The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-10-26
Farm anu QarOen.
Dr3in5nS E,ntcsi


The dry weather that follows the clasin,r Of
Summer is favorable time for draining. low or
naturally moist lands.
At this season the natural springs ar danin-
ished the ground is settled, and other labor on
the farm permits attention to such vorl. better
than any other season. Thorough draining. as
means towards the successful improvement of wet
soil, is an ACKNOWLEDGED fact But The expprse.
with the uncertainty OF immediate profit. friubt
many farmers from iudicious system og
ditching and draining lands which wouid be the
most productive and valuable TO their estates
Again, there are lands convenient Tor outlet and
full OF water, which would cost little. save, labor
to render the drainage perfect Y, tbe.a lands
frequently remain in their natural state ven. AZ
ter year, producing crops of little value. and
passing from one proprietor to another, without
improvement.
There are no data, or estimate in general.
whereby to ascertain the net cost Of draining
per acre. Everything will depend on the nature
OF the soil, the cost of labor, material depth and
extent OF drains, DC. Brick tile, of the horse
shoe, sole and pipe varieties are unque,tOuably
THE best, although more costly. Stone drains are
chesply constructed where the material is close
AT hand. Board and brush drains answer d tenn
porary purpose; but we would advise either of
the tlrst mentioned where land is valuable and
capital is at hand. Undertakings, unlike somos
unskillful manner 1t must be executed with
some engineering art, with the object Of perInan-
ency, and of rendering the soil better adupsed TO
plant growth.
There are fields on almost every farm that have
too much water, surplus of which retards
vegetation by preventing the free access of the
atmosphere; also preventing the decomposition
OF food on which the crops, either grass or cere-
ais. depend Such land is cold, inert and sour.
Ii under cultivation it cannot D. plowed in
the Spring. until most other lands are planted
then, if the is cold or wet the crop is in.
varlably light-frequently not above the cost of
cultivation. II IN grass, such lands yield coarse,
sour nay, or indifferent pasturage. Manure 70.
taton of crops and even the best cultivation, fail
70 bring remunerative returns The only remedy
- drainage. Sometimes under moisture is caus-
81 by rain fall only, which can be obviated by
open bitches, where the right roll. or descent can
be reached More frequently we find wet land
underiaid with An iinpervious stratum, along
which spring water flows, seeking an outlet at
the surface. This water, and its evaporation
make the top soil boo wet for cultivation or the
maturity Of the crops.
Drainage increases the temperature of soils II
then absorbs the atmospheric air, the solar heat
and other plant food. 1t also aids the decompo-
sitlon OF manures and all vegetable matters that
produce fertility
more liable 10 suffer from drought than those
thoroughly drained.
The former, in "A dry time, become baked and
compact, and do not readily absorb moisture from
the atmosphere but well-drained soil, open
and 1riab, receives into its pores, absorbing like
sponge, the dew and aqueou, vapor in the air
his moisture i thus taken down through the
soil to the roots OF the plants. Another evil Of
unframed land 1t is more subject 10 froats-Arc-
Hack .itiu,p 81. IL -,
naturally dry. Again, winter grains, and even
grasses, are badly injured by freezing aad thaw-
ing, i'm the winter lnonths) on moist wet lands.
The roots OF both grass and grain are frequent
lv thrown out OF this unbalanced soil and the
crop materially injured. Undrained land, under
peculiar circumstances also cngenders fevers and
asues--provlng that health l. sometimes periled
and lost by living in close proximity follow land,
that are always saturated with MOISTURE Farm
mi FIrcodt.