Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-11-24
Chester Farmers Climb.

Chester Farmers Climb.
The Chester Farmers Club met at the
residence of l.. NJ, Carpenter, Esq, on
Monday evening, Vice President Pollard
in the chair. The following resolution
was submitted for discussion; Resolved,
That thorough systematic plan of I'M
der draining would be beneficial to the
farmers of Chester.
j. j. MINER referred to an article in
the N. E. Farmer, wherein the writer ar
gued strongly in favor of under draining
dry land, but the speaker did not consider
it essential. The speaker stated that he
dug his drains from three to four feet
and then filled them with small cobble
stones, to the height of two feet, then cut
sods and placed over them, grass side
down. by this method the stones absorb
ed and in a great degree retained the
moisture, thus keeping the surface moist
in a dry time. The speaker gave as an
illustration of the benefits of under drain
ing his labors upon five acres of cold,
wet swale land, when he commenced work
upon it he considered it almost worthless,
by putting in drains he had brought it
into state of high fertility and it now
was the most productive of any land he
had.
d. ID. WILLIAMS agreed with Mr.. Mi
ner's theory of under draining wet,
swampy land, believed that this kind of
land could be made to produce good
crops by being under drained. The
speaker stated that he had had some ex-
perience in under draining, had fancy
for it, for he liked to work ON smooth,
even fields. If he spoke his convictions
in regard to this subject he should say
that he did not believe that in this part
of the country thorough systemat-
ic plan of under draining was practical
bic, and therefore it could not be made
profitable to the farmers. We may dis
cuss this subject till doomsday, aud yet
people will not agree with us, because
all land is not susceptible of being under
drained. The speaker stated that if he
had lived on any other farm he should
not have under drained his land, but liv-
ing on his present farm he was obliged
to do it in order to make the land valu-
able. For every man in town to adopt
such plan of draining as in England is
is required by law, the speaker thought
it might be profitable, at first this law
was thought to be burdensome and op.
pressive, but in the end it proved TO be a
great benefit, but this fact does not prove
that it would pay in this country. In
England their circumstances are differ.
ent and all land is available for the pur
pose of being under drained. Thought
: there was but little land about us that
would be under drained and pay the ex
+ pense. Statement had been made that
there was not hundred acres in any
E town but what could be under drained
did not place any confidence in the as
sertion. The reason why he had under
drained was because he desired to get rio
t of open bitches, and thus be able to use
the moving machine without stopping
, when he comes to trench. In England
. workmen would be hired for one shilling
e a day, here the laborer receives from
: 81, 90 to $500 per day, at the latter rat,
( it would cost the farmer $500, per acr,
a to under drain land. Wet, springy land
the speaker thought was improved by un
s der draining, and where the ditch wa
/ filled with stones, it retained the moist
! ure and the land was not affected b,
. drouth, but would produce good crop
G every year.
: l.. M. CARPENTER did not accept tn
t theory of under draining hap hazard
j thought it better for the ia mer to exper
iuiShb anu hhu OuJ WudG SOILS were Sulta
q BILE for under draining; by draining W,
change the nature of the soil. By drain
: ing hard pan, it becomes soft and Stacks
3 land which has been under drained is ap
t to gully in rainy time.
{ A. L. BALDWIN believes in draining
7 land, by draining one has a chance te
get rid of stone, and it drys wet, swampy
t land, and thus renders it easy of cult.
g walton and capable of producing large
g crops, dug his drains four to FIVE feet deep
: where the soil was rich, he took that por
: ton thrown out of the ditch and carted
: it to his barnyard, and by thus doing in
D creased the amount and quality of hi:
< manure. He got paid for under drain.
D ing by the increase in amount of his crops
r Some of the poorest land on the farm
when be bought it, had been rendered
| the most valuable by this system of I'm.
J der draining.
t IL, t. POLLARD stated that in 1887 he
bought the Lakin farm in Plymouth il
r contained 300 acres of poor land, with