Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-08-11
The Effect ofDraining.

|. II causes the Air TO be Re
nc,oed. 1t is believed that the ad-
mission Of frequently renewed sup
piles of the air into the soil, is favor
able to its fertility. This the descent
Of the rain promotes. When it falls
upon the soil it makes its way into
the pores and assures, expelling, of
course, the air which previously filed
them. When the rain ceases the
water runs off by the drains; and as
II leaves the pores of the soil empty
above il the air follows, and fills with
a renewed supply the numerous cav
tiles from which the descent OF the
ram had driven il. Where land re-
mains full of water no such renewal
of air can take place.
2. IL lcd, ms the Under Soil. As
the rain falls through the air, it ac-
qulres the temperature Of the atpos-
phere. II this be higher than that
Of the surface soil, the latter is warm
ed 10y il; and if the rains be copious,
and sink easily into the sub-soi, they
will carry this warmth with them to
the depth of the drains Thus the
under soil in well drained land, is not
only warmer, because the evapora-
ton is less, but because the rains in
the summer season actually bring
down warmth from the Heavens t.
add TO their natural heat.
3. II equaiises the Temperature .
Of The Soil during the Season of
Growth. The sun beats upon the I
surface Of the soil, and gradually
warns it. Yet, even in summer
this direct heat descends only few
inches beneath the surface. But
when the rain falls upon the warm
surface, and finds an easy descent as
II does in open soils, it becomes IL
sell warmer, and carries lis heat
down 10 the under soil. Then the
roots of plants are warmed. and gen
cral growth is stipulated.
4. II carries dorm Soluble Sub
stances TO the Roots Of Plants 49,
When the rain falls upon heavy
underdrained, or upon any land in
10 which II does not readily sink, ii
runs over the surface, dissolves any
soluble matter it may meet with, and
carries 1t to the nearest ditch or brook
Ram thus robs and impoyerishes
such land.
3. II paShes Norious Matters
from the Under Soil. In The sub
soil, beyond the reach of ar sub
stances are apt TO collect, especially
IA red cclored soils, which are lnlur-
Gus to the roots of plants. These
the descent of the rain alters in part
and makes wholesome, and in part
washes out. The pillow may then
safely be trusted deeper, and the
roots of plants may descend ia search
81 food where they would previously
have been destroyed.
q. IL brings dorm FertiHzng
Substances from The Air. Besides,
the rains never descend empty hand
cd. They constantly bear with them
gifts, no, only Of moisture to the
parched heritage, but of organic and
saline food, by which its growth is
promoted. Ammonia and nitric acid
together with the many exhalalions
which are daily rising from the earth's
surface, come down in the rains
common salt, gypsum, and other sa-
line substances derived from the sea,
are rarely wanting; and thus the con
stan, descent from the heavens
may well be supposed TO counter
bolancc the occasional wasnings from
the earth.
I. Much Of the rain is EUapora-
tel. And, lastly, in our climate
very large proportion of the rain
that falls does not sink through the
soil, even where there are drains be
meath, but rises again into the air, in
the form of waiery vapor. Expert
mems in Manchester have shown,
that of 81 inches of rain that fell
there IN year, "a We're evaporaied
while in Yorkshire, OF "a l-2 inches
of rain which fell, only five inches
ran off through pipes laid at the
depth Of two feet nine inches, the
rest having evaporated. There is
little cause, therefore, for the fear ex-
pressed BY some, that the draining Of
the land will cause the fertility in any
percepilble degree 10 diminish, ia
consequence Of the washing of the
descending rains. They may as
have said, improve the sub-soil by
washing hur,ful substances out of ii /;
but, IN general, the soil will have ex-
tracled from the water which filters
through it, all the valuable matter it
holds in solution, before il has reached
the depth Of three feet drain.