The Republican journal., 1881-02-24
importance of Underdrainlng.

The great need of our American agri-
culture is drainage. 1t is also the first to
be attended to; underlying and controll-
ing as it does the success OF the whole
farming enterprise. Without it the farm
is only a farm in part. 1t is well known
that wet soil is not profitable soil
that partially wet soil is only partially
profitable; and that it requires dry, we'll
drained land to answer all the purposes.
You then, and then only, get the full ben
efit of the land, for then, and then only
is it in condition to work. Few farmers,
however, are aware of the extent that
our land needs drainage. 1t looks dry
enough; and at the surface is so. 1t will
grow grain and grass, and even to some
extent corn and fruit trees and so the
evil is not suspected. Thus farms are
run for generations, always at a cOmpar-
atiVe lOss-sOme fields III wet season a
complete failure and the thing is not
mended III a dry season, us would be sup
posed, as then the soil IA wet soil is usu-
ally clay soil) is baked and becomes
hard, showing large cracks. How much
land OF this description there is, 1t all
needs draining, and needs it greatly A
swamp it is known what to do with but
here is an evil out of sight. Yet has it
manifestations 10y which it may be known.
In u wet time the water sinks away slow
ly; SO that vegetation assumes a sickly
appearance, turns yellow, and unless re-
itVed, dies. We have already described
the effect in a drouth (irass and grain
are lifted up by the frost on such land
This is a common and great evil-So
- I
set farmers to thinking and adopting the
means Of avoiding it. All farmers hav-
ng such land are severe sufferers and
most Of our land is of this nature. Except
Ia some shalel and sandy districts, there
are few farms that do not need it, either
in larger or smaller spots, sometimes whole
telus, and not untrequentll entire farms
Besides the signs we have mentioned.
sure test is the post If that keeps
water in a dry time the land suffers seri-
ous damage every year while it remains
in this condition. Right here is where
the neglect is. We see the effect in the
spring. not only in the plant being thrown
to the surface, but the frost remaining
late, usually about TWO weeks later before
the ice in the soil Is thawed, and then
still wet, taking sometimes till quite late
loiure the ground is dry enough to plant,
leaving it almost invariably hard We
see it in the suffering crops in a rainy
season, when the grain drOops and the
weeds thriVe-new dormant weeds spring
ing into life. And we behold it with re-
gret when the ground is parched and
all the While we lay it to the weather; so
the evil is continued. And what are we
going to do about it? In the first place
man has no business to purchase a farm
unless he knows what to do with it. and
particularly how to put it in a condition
10 work, for it is only then that it is really
a farm. He must therefore include in his
purchases means sufficient to drain his
land where it needs it, which does not
necessarily require Il sum covering the
whole amount, but sufficient to start the
work and carry it through to completion
ina reasonable time, the sooner OF; course
the better 10 drain but a quarter or d
sixth Of the land in year would require
but comparatively d short time, mean
while the improved land aiding to finish
the rest. The expense all things consid-
cred, IS from thirty to forty dollars per
acre and should be put in the estimate
When the farm is secured. which requires
IA previous acquaintance with the soil.
All is 4 matter OF bare calculation. AS to
those who already have their land and
may be in a strait as to what to do with
it, the sooner they begin to lay the foun-
datiOn So long neglected the better Be
gin to dig at once, even if it requires en-
ira effort. This can Ne afforded at first,
and it may he. and quite likely is, the
means OF saving the land. And now for
the final and most important advice
make thorough work as far us YOU 90:
for a clogged drain is no drain at all. and
the bitches too shallow, or too far apart
Is but little better. Your ditching must
be done 50 as to drain thoroughly and
permanently. AS to how it is to be done
| will not attempt to explain here. There
is SO much variety Of soil and difference
in the lay of the land, and other things
affected by locality, etc, that it would
require more space than can be here
given. There are books that will tell
about it. But the better way is to con-
fer with a man who is qualified to give
advice; and let him examine and give
directions, for, remember, to drain a
whole farm, the whole Of it, is equal to
buying one. The Importance, therefore,
of proceeding carefully, beginning with a
trustworthy man for advice, and carving
out the work faithfully to the end, which
makes, in effect, new farm say this
the more as so much poor ditchingi is done