The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-04-08
Advantages Of Undertaking.

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It Can be safely said that nine tenths
of the land under cultivation would be
benefited by being underdrained. If 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 har1pan,"
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 inexhaustible,
1t acts as 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
large surplus to run of, carrying large
quantities of fcrtilizing material, caus-
ing occasional great floods, while as a
rule the streams are dry. Judging 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 inexhaustible sup
plies of water can only be had at great
depth. Such land will not perhaps be
sufficiently benefited to pay for the out
lay 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 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 com.
paratively dry all through the growing
period? In such case the roots follow
the moisture down several feet into the
subsoil.
Underdraining 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 meteorological conditions.
Soil remaining in saturated condition
for any great length of time becomes
broken down in texture, leaving it in .
hard, baked" condition easily affected
by drought. During wet seasons the
roots of plants remain very near the sur
face, SO that but few dry days are re-
quired to ruin q crop.
With but few exceptional years carly
planted crops succeed the best-bctter in
yield and better in quality. But carly
planting cannot always be done without
artificial means being used to relieve the
land of the surplus water which falls
during the vernal equinox. Well under
draining 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 a perpetual
income greater than that derived from
bonds or bank-stocks. Much less time
will be lost in planting and in cultivatiDg
crops, and in their growth; fertilizing
properties brought down by the rains
are left in the soil when the water is al
lowed to percolate through it in search
of the drains. We have not the least
doubt that undertaking. would increase
the average yield of farm crops at least
Is per cent, while in special cases it
would add 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 competi.
tive skill to supply the material and
machinery. We think the time will soon
come when spring wheat will be success.
fully raised in localities where now it is
| q very uncertain crop, by means of under.
draining and proper machinery to give it
short season of early cultivation be.
tween the drills, which will prevent the
entire evaporation of the moisture from
the soil in the dry, hot ATTITUDES before
the grain natures.
OF course there are many farms and
some sections of considerable extent
where undertakings has been provided
for by nature to q marked degree. The
| owners of such lands have q marked ad-
vantage of which they should make full
use.-Western Rural.