The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-07

circulate through every living thing, anil
NAL or vegetable, not Invisible tubes alone,
but by channels which the microscope can
hardly trace or discover. May not the very
philosophy of tile-draining with its strange
success consist In this: that on every square
inch of its surface are mulutudes OF orr.
fees draining the water away from the I'D
iacent soil and acting as outlets for the. por-
Gus earth as the water is distilled aw,.y from
it? Else how Is tile drain 30 Much more
effectual than any other dram eyer invent
ed Crevices and joints do not account for
this.
And now few words with regard to the
distance at which the side drains leading
into the main should be laid from each 9TH
err. 1t is impossible to fix any definite rule
| for this. But in land like my own where
the clay is very stiff. and the accumulation
of surface water very great, l think TWEEN.
tv-fiye feet would be fair and economical
rule to adopt Thirty-five feet is the rule
elsewhere. But as the rains In our country
arc very copious, and the work of relieving
| the soil of water is very great, our drains
should undoubtedly be more frequent than
| iu climate where rains are more after the
order of drizzle.
Next in order after the distance to be
adopted between the drain comes the depth
at which they should be laid. 1t is evil
IDENTITY indispensable, that they should be
laid below the reach of frost. Beyond this,
| opinions differ materially. 1t is now gen.
orally conceded however, this deep drains
work the best, discharge the most water,
and most quickly and thoroughly drain the
land in winter and spring. think in this
climate they should be laid at least three
feet deep, and that when thry are laid over
five feet they lose portion of their efiici-
ency'
thrust that you will not forget that thor
ough drainage does not belong to pioneer
farming. 1t is no part of the work of clear
ing the forests and expellng the wilt
beasts. Neither does it belong to what II
called fancy farming alone. Every man II
the region of this town and county who car
afford to keep his farm through care and
industry and thrift can just as we'll afford
to drain portion of it as he can afford Il
fence and manure it, If he can afford t.
do the one he can afford TO do the ether
If he applies his industry to one, he cal
better apply 1t to the other. For he ma,
build the most substantial walls arount
fields loaded with manure, and yet fint
himself enclosing nothing but "vexation o
spirit and a reproach to all his labor, be
cause he has failed to lay the foundation
of his agriculture on well drained soil
Every mechanic who owns his cottage AM
few adjoining acres will do well to begil
at the bottom of his soil If he hopes to real
the reward of the farming which he snatch
es from the bench and the workshop.
have dwelt long on the subject Of drain
age because it is really the fundamental bu
siness of agriculture, wherever special farm
ing is accurately and profltably pursued
, And shall feel that have done my dut
faithfully and effectually If l have lai
, down any rules or related any experience
which will guide you in this important an
intricate work.
The discourse of Mr.. Hopkins, long an
elaborate beyond the usual patience of tn
, club, was listened to with profound inter
! est by large majority of the members
, Here and there one inauifostou desire
I, ! enlarge upon the merits of stone drains an
y the value of reclaimed boys. But th
e genera feeling was against him and MI
/ hopkins found himself the undispute
r master OF the situation at this time at leas
h.. Dr. Parker AID the school-master had iii
4 tened attentively-buJ evidently uncor
a scious at times of the course of the argr
3 ment. They know enough however to Z
\ home when club s.liourned, and not I
= linger together before M-. Hopkinss glow
:, ing fire. And so the discusion of drain
= age ended. Ns