Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-12-05
INCORPORATING.
Some Of the Advantages which Acorn
from n ,Judicious system of Drainage.

Some OF the Advantages which Accrue
from Judieious system of Drainage.
1. It prevents drought.
2. It furnishes an increased supply Of
atmospheric fertilizers.
8. 1t warns the lower portion Of the
soil.
4. 1t hastens the decomposition Of
roots and other organic matter.
s. 1t accelerates the disintegration Of
the mineral matters in the soil.
6. It causes n more even distribution
Of nutritious matter among those parts
of the soil traversed by roots.
z. 1t improves the mechanical texture
of the soil.
8. 1t causes the poisonous excremen-
It'll Gus matter of plants to be carried out
of reach of their roots.
o. 1t prevents the grasses from run
ming out.
10. 1t enables us to deepen tho sur
face soil by removing excess of water.
IL. 1t renders soil earlier in the
spring.
12. 1t prevents the throwing out of
grain in winter.
13. 1t allows work to be done sooner
after rains.
Ia. 1t keeps off the effects of cold
weather longer in the fall.
15. 1t prevents the formation of acetic
and other acids, which induce the
growth of sorrel and other weeds.
16. 1t prevents, in a great measure,
the evaporation of water, and the con-
sequent abstraction of heat from the
soil.
IL. 1t admits fresh quantities of
water from rains, ETC., which are al
ways more or less imbued with the fer
tilizing gases of the atmosphere, to be
deposited among the absorbent parts of
soil, and given up to the neces sites of
plants.
1S. 1t prevents the formation of so
hard crust on the surface of the soil
rs is customary on heavy lands.
10. 1t prevents, in a great measure,
grass and winter grains from being win
ter killed. l
The first care of the farmer, that on
which the success of his future crops
almost entirely depends, is the removal
of unnecessary supplies of water
whether arising from the tenacity of the
surface retaining too much, or from
springs exuding to the surface. For it
is evident that as different crops require
very varying quantities, so the cultiva-
tor must adapt the moisture of the soil
to the crops he proposes to produces; the
supply which is necessary, for instance,
for the profitable growth of the rice
plant would destroy the grasses; and
again the damp soils, which are so favor
able for the growth of grasses, would be
much too moist for the cereal crops.
The nature of the climate, the soil and
the subsoil must all be taken into ac-
count. The plants growing on sandy
soils, of course, will bear much larger
proportion of water than those vegeta-
ting on clay soils. Underdrains COM
monty vary in depth from two and one
half to four feet, and in peat soils, on
account of the very material settling
which takes place as they are brought
into cultivation, from this to six or seven
feet. The first operation necessary upon
field intended to. be drained is the
examination of the strata, or veins of
earth, of which it is composed, and this
is commonly effected with the boring
auger, or by digging small pits or open
drains, as by this means the oozings or
weepings will speedily display them
selves, and indicate pretty correctly the
source whence the superabundant water
proceeds. This being ascertained, the
direction of the underdrains will be the
more easily decided. If the soil is Of
such description that the subsoil
plow can be used with advantage, ther
the tops of the stones, bricks or tiles by
which the drain is formed and preserved,
should not be less than two and one
half feet from the surface of the soil
In the formation of these drains the
workman always commences on the
lowest extremity; by this means, be
sides other advantages, the water, as hi
arrives at it, drains away from him, ant
shows him, by its escape, that he is pre-
serving proper fall. When the drair
is cut to the proper depth it. is filled W
with the materials through which th
drainage waters are to flow, to within
such distance only as is out of reacl
of the plow, and then the earth il
shoveled back again over the drainag
materials. s.-AndreD III. Ward, in Bosto'
Globe.
| JOSIAH DAVIS North Middletown, XIV.