Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-01
Farm Drainage.

Mr.. Howard Meeks, of Kent coun-
ty, Nd, recently read lecture before
the Grange of which he is member,
upon the subject of draining farms
in which, after giving some notable
examples of the benefits Of under
draining, as ordinarily understood,
he spoke as follows. We are indebt-
ed to the american Farmer for the
extract:
But there is a kind Of drainage that
is quite otherwise. These, like the
better sort. are not seen, or at least are
not 80 apparent as to attract attention.
They consist, as do the others. of mains
and laterals. To lay them costs moth.
ing, but once laid they become fountains
OF perpetual poverty.
In the early history Of Kent county
tobacco was the staple crop and contin.
ued TO be so until the cry went forth in
every direction farming don't pay"
Then farmers abandoned tobacco and
gave their attention more to cereals. II
denoted progress, for the cereals do
return something to the exhausted soil.
This kind of husbandry prevailed with
varying results until the discovery and
introduction Of Peruvian guano. It's
action on first application was marvel.
Gus and excited the most sanguine
hopes. Further trials, however. dispell-
ed the illusion, and demonstrated that
stimulants are not food, and that exces
siye excitation Of land, as OF animal life,
must result in subsequent and CORE.
spending exhaustion. Yet the process
is still going on. and today farmers
everywhere are toiling on in the delu.
sive hope of reaping some profit while
they are enricbing the dealers in com.
mercial fertilizers. a member of this
Grange has made close calculation and
finds that the farmer gets all the straw
and chaff and the phosphate merchant
all the grain. II is not tall extravagant,
| think, TO say that the outlay for fer.
tilzers in a single year in this county
would pay for cistern to contain the
LIQUID manure of the barnyards on
every farm in it. Moreover, that this
liquid manure, now wasted, applied to
grass lands, would be worth more than
twice the price Of The fertilizers employ.
ed. On nine tenths of our farms this
finds its way into the Chesapeake. This
is pernicious drain No. /. Added to
this is the almost universal practice of
leaving solid manure exposed to the
weather to leach and evaporate until its
strength is exhausted. The lack of
sheds or covered pits to protect our
manure is insidious and ruinous drain
No. .. These we may call mains of this
wasieful system of covered drains.
The laterals are innumerable. There
is no pit for ashes, and they are thrown
out to be scattered by the winds or
leached by the rains until they are
nearly worthless. The droppings of the
poultry house are suffered to lie abou [
In much the same manner until half
their virtue is lost. Plows, harrows and
other farm tools are left where last Used
to bleach and decay, to be replaced by
new ones to pass through the same
ordeal. Cattle and other stock stand
shivering in the wintry blast eking out
life eff woe by nibbling at a bunch of
straw while the farm buildings, dwell.
ing included. are tumbling TO pieces T;
while loose clap.boards and swinging
shutters are clapping a pean of praise
TO the presiding goddess of ruin The
farm has been drained and the owner
likewise. How long can such process
continue.