The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1883-06-13
WE Dralnage ~ IEel Lnnaa

bad lands into good, toimproye The
air they breathe, and to keep up
with Che progressive neigbbor who
is not above taking a hint from a
book or q newspaper. The com.
paratiye cheapness tiles, the ease
with which they can be laid and
the profit which follows their in.
telligent employment are consider
atoms which are yearly adding
largely 10 the drained acreage.
Most Of our reading farmers are
familiar with the splendid results
that have followed the drainage Of
the great tracts Of wet lands 10
England, where good, rich, highly
productive soil has been brought
out Of u chronic condition Of unre.
sponsiye wetness. The profits re-.
allied on these investments would
be thought large in any manufac.
turing business. Where the soil is
abnormally cold in winter and hot
in summer; where ventilation is
shat of and decomposition retard.
ed or almost entirely suspended
where the seed has little chance 10
breath and receive essential nutri.
ment, 1t has little chance 10 gerini.
nate, and the harvest will be light
if not a fat failnral Tha nlanI- Gas.
not become robust where its solid
food is subject TO constant excess.
i've dilution. The farmer who has
q sour soil, wet to-day and baked
tomorrow, has little more than his
labor for his pains in his effort to
produce a crop. Before he can
hope to reap a profit he must re-.
store his soil to life and health, and
that wet lands can be so restored
by tile drainage is q demonstrated
problem.
In a recent address before the
Ohio Drainage Association Mr.. G..
NJ, Harrison read u very instruct.
i've paper on this subject. Mr..
Harrison holds that waste wet
lands can be made equal 10 the
best, and he says that tile drainage
pays q profit Of from 25 per cent TO
100 per ceht on the investment
He cites what was done in a town
ship Of johnson county, Indiana,
where in five consecutive years be.
fore the drainage was INTRODUCED
the average yield of wheat to the
acre was nine and half bushels,
after tile drainage the yield was
nineteen and one.quarter bushels;
the corn yield increased from thir
ty.one and one.quarter bushels to
seventy.one and onequarter.-
There was a decrease of about go
per cent in malarial cases. Mr..
Harrison summed up his address
in these propositions
That tile drainage deepens the
soil; that il improves the texture
Of the soil; IL gives the soil the ben.
eft Of atmosphere circulation; it
enables US to work sooner after
rains; it makes the soil ten degrees
warmer il enables US togct at work
earlier in the spring; It prevents
grass from freezing out in winter;
IL enables us to get the full benefit
of the fertilizers we apply; it i'm
proves the quality Of both pasture
and hay; ii gets our fields in a
cleaner, healthier condition, and
will greatly aid us. in our battle
l,iil. fnnl..at..iin-sl,~~lb iillssill,.Ie-S-
certain extent prevent surface.
washing; it makes tho soil more
friable and mellow, and custer to
cultivate; it prevents land from he.
coming sour, by removing all stand.
ing water before it becomes stag.
nant; il makes land less liable to
be injured by the tramping Of stock
and hauling with wagons; it will
remove the poverty grass and tickle
grass from our sprouty hillsiles,
and clOthe them with luxuriant
pasturage, which will greatly i'm.
prove our stock. In many in.
stances slips and unsightly places
on hillsides could be prevented; it
would be of incalCulable benefit to
our public roads; it will do away
with much Of the mud around farm
buildings; it will lessen the danger
from malarial diseases; it will drive
the mortgage from many farms,
and greatly promote the health Of
man, woman and child. 1t means
farming on intelligent and pro.
gressive principles, and 1t is the
basis on which the future agricul.
tural prosperity of our country
rests.
In q recent conversation with
General McCausland he gave the
writer an interesting account of
what is being done in tile drainage
in his own county of Mason, where
the wet lands on the Kanawha, 50
long as they IRE left wet, are low
in value and production. About
three hundred thousand feet Of tile
have already been laid in Mason,
and the work is being pushed with
activity. General McCausland is
tile.draining his own land, and is
hopeful Of large results. Outside
of this there is no hope for the wet
lands Of West Virginia.