Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-05-19
AGRICULTURAL.
PHILOSOPHY OF DRAINAGE.
NO. II.


That which explains satisfactorily the reason
for the facts we observe, or the work we recon.
mend, is their philosophy. The philosophy
OF drainage then, will be an explanation Of the
reasons why drainage should be effected, and
U'in our rcmsrrs on me subject in the Fdryae,
of March 18th. The explanation we give, is,
indeed implied, in part, in that article But
we think distinct statement of some common.
sense maxims, will be of use TO the readers oil
the Farmer. In setting them forth, we will try
te be as brief and clear as possible.
The following maxims will be, we think, oh.
yious 10 all our reflective readers
/. Land under icater cannot produce N,
crops acc desire 10 olltiudie. Observation has
made this so clear, that no further science than
the ordinary use Of pair of good eyes is need
ed to support the maxim. So we pass to state
another.
2. Land, ,chich is icef til June, cannot BE-
hAed Early enough TO SECURE profitable crop.
Now on large part of the Western Reserve. il
is hardly figure Of speech to say that our clay
lands are mud, till towards the first of June.
s. Land in ,rhich the ,oater is retained-not
on The surfdec-bm only far inches belo,O il,
cannon yield a full crop. The reason for this
is, that in really good soil, the roots even in
summer crops, go down from fifteen TO twenty
four inches. Now if water stands only few
inches below the surface, the roofs can 90 no
further down. 1t is almost as if rocks were
there. Besides when water stands near the
surface-though below it-tho soil, on the sur
lace, Is kept wet much too long.
A. Land in which he air does NOT circulate
freely, astar doicn as eighteen inches JeiO,v The
surface, loses The fcrfihsing poleer of The air and
81 The sun. This fertilizing power is incalcula-
Bile. This any one may prove to himself by
taking some of our best soil, and putting ii in
to cellar. Let him keep the temperature the
same as in the open air; but let him carefully
exclude the fresh air, and the light. He may
plant, or sow in his cellar. but he will have no
crop. We do not forget that the air and light
act directly and powerfully on the growing plant.
Aud we insist that they act directly, and pow
erfully on the soil also.
o. Land, in ,ohich manure is either ,ooshea
from ne surface, because lie hard clay toiH not
receire II, or IN tchich IL is immersed in toater
because the 'eater cannot pass of, enjoys but a
small part o. The advantage Which The manure
moiiH otherwise besioD Manure washed away
does no good. Manure immersed ia water does
little or none.
All who think moment on this matter. will
see that these maxims are true. They will. of
course, be readyto see also, holc and ,chv drain
age will benefit our adhesive soils 1t will re-
move the water from the submerged soil. 1t
VIII allow the soil 10 become dry. so that it can
be titled early. II will, when properly done
carry off the water under the surface, SO deem
that the roots of plants and trees can descend
and md the food they need. 1t will give the
SOIL Inc benefit of the sun and air, 10 a mucb
greater depth. 1t will greatly increase the
power OF manure on the soil, BY allowing il IN
remain and become more Intimately mixed with
H. This on clay soils, is a peculiar ADVANTAGE
Clay takes up and retains more perfectlv ,ban
almost any other soil we have, The ammonia
which forms so large a portion of of our hos,
manures. When drainage has given our CLAW
soils fair chance, then only will we be able
to find their BOTTOM" and test, not their now
or TO adhere, but their power to produce.
ON WHAT SOILS SHOULD DRAINAGE M pm s.. or,spnt
II the principles we have limited at, in the
above maxims, be sound, the answer 10 be civ.
Gu TO this question, is the following Drain
age should be ptaciised on all soils from which
water does not readily pass not only from The