Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-08
Advantages Of Undertaking.

1t can be safely said that nine tenths
of the land under cultivation would be
benefited by being undetermined III all
land would not be sufficiently benefited
to pay for the required outlay, by the in
creased yield of crops, very much OF IT
would, and it could be cultivated with
much more satisfaction to the farmer.
There is but comparatively little land IN
the West not underlaid with harupan,"
which seems to be wise provision OF the
Great Designer, except where 1T APP
proaches too near the surface, The
water supplying most OF the wells rests
upon it, and, though not inexhaustible,
it acts as a reserve, the value of which Is
scarcely to be over-estimated in supply
ing moisture to the roots of growing
plants during our extreme droughts.
On account of this "hard-pan" we are
deprived of the springs which would
otherwise supply all our streams. Under
the present condition OF things the
ground soon fills with water, compelling
a large surplus to run off, carrying large
quantities of fertilizing material, Gauss
ing occasional great floods, while as
rule the streams are dry. sJudging from
our experience upon the broad, elevated
regions, the water lies nearer the surface
than upon the lower country. Even
along the lowlands contiguous TO many
of the smaller streams inexhaustlble sup
plies of water can only be had at great
depth. Such land will not perhaps be
sufficiently benefited to pay for the out
Law required to underdrain, but most
other lands will. About one year in
seven crops are largely damaged from
too 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 a previously
wet condition of the soil than OF the dry
weather. How many farmers nave
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 COM
paratively dry all through the growing
neriod? In such case the roots follow
the moisture down several feet into the
subsoil wa =,
Undertaking will keep the ground In
such condition as to allow suInclently
deep penetration by the roots or plants
that they will not be materially ahected
Inv the meteorological conditions.
Soil remaining in saturated condition
Cor any great length of time becomes
broken down in texture, leaving IL IN
hard, /" baked condition easily alicc. ei
by drought During wet seasons .ne
roots of plants remain very near 'ne sur VI
face, so that but lie" dly uays "i'
auired to ruin crop.
With but few exceptional years sal
planted crops succeed the DestTDes.oi -
Weld and better In quality. but :, ear,y
planting cannot always De zone Wllho ..a
artificial means being USED 10 ieh1yo IN tms
LAND of the surplus water WHEN iaiis
during the vernal equinox; wen uhu .sl,
draining a farm with tie, liouen l.no
outlay may be equal 10 or nucn 49, W.
the value of the lane, wHl esnei aily ~
safe investment and give a perPe.uai
income greater than thaL ueIi wv t .;.aa
bonds or bank-stoeks. Much Ic ss 'liao
will be lost in planting ana IN cul1 .;, a.
crops, and in their .groWth, lei.i'Ls
properties brought down ny .he i.AAJ
are left in the soil when tne WAFER s.a,s
| lowed to percolate through II ~ 'e iaaat
| of the drains. We have nov oie noaoe
doubt that understanding woulu lnoi ms,
the average yield of farm crops az .a ieai -
25 per cent, while in speciai case ro a ~
| would add hundred foia 70 INC as'ipAeo
productiveness' of the SOIL. ,h;ch
The only plausible opJecllioh NH MI
cam he adduced il the cost, "ils IN wa wa
gradually disappear as an urgexss nn,s,i,
NAV develop the resources VI oo nd
tive skill to supply the mate .i1,,i s ann
machinery. We think the ti,ne VIZ o &C.,
come when spring wheat VIII DC su~o !. p
fully raised in localities " peIe ~ 49,
q very uncertain crop, by means " a aiva II
draining and proper machinery 10 give y
: snort season Of early cultivation De-