the subsoil Also such noxious substances
naturally collect, apd may have been long
atng there, rendering it unsound and hurtul to the
r. OTIS The latter is of those benefits which
gradually follow the draining of land. When once
thoroughly effected, it constitutes most important
permanent improvement, and one which can be fully
produced by other available 1t will be
permanent, however, only long as the drains are
keptsin good condition. The same openness of the
soil which enab es the rains wash those solu-
BILE, noxious substances, which have been long col
Letting. permits them to carry Off Also such are
gradually formed and thus to keep it in sound and
healthy state: but let this openness be or less
impaired by neglect Of the drainage and the orig
inal state Of the land will again gradually return, "
"a. This constant descent of water through the
soil causes similar constant descent of fresh all
through its pores from the surface to the depth OF
the drains When the rain falls it enters the soil
and less completely dispaces the air which
Ia contained within its pores. This air either descends
. into the drains rises into the atmosphere. When
the rain ceases, the water, 1t sinks again leaves
the pores of the upper soil open, and fresh air
quenty follows. 1t is, in fact, sucked in after the
water. the latter gradually passes down to the
drains. Thus, where good drainage exists, not on.
y is the land refreshed by every shower that falls
not only does it derive from the rains those important
substances which occasionally, at least, brought
down by them from the atmosphere and which in
great measure lost where the waters must flow
the surface, but 1t supplied also with renewed
cessons OF fresh air. which experience has shown tc
e be SO valuable in promoting the healthy growth Of
all onr cultivated crops
e D. But other consequences of great practical i'm
portance follow from these immediate effects. Wher
thus readily freed from the constant presence Of wa
# ter, the soil gradually becomes dryer sweeer ooser
g and more riable The hard Jumps of the stiff clay
lands or less disappear. They crumbIe NOR,
freely offer less resistance to the plough and il
70 consequence more easily and economically worked
These are practical benefits. equivalent TO a change
SOIL which only the farmer of stubborn clays can ad
d equately appreciate
r, "6. With the permanent state of moisture, tn
r GOODNESS of many soils disappears, The backward
= ness of the crops in spring, and the ateness of tn
IoScf ~I.:,