The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-06-04

Farm drainage, though, in a rude form,
AZ old rs the ancients, Is growing upon the
attention Of practical farmers who want to
turn bad lands into good, TO improve the
air they breathe, and to keep up with the
progressive nelghbor who is not above
taking hint from book or newspaper
Tie comparative cheapness Of tiles the
ease with which they can be laid and the
profit which follows their intelligent en-
ploynent are considerations which are
yearIy adding largely to the drained acreage
-, Most Of our reading farmers arc familiar
With the splendid results that have follow
ed the drainage ofthe great tracts OF wet
lands in England, where good, rich, highly
nroduct;ye soil has been brought out Of q
chronic condition oil unresponsive wetness
The profits realized on these investments
would be thought large in any manufactur
inc business. Where the sOitia abnormally
cnIi in winter and hot in summer; where
ventilation is shut off aud decomposition
retarded or almost entirely suspended
where the seed has little chance to breathe
and receive essential nutriment, 1t has little
chance 10 terminate, and the harvest will
be lipht il not fit failure. The plant eau
not become robust where its solid food Is
subject to constant excessive dilution.
The farmer who has sour soil, wet to-day
and baked tomorrow, has little more than
bislabor for his pains in his effort to pro-
duce a crop. Before he can hope to reap
n nrea:ihe must restore bis soil to life and
health, and that wet lands can be 50 re-
stored by tile drainage is demonstrated
problem. -,
In recent address before the Ohio
Drainage Association Mr.. G, M. Harrison
read very instructive paper on this sub
iect. Mr.. Harrison holds that waste wet
lands can be made equal to the best, and
he says that tile drainage pays profit
of from. 25 per cent to 100 per cent on the
investment He cites what was done in a
township Of johnson county Indiana,
where in five consecutive years before tile
drainage was introduced the average yield
Of wheat to the acre was nine and
half bushels, after tile drainage
the Weld was nineteen aud one'quarter bu'
shelf; The corn yield increased from
thirty.one and one.quarter bushels to sew
enty. and one. quarter. There wasa de
crease OF aboutl60 per cent in malarial cases.
Mr.. Harrison summed up his address in
these propositions: "a e.. (! .'..pn
That t,le.dtainase deepens the soil; that Il
improves the texture OF the soil; It gives 10,
soil the benefit Of atmosphere circulAtioni Il
enabl,s Us TO work sooner after rains; II
nIakAs Tie soil ten degrees warmefi 1t enaoiet
ms 20 yet at work earlier In the spring; It pre-
vents grass IRON freezing out IN winter !,
enables us to get The iuil benefit OF he Ter
,tiliz1rs. weappIy; 1t improves the quality Of
bDtn pastiIre and hay; II gets our fields 10
4 eleanor. healthier condition, and Will
Greatly aid us IN our battle with foot-rot in
sheep: II will TO certain extent prevent sur
face.Washing: I, makes the soil more triable
and mellow, and ehsier TO cultivate, u pre-
vents ladd from becoming sour by removing
= all sta,dingiwate before 1t becomes stagnanl;
Il Il ma less liable to be injuted BY the
+, trampipg OF stock and hauling with wagons;
Il will remove the poverty grass anu ncsle
grass from our spr0uty hillsIdes, and clothe
them with luxariant pasturage, which will
greatly improve our stock. 10 many In
stances slips and unsighly places on bill
sides could be prevented; itwould be OF IN:
caloalable benefit to our public roads; IL vii!
4. doagay with much OF the mud around
farm buildings; 1t will lessen the danger
7 from IN 4 ariai dleases It will DIVE the mort.
gage from many farms, and greatly proomote
ths health Of man.. woman, and ehllu. "
means farming on intelligent and progressive
principles, and 1t 10 the basis on which the
.ilsure agricultural prosperity Of our country
rests. .,.,i,i.. ...,,I .,.7., ...,,,-, !.
In a recent conversation with General
/. McCausland he gave tina writer aninter-
esting account Of what is being done in
tile drainage in his own county Of Mason,
where thewet lands on the kanawha, 80 long
as they are left wet, ARE low in value and
production. About three hundred thousand
feel 81 tile have already been laid in Mason,
and the work Is being pushed with activity.
General Mecadsland is tiledraining his
own land, and is hopeful Of large results
Outside OF this there is no hope for the wet
lands oiwest Virginia. '-'- Z '
HuU aU.fIs u III :. 1."IE. ...