Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-07-31

DRAl>AcE Weare pleased to see in oar ag-
riculturl exchanges from the West. that the
farmers in that region are becoming aware Of
the Importance of improved cultivation in or
der to secure regular and large crops. To Oh
waite the evils arising from frequent and &c
we're changes from extreme drought to ex-
cessive wet-;he planting of trees and drain
age Is earnestly recommended. Concerning
the latter writer in the Proi1. Formsr
says
One remedy might be rcclothinc with tim
Der in the shape of groves and belts but, un
fortunately. the change ], upon us, and We
must do something we are growing tim
Der The evil may be remedied in great
measure by thorough drainage. 4 porous
soil will absorb one-halfits diameter OF water
and if provision be made TO pass the surplus
off. it will not remain wet Thorough drain
ing accumplishes this hence it VIII never
suffer, to a dangerous degree, from excessive
rain On the other hand, it will not suffer
from severe drought. Earth free to the PER
collation. of water becomes porous and friable 4:
but covered, or indeed constantly saturated.
it becomes sodden and unfrialIe therefore.
If the sub-soil Is sufficiently porous naturally
and there il an outlet for the water. the soil
IL naturally drained, and with proper atten-
ton To manuring and cultivation. a3Eavs fer
tile. Fit Is not. it should be made 50 bv un-
derdrHining.
Wet soils, as a rule, are filed with latent
fertility caused by the s'Iriace-washinss from
higher portions. Draining prevents, in a
great measure, thej'. washing, by allowing
the moisture to soak downwards, rather
than to run al ong the surface. We know
many farms where the produce might easily
bedouhled b. draining thoroughly, say halt
the area, and the length Of the season in
creased II am one to two weeks, thereby.
The '-reat objection to drainage lies in it
trst cast Let us see if it will pay upon
gro md worth fifty dollars per acre, which is
a. out the cost of draining with tile, where
the farmer uses his own teams and helps in
eyca,ating and filling drains and hauling ma
terials. 1t isa well admitted fact that any
soil not naturally drained may be made to pro
duce from onc-quarter To three-quarters NOR,
Grain annually by underdrainage, IN proper
non a. it II leos or more wet. Now II we eN-
pend. SAY sixty dollars per acre IN placing
drains thirty feet apart and three feet deep
the interest on this at six per cent. Is three
dollars and sixty cents per annum-a sufficient
" high rate of interest for any permanent i'm
proyements OF at ten per cent. 1t is SIX dol
lars per anuum. He increases his corn croI
ten bushels thereby. which. at fifty cents PEI
bushel, i, five dollars or at present prices II
Chicago. II ninety-thrcc cents, which Is equa
to nine dollars and thirty cents per acre.
But we have not done. These wet place
were hitherto not only an eye sore, dut actu
ally were running the farmer in debt, from
year to year. since they rendered his field to,
wet to raise even corn, bat must, nevertheless
be plouched and cultivated with the balance
Being drained, they are the richest portion
ofhis Geld. and from producing nothing to tel
q &heen bushels per acre, they produce iron
ATTY TO seventy i've and eighty bushels per acre
welding at fifty cents FER bushel, twenty-five
dollars thirty-seyen and half, or forty dol
lars or at ninety cents. fofty-iive dollars
sixty, fifty, and scyenty-tTo dollars per adr
"a very pretty premium for the outlay aite
deducting hauling &c. This is not even all
corn planted in this country three weeks az
Is up and ready for ploughing. 1.-THE pTs7en
trains ould continue another week-an
there is every probability OF tit might pre-
vent a crop being raised at all in which ca.
the draining of the land would pay for IA
farm the first season.