The Ottawa free trader., 1875-05-08
FARM AND GARDEN.


Advantages OF Undertaking.
1t can be safely said that nne-tents of tho
land under cultivation would be benefited
by being underdraincd. II all land would
not be sufficiently benefited to pay for the re
QuIred outlay, by the increased yield OF
crops, very much Of it would, and it could
be cultivated with much more satisfaction to
the farmer. There is but comparatively lit
dc land in the west not underlaid with hard
pam which seems to be q wise provision OF
the Great Designer, except where it ap
proaches too near the surface. The water
supplying most Of the wells rests upon it, and
though not inexhaustiblc, it acts rs a reserve,
the value OF which is scarcely TO be overestl,
mated in supplying moisture to the roots o!
growing plants during our extreme droughts
On account of this 'hard-pan we are de-
prived of the springs which would otherwise
supply all our streams. Under the present
condition of things the ground soon fills with
water, compelling large surplus to run OIL,
carrying large quantities of fertilizing mate
rial, causing occasional great floods, while
as a rule the streams are dry. Judging from
our experience upon the broad, elevated re-
gions, the water lies nearer the surface than
upon the lower country Even along the
iowlands contiguous to many OF the smaller
streams inexhaustibe supplies of water can
only be had at great depth Such land Will
not perhaps be sufficiently benefited to pay
for the outlay required to underdrain, but
most other lands will. About one year in
much rain, and about another year in the
same period of time as much damage Is done
by the drought which damage is often more
the result OF previously wet condition of
the soil than OF the dry weather. How many
farmers have thought of the indefinitely long
drought all cereal crops will stand, if the
frost leaves the ground in good condition in
the spring and the season remains compara
lively dry all through the growing period? !?
In such case the roots follow the moisture
down several feet into the subsoil.
Undertaking Will keep the ground in
such condition as to allow sufficiently deep
penetration by the roots of plants that they
will not be materially affected by the meteo
rological conditions
Soil remaining in u saturated condition for
any great length OF time becomes broken
down in texture, leaving II in hard baked"
wet seasons the roots of plants remain very
are required to ruin crop.
With but few exceptional years early plant
ed crops succeed the best-better in yield and
better in quality. But early planting cannot
always be done without artificial means be-
ing used to relieve the lane of the surplus
water which falls duflng the vernal equinox.
Well understanding a farm with tile, though
the outlay may be equal to or much above
the value Of the land, will generally be safe
investment and give q perpetual income
greater than that derived from bonds bank
stocks. Much less time will be lost in plant
ing and in cutiyating crops, and in their
growth; tertlizing properties brought down
by the rains are left in the soil when the
water is allowed to percolate through il in
search OF the drains We have not the least
doabt that undertaking would increase the
average yield of farm crops at least % per
cent, while in special cases 1t would add a
hundred fold to the average productiveness
OF the soil.
The only plausible objection which can be
adduced is the cost, which will gradually
disappear as an urgent demand may develop
the resources of competitive skill to supply
the material and machinery. We think the
time will soon come when spring wheat will
be successfully raised in localities where now
It is Il very uncertain crop, by means of un-
draining and proper machinery TO give it a
short season of early cultivation between the
drills, which will prevent the entire evap0ra'
ton Of the moisture from the SOL ia the dry,
hot latitudes before the grain natures
OF course :herc are many farms and sec
tions of considerable extent where under
drainage has been provided for by nature to
q marked degree. The owners of such lands
have marked advantage Of which they
should make full lest Western Rural