The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-11-15

", OHIO, FRIDAY, N0VEN
> what Do we Drufn For
7 This question will be answered
t very differently by different farmers.
r The most common idea is that the
, object in draining is to carry off the
, surplus water. This idea is good
5 enough as far as it goes, but it is but
E one of the many benefits derived from
; draining.
If lighted candle be held at the
: outlet of a good tile drain, we will
find that there is very good draught
, inward, and that the strength OF this
draught is proportionate to the length
of the drain. Here, then, Is supply
of air rushing up the drain; but what
: becomes oft? 1t passes out through
| the soil to the roots of the plants
growing thereon. This supply OF
air from below causes the roots to
run deep and thus enables the plants
to withstand dry season. -
tits well established fact that any
soil is greatly benefited by water
!, passing through #. Hence the ben
eft of rain. On drained land, the
rain water. instead of running off and
washing away the soil, sinks readily,
and as it opens passage through
!. the soil is followed by the air from
above.
1t seems to be fixed idea that sit
will not pay" to drain land on which
water does not stand after rain ;
but in England, where draining has
reached high state of perfection, it
has been found that any land may be
much benefited by draining. In ad-
} dition to the above mentioned bene
fits, the following may be enumer-
ated. .-l T.- s-.-t IN.
1t prevents the Winter killing of
the crops, such as wheat and grass.
Wheat and grass are often killed or
injured during the Winter by the
water in the soil freezing and caus-
ing it to expand. This tears and in
jures the roots Of the plants. Good
drainage removes this water and thus
obviates the evil Draining is equiv
alent to lengthening the season, for
the soil warns sooner in the Spring,
and does not part with its heat so
soon In the Autumn as the undrained.
Thus, drained land can be worked
without injury much sooner in the
Spring, and much sooner after wet
spell, than undrained land.
We know that when water evapo-i
rates it carries of a large amount Of
heat. In undrained land large pro-
portion of the water at or near the
surface is evaporated, and robs the
soil of large amount of heat, which
should benefit the crop. Where the
land is drained, this water, instead Of
being evaporated near the surface,
q is carried down through the soil, and
discharged by the drain. After a
shower the water on the surface sinks
to the drains, and is soon carried eff,
but in its passage through the soil it
opens the pores of the soil, and as
soon as the water is gone they are
filled With air from the surface and
from the drain.-.Allsail contains,
= -srfous metallic salts which are in)u~
rious to vegetation the air by COM
ing in contact with these converts
them into oxides, which are either
L~-SGvisl do not nurt vegetation.
The air has the power of decompos-
ing any vegetable matter it may meet
with in its passage through the soil.
A warm rain falling on a drained soil
sinks through, and imparts its warmth
to the soil.
] Some would be disposed to think
that it cannot be good plan to re-
move the water from the soil during
dry weather; but practice has proved
that drained soils suffer much less
from long continued drought than
those which are not drained. This
is easily accounted for; the air which
passes along the drain is charged
with large amount o: moisture,
which it imparts to the soil while
passing through. FaoaEas{e
Many soils contain portion of the
sulphate of iron; the air coming in
contact with this compound will i'm
part to il an additional proportion of
oxygen, and thus form peroxide OF
iron. The sulphate is injurious to
vegetation, and the peroxide health
ful. -
1t has been found by repeated ex-
periments made in England, that the
cost of judicious draining is repaid
every three or four years: The av
lerage cost of draining English land
lis about $50 per acre. If this would
.tinorease therwhcat crop but Ave bush,
,iels per acre it would give an interest
tof twenty-five per cent on the cost,
! or would repay the outlay in four
years. Draining is very beneficial
lib the North, where the seasons are
short; for crop on drained land
will ripen ten or fifteen days sooner
than one on lundrained land. An
other benefit of draing is the i'm
proved health of the country, which
is very important consideration
Germanto,cn Telegraph. zo5f assl.A