St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-09-18
ABOUT DRAINAGE.
A Few Words on the Theory and Practice
of Drainage.

a Few Words on the Theory and Practice
OF Drainage.
Water is indispensable to the growth
Of plants. Green vegetation contains
from eighty to ninety per cent. Of
water, and SO far as this is concerned
the water is actual plant food and nec'
essary nutriment But plants require
far greater supply than this, for as
every part of the solid matter of plants
is only taken into the roots in solution
in water, vast quantity is required to
mature crop. Thus for every pound
of wheat produced in an experimental
crop grown for the purpose of investi.
eating this question. no less than 1898
pounds of water were evaporated by
the plants. and consequently passed
through them, entering by the roots
and escaping through the leaves. This
quantity was used BY the wheat which
produced the least, viz: less than one
pound of grain, but when ten pounds
was produced the consumption of water
was 1902 pounds; showing that the
larger the guanty of water used by the
crop the greater was the product. This
result. however, only goes to a GER
tain extent. and when the maxi.
mum result is reached and tho
water is in excess of the require
ments of the crop harm is done and
the plant does not grow, for the water
used by plants must be active and not
stagnant. and must have certain guam
tlty OF atmospheric air contained in it.
The water must in fact be passing
through the soil, just as the air breatbed
by an animal must be in motion and
constantly renewed or it can not sustain
life. Hence when the water in the soil
IS in excess and becomes stagnant the
plants Immediately begin to suffer, and
this from two causes. one that tho
water in contact with the roots is ex-
hausted of the needful soluble matter
for the food of the plants and the nccas-
sary supply of air is withheld. There
is no motion, no circulation of vivifyinp
air in the soil. and there can be no life.
Then the plants cease to grow. they
sicken, turn yellow. and soon die. and
i useless and pernicious vegetation
takes their place.
This is the well-known experience
of farmers whose land has an inn
pcrvious subsoil which holds the water.
and to provide means for preventing
the fatal stagnat:on of it in the sol.
When the drains are made and the
water passes freely through the soil.
OF air is ut once established,
and the more water which falls upon
the land the more vigorous and abund-
ant are the growth and yield of the
crops. But where these fatal condi-
tons do not exist and the water can
find its way naturally through the sub
soil the costly drainage is not required,
and the expense of draining such land
is simply money thrown away and
wasted for no purpose. Many Il
tarmer. mislcd by the prevailing
''boom" in regard to tile drainage,
has been seriously embarrassed and
disappointed. because the promised in
crease of crops by which he expected
to be repaid for his outlay has not been
In practice, drainage is only re-
luired when the conditions above mem
toned are existing. When in blowing
the land in the spring, or in digging
down into it at any other time when
rain has fallen abundantly the water
is found near the surface. then drains
are required to carry it off. In the one
case the work is interfered with and
the timely preparation of the soil for
crops is prevented, and in the other
no nj
diseased or perish, or weeds abound,
Or the needed cultivation of the fields
IS prevented. But when no surplus
water is found in the soil mt seasons
when it would be injurious or incon-
7enient, and when the accumulation
rom the winters rains pass off early
n the spring, enabling work to be
lone in good time. and when no water
,an be found in digging down three
eet at any time in the growing season, |
ira;nage is not required. for its sole
Useful purpose is to carry off surplus
water, and any other claim for it. such |
Is useful aeration of the land or of add |
ne fertility to it, is wholly baseless.
Drains should be placed three feet
leep in the ground. The distance be-
ween them should vary. as the soil is
more or less charged with water; for
he more water in the soil to be re-
moved the more outlets will be needed.
'ixty-six feet is a common distance
part and is not too much under ordi-
AIRY circumstances. The porositv of
he soil always acts to retain some
Tater. just as sponge will hold it and
aise it above the level of its source. so
hat the further apart the drains are
he higher will be the level of the
'ater on the line between them. The
iagram below illustrates this:
GROUND SURFACE