The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-12-29
Agricultural.
Theory of Land Drainage.

A plant, though spreading its roots to
certain distance all around in the soil, is
stationary, and must have its food brought
to it. That is the first main fact OH
which the need depends for currert oil
water through the land. Water, pow
erful solvent, brings substances out of the
air which the plant requires as food, and
these substances increase its power as IA
solvent of other matters in the soil which
the plant also needs as food. Moreover.
water brings from the air materials of
use in the soil in manufacturing food
for the use of plants. On all these
grounds, then, 1t is of importance that
water should 20 through the soil after 60
ing through the air. 1t becomes laden
with vegetable food by passing through
the air, and it becomes still more laden
with vegetable food by passing through
The soil, till, when traversing the soil. il
passes stationary roots and enters them,
and feeds the plants TO which they belong.
And there are special reasons why RAIN
water should be induced To pass through
the SOIL rather than lie stagnant on it. In
the latter case it is not only useless to the
plant, but it is directly mischievous. BY
evaporation it cools the surface, whereas
by percclation through the land it carries
the warmer temperature of the surface into
the subsol and OF what value this is to
the growth of crops may be gathered from
the experience of the last autumn, which
has been so productive of growth in our
pas .urcs to so nu1sually late a season.
not SO much from til, increased tempera-
ture of the air during November and De-
cember, which has been only about two
or three degrees above the average of the
last 80 years, as from the increased tenn
perature of the soil and subsoil at one and
two feet deep, which has been five or six
degrees. above the average of the past l3
years, during which observations have
been made near London. And not only
is it of importance that rain, by passing
through the land, should carry the tempe
nature of the surface, warmed by the d.
rect rays of the sun, downwards, rather
than by evaporaing from the surface, it
should carry the heat away and cool the
soil but the percolalion rather than the
slagnation OF the water is desirable, because
IN The one case air is made to permeale
the land, in the other it is excluded.
The chemical changes which air pro-
duces on and in the soil arc desirable, end
result in the preparation of useful food for
plants; while by lis exclusion, substances
OF IA poisonous nature, especially when
iron and vegetable matter exist together in
the soil. are ormed---.Nor'on's (English)
Farmers Calendar.
Importance Of Gravel Stones fer Fowls.
Did you ever dssect the gizzard of a
hen, turkey, goose or duck The giz-
card and gravel stones in it, serve the pur-
pose of teeth, in reducing the food to small
PARTICLES, in order to facilitate digestion.
The feed is swallowed in chunks, or the
grain is received into the crop unbrokcn.
Here all such substances are so,lrned, and
passed, little ut time, through the giz-
zard, which is surrounded by strong mus
cles and when food is passing through
it,it dilates and contracts similar to the
motion of bellows, and the food, kerr
nels of grain, coming in contact with the
gravel stones, is separated and torn to
pieces. After the process is completed,
the food is digesled These little mill
stones, as it were, do not remain long in
the gizzard; they are carried out with the
food, and a new seris brought along from
the crop, to be thus ground. Now, if the
fowls are confined. as they often are,
where they cannot have access 10 all the
sharp gravel they need, their digestion
must be imperfect, and they cannot do
well, especially if fed OH whole grain. =
Fowls need sharp gravel stones within
their reach to swallow every dav. and if!
they do not have a range, gravel should
be kept by them, in their inclosurcs.-
Boston Cnlipator.