Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-27


may be raised without it, but the
probabilities of securing a full crop are
greatly lessened if the land is not properly
drained. All admit that with heavy clay
soils, and those which remain saturated
with water, drainage is absolutely Deces-
gary, hut it is not as generally recognized
by all that by the addition of drainage, light
alluvial soils may also be greatly benefited.
Such, however, is now well established
fact, and in many of the Eastern States
where, from the nature of soils or
lay of the land, drainage was formerly
regarded as unnecessary and valueless,
complete and thorough systems of various
kinds of drainage have been introduced
from results of late experience, and, without
exception, very large increase of crops,
with far greater certainty Of profitable
yield, has been secured.
EFFECTS OF DRAINAGE.
Professor Johnston, of Durham Uni
versity, England, gives the effect of drain
age upon different soils, as follows ~
Stagnart water is removed, and the excess
of rainfall is quickly carried off. (2) The
ascent of water from below, either by ca
pillary action or by the force OF springs, is
arrested, thus preserving the surface soil
from an excess of moisture, and freeing the
subsoil from noxious substances injurious
to vegetation. 81 the water of rains is al
lowed to filter through, instead of running
over, and often injuriously washing the
surface of the soil. During this filtering
process the substances which the rain has
,la% nc fal1 r,r,b =
mospheric, and which are essential to
plant life. are extracted by the soil and left
easily accessible to the roots of plants. At
the same time the noxious substances
spoken of as accommodating in the subsoii
are washed out of reach of the plants.
This last function of drainage takes place
only gradually, but when the soil has
once been freed from the injurious
substances, and as long as the drainage
is kept in good condition, the noxious
ingredients of the soil will be re-
moved as fast as they reach the subsoil or
level OF drainage. az By the continual
descent of water a current of fresh air is
kept constantly moving downward through
the pores of the soil to the drainage level.
This access of air is brought about in the
following manner By each rainfall the
pores of the earth which were filled with
air are filled with fresh rain-water. The
air, being of the lesser quantity, ia dis
placed, and either passes down into, and
through the soil, or up into the atmos-
phere in either case it IS removed from the
soil. After the cessation of the rain the
WATER SINKS THROUGH THE PORES
OF the soil and is carried off through the
drainage channels, at the same time suck
ing in fresh air sitter it. 1t can be readily
seen that soil which is thoroughly drained
not only secures the substances filtered
from the rain.water, but is throughout the
whole depth supplied with continuous
supply of fresh air, which is so necessary
to the growth of all plants. (5) When
easily accessible to fresh air and deprived
of the excess OF water, the soil gradually
becomes drier, sweeter, looser and more
friable. The Jumps of stiff and clayey
earth crumble and gradually disappear,
thus actually changing the physical condi-
ton of the soil from one of lumpy and
obstinate nature TO a state of per-
feet filth. (6l By maintaining the
soil in permanent state of moist
ure the "coldness" of the soil is often
removed, and It's absence not infre-
uuently insures an earlier as we'll as later
period of vegetable growth. By this means
as much as several weeks are added to the
length of the growing season, with a cor.
responding increase in crop products. In
other words, the absence of - GOODNESS is
often equivalent, practically, to :. change
of climate for a few weeks, and that, too,
when it is most needed. 81 It is of very
frequent occurrence that on stiff clayey
lands the putting in of the crops is
hindered by untimely and excessive rains,
often until the season is so far advanced
as to make it necessary to substitute crop
of quicker maturity for the one first in
tended. Were such land properly drained,
the water would be carried off, and the
land left
READY FOR THE PLoW
Very soon after the rains had ceased, thus
rendering the farmer much less dependent
on the freaks of the weather for his crops.
(S) In all lands the removal of the surplus
water is equivalent to deepening of the
soil. Undrained lands often present dry
appearance, while at the same time the wa
ter stands only few inches below the sur
face, aud so near, as to impede the down
ward extension of the roots. If the water
stands in the subsoil the same effect fol.
lows, and any nutritive matter which it
might contain is effectualIy locked up from
the plant. If the surplus water be re-
moved from such soils by good system OF
drainage, the ai- follows the water in It's
descent and opens up to the roots Layer
Of soil which, in many cases, is rich in
materials needed by the plants, ard which,
for the most part, had been removed from
the soil above, both by the action of The
rains tending to wash them down into the
subsoil, and by the constant extraction OF
these substances shy the roots of plants.
The true soil may be said TO extend as far
down as the drainage reaches, and hence,
any increase in the depth of drainage pro-
duces a corresponding increase In tho depth
of the providing the subsoil contained
those substances necessary TO plant growth,
otherwise it could not be called soil which
may be defined as that medium or stratum
of matter on the surface of the earth il
which plants grow. Roots are incapable
of growing in subsoil which is
SATURATED WITH WATER,
And even deep-rooted plants fail to thrive
under such conditions t9) Not only il
the land made available to a greater depth
by drainage, but it is also brought into
that physical state when the application o.
uanures will be followed by the most ben
eficial results. Fertilizers Of any kind ap
piled to marshy lands yield but about one
half the returns which they would under
other circumstances produce. Drainage
therefore, should De a preparatory measure
to the application of any kind of manure'
or fertilizers (l0) In draining his land
the owner confers benefit on his neigh
bors, inssmuch as many of them, noticing
his Improved return, also resort to drain
ing. (ll) The general health of all the
people is bettered by perfect system Of
drainage.
The last two ressons assigned by Prof
Johnston in the above, it will be observed,
are more humanitarian than agricultural,
but are they under that view entitled &c
to less serious consideration? The main