, 1860-01-27

TEN of tile draining IN 1885 Whlch was not
finished until 1857, at which time more than
fifty miles Of tile drain had been laid on
his farm, which, however, had grown from
about hundred acres at the outset, to
three hundred acres. His crops had du.
ring the time increased TO sixty, seventy,
and as high as ninety. -four bushels 10 the
acre of corn, and to an average Of forty
bushels of wheat in this current year 1859.
Ten or fifteen years since, hs success had
become celebrated, and for half dozen
years past he has been an authority whom
It was regarded as an homer to consult, from
all sections of the Union. Such is the ma
gic effect of stubborn perseverance in
course of common sense improvement.
In this experiment Of Mr.. Johnston, il
has been found nearly as necessary to drain
lands Of regular surface, and such as would
usually be pronounced quite free from any
such necessity. as those nearly or quite level.
One most important effect would be secured
at the South by this process in averting the
destructive washing Of uplands. Under
drainage increases the capacity Of lands TO
absorb proflse rain immensely, and where,
in one case, three-fourths Of every prOfuse
rain fall would be thrown of the surface, wash.
ing away loose soil and fertility at ruinOus
rate, in the other not one fourth the falling
water would be thus thrown off, Under.
drained and deeply cultivated lands will
very rarely wash at all, however retentive
the principal element Of the soil. A loose
drained clay will absorb almost as much 10
sand, and il Is only because an impervious
subsoiI, re lists all deep sinking OF rains that
the surface of clay lands becomes so hard as
to retain water. Yet these are the most
prolific in all the elements Of fertility when
the excess Of water is removed, and when
deep cultivation gives to the growing crops
the requisite access to the best parts Of 1t.
UNDERSTANDING is the only possible means
by which this Improvement may be effected,
and it Is as essential here as in New York,
the quantity Of water falling here annually
J being, in fact, nearly one-third more thar
in the interior Of New York, ucar Geneva
The tiles principally used BY Mr.. John
} ston were two inches in diameter for th'
J bore, Of the horseshoe form, and eithel
: made with base or laid on board. Th'
} trenches are first dug two and . half fee
! deep for the small and lateral drains, anC
three feet deep for the main drains, int'
: which others are arranged TO fall, and at tn
b jltom no wider than is necessary TO laI
: tile, In Mr.. Johnston's own words, M!
] drains are from twenty.seven to forty-fiv
feet apart, generally thirty.three feet, but
. have never put in any more than | woul'
) do again If had 70 do It over, and in som
!. cases would put IN more. My first erro
] was in putting too small tile in my mai
!. drains, and too large tile In my lat.rl
] dpins--two inch tile, or even smaller
{ they can be obtained, being enlicient 10
8 lateral drains. also erred Of first in putin
. too many drains in my low lands, as il ofte
q occurs thattho low land u naturally wei
but only wet from the upland lf the uF
o land is Thoroughly drained, Il i seldom ~
. deed that the low land needs more drain
2 than 70 carry of the water from, the uPlan
!, drains. The greatest error for some year
y was in not perfectly draining my upland.
P Mr.. Johnston's compact statement Of hi
q own disadvantages is also worth copying
. / commenced under untayorable circuT
= stances; FIRST, for want Of funds; next, III
= tile cost doubls what they do now, and dig
!. ging double; and glast, though not leas
public opinion was very much against mi
q Some would ask me Il | was going 70 pu
y crockery all over my farm; some would te
. me they thought my farm was already 70
g dry, Il anything; and some Of my own coul
n trymen would give me the hint that they ha
u known some men drain and Otherwise IN
d prove their lands 90 mhoh that they lol
y them.'1 .ises,fii.ls sss,,a fai-zsrte.e7
q Withmanx splendid xrmplesof thoroug
lI .lst.efl,, ,-thsa 49,, flnrA Il gill snI