Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-09-03
THE NORTHWEST
For the Northwest
DRAINAGE.

[For the Northwest.I
DRAINAGE.
The subject of drainage is one that in
terests every person in the community.
Those who own no lands are interested
from a sanitary standpoint, and those
who do, are interested both from sani-
tary and pecuniary standpoint. In
England the subject has occupied pub
lie attention, for a much longer
period than in America. In that
country they have gone through the
process of investigation and experiment,
and have arrived at a knowledge of the
science of drainage, that may well be
worthy our earnest attention. We may
profit by the knowledge they have
gained through the expenditure of mil
lions of dollars in experiments. 1t is
usually supposed that the only benefit to
be derived from system Of drainage is
the pecuniary profit which may be had
from the increased amount, of crops
which may be grown upon drained
land. That appeals directly to the
pocket, and consequently receives the
greatest share of attention. There are
other benefits that are equal, if not
greater than the pecuniary profit.
WHAT LANDS NEEDS DRAINAGE?
All lands that are not drained by ma
ture, i. e. all lands that have subsoil of
clay, or other substance impervious to
water. If land is not drained either by
nature or art, the soil soon becomes
saturated with water, and The water
that falls on it in that condition runs
off, if there is sufficient fall on the sur
face, or stagnates on the ground until
evaporated by the sun, in the meantime
breeding disease as well as preventing
the growth of vegetation. In this part
OF Ohio there is an average of from 36
40 inches ofrainfall annually. In that
amount of rainwater there is as much
ammonia, as there is in three hundred
pounds of Peruvian guano together with
three-quarters ofthat amount of other
nitrogenous matter, making more than
500 pounds of the richest plant food,
that is allowed to escape by a failure to
underdrain. When the ground is un-
under drained, this valuable plant food
is absorbed by the soil, i. e. it is filtered
out and left to nourish growing crops,
while the water escapes into the drains
below. Rainwater also contains air
and carbonic acid, which also have their
uses. The oxygen of the air attacks
any iron that may be in the soil, oxidizes
it and renders it soluble for the use of
plants. The carbonic acid performs
the same service in rendering the lime,
potash and other alkalies soluble; plants
can not make use of these articles until
they are made soluble. Air and car
bonic acid disintegrate and pulverize
the soil and render it more easily pene-
trated by the roots of growing crops,
and thus this great storehouse of plant
food is placed in the best possible
condition for the use of vegetation.
What we therefore accomplish by
thorough system of under drainage is
the filtering of the water through the
soil, and extracting from it all its plant
food, and then carrying off the surplus,
that would be otherwise damage to
us by underground drains.
There are two kinds of drainage in
common use, i. e. open bitches and COW
cred drains. The former are useful in
carrying off storm and surface water.
The latter carries off the surplus water
from the soil and reduces the ground
water to the level Of the drains. These
may be used together with advantage.
The open bitches when dug deep
enough furnish an excellent outlet for
the covered drains. No more open
bitches should be made than are neces-
sary for the above uses, as they are ex-
pensive to dig, expensive to keep clean,
occupy large amounts of land, and are
inconvenient to cross,
But why should water be carried from
the soil upon which it has fallen? Does
not the Almighty know what is needed
when He sends hisrainsupon the earth?
Doubtless He does and SO He did when
He created man without clothing and
dwellings. and and yet you do not
hesitate to make clothing for yourself,
and to build houses. This is why He
gave US more brains than He did the
lower animals, that we might use them
in subduing nature to our use and
pleasure. r
Awet soil is always cold soil, why?
Because heat cannot penetrate: water
when applied to the surface. You
would never succeed in boiling your
tea-kettle unless you applied your heat
below it. Water when heated rises, and
its place Is taken by cold water from
above, which In Its turn is heated and
rises, and thus continues to circulate
till all the water in the vessel Is heated