Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-07-07
:farn1ers' Column,
DRAINING lEEPENS TILE SOIL,

The effects of thorough draining in deepen.
ing the soil arc readily seen in Il comparison OF
the characteristics pt lose wet and rctentlve,
with those either naturally Ur artifcially OF {"
porous nature.
all heavy soils must he shallow from the IN
tuence of stagnant watcr-of water which sat-
urates the surface not being able to pass away
by filtration. Every fall of water gives a NOR
tar.like consistency to such u suil, and as the
moisture passes off by the slow process Of erap.
oratiou, it becomes baked and bricklike, instead
of light aud friab!c. If plowed when wet it is
entirely unfit for the growth of crops if stirred
when dry, it turns up in codS and Jumps; in
either case, it is only after much labor that any
finely pulverizcd earth is obtained to support
and noursh vegetable growth, and an inferior
crop is ever the result. SuturaiiOa Tnhom Jtl-
traiion kills The productive pOuer Of any Sod
makes it hard, shallow and STERILE however rich
in every element Of fertility it may be, when
differently situat ID in the single circumstance OF
drainage.
Porous or well-lrained soils, on the contrary
never retain, eYcn if they become saturated with
water. The surplus moisture fltrates at once
into the drcins, leaving the surface loose and
friable. Such a soil can he plowed at any sea
sonab!e time, and turas up mellow earth, readily
fitted as a seed-bed for any GRIP. Such q SOIL
invites the roots Of plants down, Offering them
food instead Of stone-like earth, and every
year deepens the area of vegetable growth: until
the full depth is reached to which 1t has been
drained.
That draining dcepeEs the soil, We will bring
single instance to show-one which confirms
every point stated above 1t is condensed from
letter from that pioneer draner and pioneer
of good farmers, John Johnson, near Geneva,
n. T., and was published in the CDuntry Gentle.
man of Jan. l9, 1854. He says
Last spring | concluded - plow ciayey
field, containing forty acres, onl, once for wheat
and that after harvest. Previous to draining 1t
was one of my wettcst fields and i'll cry weather,
even in April and May, was very harl to plow,
often having to get the cOulteri and shares shar'
pened every day. when we used wrought IRON
shares. Owing to the great drouth before. du,
ring ami after harvest. rot Il large plow made
so that could put two or more yokes OF cattle
aud pair of horses to it it necessary. lmme'
diately after harvest we started TOR the held,
oxen and drivers, plowmen and horses; and
besides new shares on the plows. took other new
shares along, expecting 10 be obliged to change
every day.
"When we 90! to the field, had one man
put pair of horses before the large pillow, and
to open the land with :, shallow turrow He
went seventy rods away and back without even
stop, except when the clover choked the plow.
I then put the plow down to eight inches, and
after one round, to nearly ten, and he went
around without any trouble His furrow wa'
over nine inches deep and laid as perfect as
could be. then had one yoke of oxen put be.
hind my smallest horses, and a pair OF horses
before each Of my other p!ows, and they pl'wed
the field with perfect ease, only changing shares
twice.
".Although the field was undoubtedly plowc'l
Mt the rate Of nine inches deep yet the clover
roots went deeper, and the land plowcd up rs
mellow as any loan; whereas, had it not been
drained, it would have broke up in Jumps rs
large as the heals Of horses or oxen. y few
years ago, neighbor broke up field about the
same season, aud similar land, but not drained,
and after cultivating, rolling and narrowing, he
had to employ men and mallets to break the
Jumps before he could get mould to cover the
seed and after all did not get the third of either
wheat or straw. Ny wheat looks rs we'll as any
ever saw, and doubt not it will be a good
CROP"
Those farmers, and they are not few, who
have had experience in the cultivation of clayey
soils when dry, or in any state, will not wonder
that Mr.. Johnston exclaimed, on finding this
great change in the depth and friability OF this
clay bed,-"I never Was more agrecably sur
prised in my life-n fact, had my men been
plowing in gold dust, as they do in California, /
should have been no more pleased" This great
change was the simple effect Of thorough drain
age-the soil no longer compelled to remain
saturated with water, lost its brick and mortar
character, and became lice or at least an ac-
tive and productive soil, ready to reward the
labor OF the farmer-Country Gentleman.