Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-03-26
Farm and Household.
DRAINAGE IN THE SPRING.


J In the course Of an address on
farm drainage, at a recent agrlcni-
tural convention in Boston, Col
II. w. Wilson said There Is an
other point in regard TO this Dram
age of the soil which we ought 10
consider, and that is that 1t would
be very beneficial in the spring OF
the year. You can tell by the ap'
pearance of the land whether 1t IS
good subject for drainage. For
Instance, in hauling your manure
upon the field, if you notice that
the ruts hold the water tenacious
il " and il remains there until it
dries up by evaporation, but not
by percolation throug the soil, that
land, no matter how tenacious the
soil, even if composed of blue clay,
can be made so porous by drainage
that the water will soak away
rapidly and easily and the field can
be early entered upon for tilage.
We find wet grasses oftentimes on
upland and on knobs where one
would expect to see dry land. The
grass grows in little tussOcks. The
drainage is not good, and so these
bad grasses come into the soil. Wild
grass continually comes in. There
is usually no reason in the world
why that land will not pay to dram.
In some places there will be a
broad sheet or lake of water which
will stand on the surface all winter
long. 1t makes a good play ground
Tor the children who use 1t for
coasting and skating. There is
frequently a large body of ice in
tho winter. followed by standing
pool OF water in the spring. 1t re-
mains on top of the ground and
there is no percolation through the
soil. The most useful thing that
car be done is to drain that land,
and it can be accomplished for very
small expense. The extraction OF
heat by the evaporation of water
il really a serious loss, and this
goes on from the top of the ground.
In passing from the solid to the
yaborous form by evaporation, one
gallon of water will absorb as
much heat as will be given out by
five gallons Of water in cooling
from the boiling to the freezing
temperature. That seems to be a
wild statement, but 1t can be de-
monstrated right before your eyes
w the proper apparatus suitably
arranged. want to be definitely
understood in this matter, for it
gives one an idea Of the great Of
feet upon the labOrs of the farmer
10 have these pools of water stand
ing on the soil if he is obliged to
have them pass of by evaporation.
One gallon Of water, passing of by
insensible evaporation into the air,
will absorb as much heat from the
soil as can be got out Of five gallons
of water in cooling from the boil
ing to the freezing point, or $50
degrees. When We look those
figures in the face, we see what an
immense reirigerating effect this
water will have on farms that are
not under the system of thorough
drainage and where the farmers
have not appreciated nor under
stood it. Undertakings lengtbens
the farmers season at the time of
the year when lie needs it most.
Ordinarily in the gathering of the
harvest we have time enough to
secure the harvest, but it is at the
time of the year when the farmer
puts his seeds in, it Is in the spring
of the year, that he needs more
time. Anything that will add to
the time Of the farmer a fortnight
or three weeks or a month for
ploughing and planting in the
spring is of incaleulable advantage
IN him ..