Arizona silver belt., 1888-07-07
BENEFITS OF DRAINAGE.
An Investment Which Returns Most Usur.
 ions Tnterest.

An Investment Which sReturns Most Usur-
 iOus Interest.
 Evaporation is a cooling process. We are told that people in the East
 cool their drinking water by exposing it to the hot sun under wet blanket. If water, therefore, is brought through the ground, instead of being allowed to stay on or near its surface, evapora- ton to a great degree will be stopped, and the ground will be rendered more genial to growth. Ground that is not relieved by drains of it's surface water bakes upon drying. This baking packs the soil and runs some stiff soils to- gether in such way that the entrance of water into such soils is to great degree forbidden. Bazy ground is in- capable of receiving water from the air or the earth beneath; wet and baky soils will yield but feebly to the pu4- verizing influences of cultivation. The more finely the soil is pulverized the more permeable is it to the direct and indirect nourishing influences of water and air. Soils saturated with water will not yield to the decompositions necessary to the nourishment of plants. When we consider that most agricult- ural plants absorb Jwater chiefly when presented as capillary water, or simply as moisture, we can realize how the growth of plants is checked by immersion in water. Water, on it's way to the underdrains, carries air into the soil, and this warmer air meeting the cooler earth causes con- densation of moisture, and thus dew is formed Gin" the ground. This dew in a dry ground is much more beneficial than were it deposited above ground. Soil rendered warm and permeable invites the roots of plants to a greater depth. These roots are now placed beyond the con- trol of the weather. Well-drained ground may be likened to a sponge, both able to keep water and to absorb it from the level of the drains when ever needed in q dry season. I have no doubt every one knows something of this action, which is beautifully il- lustrated when water is supplied to house plants by placing it in the saucers which underlie the pots. Bar ren, dry hill-sides have been brought to high degree of fertility by under draining, accompanied by maturing. The flow of water, instead of being lover" the ground, is thus caused to go through" it, and thus the valuable fertility is not carried away. The wanting element-water- in such cases been secured by placing the drains laterally. The drains empty, if desired, into an open ditch, which may be stocked with trout This state of things must not be expected to work most admirably the first year, as it takes some time for the ground to be- come sponge-like. The alternate wet ting and drying of the soil will open subterranean channels in which water may find its way to the drains. This network of subterranean channels, or sponge formation, takes time for for nation.
 In concluding, let me mention a few advantages to be reaped from we'll drained land: time, ease in working, ability to stand the treading of ani- mals, ease of hauling, freedom from the effects of drought and heaving, ability to grow larger and better crops. ,Judicious and careful drainage is like putting money in a bank that pays from twenty-five per cent. to one hun dred per cent.-John E. PaTTlly, in N r ObSerVer.