Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-03-10
Reported for the Delaware Tribune
Kent Co. Farmers Club.

DISCUSSIONS ON DRAINAGE AND MaNURIN
srRIN6 CROPS.
A considerable number of the farmers q
Kent County, were in attendance at tb
monthly meeting of the Farmers Club O,
Saturday the 9Th inst.
In the absence of the President, DR.. Isaa,
Jump was called TO the chair.
The question recurring on the " Drainag,
and Cultivation of low lands"
G. ii. b. Day said the best way to drair
low lands was to use drain tile dilche,
should not be cut, and left open we otter
fail in not cutting bitches deep enough, watel
can be drawn from the top surface by shallow
bitches, but we must have deep bitches Il
drain the springs which are five or six feet
beneath the surface. Grain will not mature
if the roots touch the spring water beneath
the surface have known wheat roots tC
grow from five to six feet straight down,
through the earth the spring, water musl
be kept below the roots; many of our bitches
are not properly cut, ditch cut five feel
deep, should be five feet wide at the ton, and
slope in foot for every foot deep the ditch
is cut; he thought tile was decidedly the
best for draining purposes, and the deeper
they are laid, the better are the crops.
Mr.. Paris said the remarks of MIR. Day
were of II practical nature, but he was com.
PEELED to differ from him in regard TO deep
ditching, especially on his farm he had
raised excellent crops of wheat by surface
draining the land varied very much, som.
required deep and some shallow drainage (;
his was white oak land with clay soil !;
can raise fine crop by keeping the water
off the surface; don't know much about
corn, probably it might require deeper
drainage. He thought all kinds of LAID
needed draining springs are found often
on the brow of hill and frequently on the
tops of hills as well as in lowlands; he had
often seen barren places Oh the brow of a
hill which would not produce anything, no
matter how well manured. These barren
places are where springs ooze out near the
surface and destroy vegetation, for this reas-
on he thought hillsides and uplands required
draining as much as lowlands.
Mr.. Comegys said he thought Mr. Paris
land was different from Mr.. Days, the former
was an alluvial soil with an under layer OF
stiff clay ! the latter was an alluvial soil
underlaid with quicksands, through which
springs more easily reach the surface, and
with the surface water keep the ground con.
tinrally saturated, hence the need for deeper
drainage on Mr.. Days farm he agreed
with Mr.. Paris that hillsides should be
drained.
DIR. Ridgely said he owned farm adioin-
ing that of Mr.. Paris, but differed with him
in experience; he apparently, had good
wheat until the first Of April, but heavy
rain would come and turn 1t yellow; after |
the water ran of, it regained its healthy |
color. Another rain coming on turned il |
red, from which it never recovered; the |
cold Spring water worked up through the |
clay which underlies the soil, and came In |
contact with the roots Of the wheat, which |
stopped Its growth. have often noticed wa.
Ter oozing up through the clay deep drain
age is the only remedy TO prevent. Two Gets
Of tile should be used-one for cutting off |
The cold springs; the other for carrying OF
Ihc surface water. There are generally three
faults in the present system Of tiling, First
They pre- not laid deep enough, Second
they are too small, 7h.ydvthe bitches are
dps tpa fsf sEpsFt 4 piece n had pFppws