Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-04-14

lHS eHeClS, anu SHoulu, dS Id DIS poSSlDie,
be avoided. Understanding is the best
means of doing this, as it is the best
means of lessening the evaporation.
Surface draining must have commenced
with agriculture itself; and the necessity
of extending the fields as population in
creased, and the inconvenience resulting
from the presence of marshes in other
wise improved regions, must have sug-
gested at a, very early period of human
industry, the expediency of converting
Dogs and marshes into dry land by draw
ing off their waters. The first efforts
made in this direction must have been of
a very primitive character. But knowl-
edge in this, as well as in other branch
es Of agriculture, has advanced so much, |
that we seldom see burrows and open
bitches running zigzag through our mead
ows, and should see them more seldom
than we do. Tt is a noticeable fact that
a marshy district is always an unhealthy
one Water allowed to stand on or near
the surface of the ground soon becomes
stagnant; and this, with the decay Of
vegetable matter, emits poisonous eff1u-
via poisoning all the air in the immedi-
ate vicinity. I know man whose build
ings stood on what many would call an
excellent location and any casual OBJ
server would be very likely to entertain
the same opinion. About quarter Of a
mile below the house is swampy tract
once partially cleared, and now covered
with rank growth of weeds and grasses.
This fact has no significance to the un.
suspecting farmer above. He wonders
what makes his fruit and vegetables de-
cay almost as soon as gathered, while
his stock, in spite of extra care and at
tenti9n, look anything but thrifty. He
attributes his want of success to almost
every cause but the right one. He no.
tees that his cattle in summer wander
over to the other side of the hill, but it
never occurs to him that they are laying
to escape the deadly eff1uvia of the marsh
below. He lies down at night with death
all around him, all the more dangerous
because he cannot see it. Now a tho
rough drainage, by removing the water
from the surface and conducting it away
in underground channels, would remedy.
all this. Then the superhuous fluids of
the ground would be continually reach
ing a lower level, holding in solution
and carrying with them the poisons gen.
Grated by the decay of vegetable matter.
Fevers of all kinds are caused by viii
ated atmosphere. and all diseases are
greatly aggravated by it. 1t has been
noticed that fevers, and especially those
of a typhoid character, prevail to a
greater extent in marshy districts than
in Others How much more sensible
: would it seem for people living in such
localities, instead of pouring physic
down their threats, to assist nature in
throwing off these diseases, to thoroughly
under-drain the swamps adjacent thcil
dwellings, thus removing the exciting
cause. Of the precise profits of under
draining we have not the space to speak
but it may be well to remark here thai
many English farmers give it as thei1
experience that understands pay fo
o themselves every three years, OF that the,
produce perpetual profit of thirty thre
and one third per cent. on their origina
cost. This is not the opinion of theorist
and book farmers. 1t is the conviction
:, of practical men who know from expert
ence that under drains are beneficial
! The best evidence of their utility is tn
position with regard to them, taken b
: the English National Government, whic
o affords much protection to the agricultu
. raj interests of her people-,a protectio
v which in this country is most unwisel
:, withheld. In England a very large SUI
v from the public treasury has been apprt
r. priated as fund for loans on under
drains, which is lent to farmers for til
- purpose of understanding their estate
- the only security given being the ii
! creased value of the SOIL The time a
IF lowed for payment is twenty years, an
IN only five per cent interest is charges
10 By the influence of this patronage, Il
L. actual wealth of the kingdom is beir
:, rapidly increased, while the farme
bo themselves can raise their farms to ar
bo desired state of fertility without imm
% diate investment. The best proof tn
! the government has not acted iniud
:, ciously in this matter, is that priva
= capitalists are fast employing the
~ money in the same manner, and loa
- on under-drains are considered a We
I'M safe investment. Perhaps we may So
- have similar facilities for improving o
49, farms; and when we do we shall find
,or unnecessary to move west to find 60
dc SOIL The districts nearer market, whe
&c the expense of transportation is mu
200 less, may by aid of understands, and
judicious system of cultivation, be ma
,er equally fertile.
EDWARD STAFFORD.
Use
h. GLOVER, VI, April 10, 1873.