Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-03-07

wELL-DRAlNED SOIL.
fhe Amount cf Heat Saved W gooa sys.
terms of Drainage,
The amount OF heat IN the soil IL q
matter OF the highest importance 20
The farmer Tho reader need not be
told that Il has a great influence upon
tho termination Of seeds and the
growth Of plants A certain amount
of heat in the soil Is essential 20 the
termination and growth. A certain
amount OF heat is also essential TO the
decomposition Of carbonic acid by
plants Indian corn will not docom-
pose carbonic acid at q temperature
lower than about fifty-nine degrees. II
the temperature OF the soil can be raised
plants will grow faster. Our farm
crops may withcr in midsummer, hut
this Is not because the soil is too warm
but because there Is lack OF moisture
in IT. or, what Is oftcncr the cause. tho
atmosphere is so dry that the moisture
is cxhalcd too rapidly from the plant
IL would be very advantageous TO in
crease the warmth Of the soil In the
spring, for by SO doing we could
get plants started several DAYS
earlier and their growth would
bo more rapid. In the North
especially the seasons are too short
for many plants. and even those which
mature well enough would make &
heavier yield IL started earlier and
forced along for tho Arst few weeks by
n warmer soil. There are several
practicable means for increasing the
warmth Of the soil. Draining is one
Of them, and this IS The best season for
determining The amount and probable
cost OF such work TO be done during
the year In general there ts not SO
much need Of soil drainage in this
country as in Great Britain and on the
continent; yet very many, II not a con.
siderable majority, OF our fields would
be benefitcd by drainage, the benefit
being greater than the outlay Drained
soils are warmer than undrained ones,
because much OF tho water which
passes through them would otherwise
be evaporated; and this evaporation,
IL must be remembered, requires
enough heat TO make the water into
vapor. The amount Of heat thus used
is quite largo IL is likely equal to
that produced By burning two-thirds
OF q ton OF ooal-per day for eacn
acre on an average throughout the
year II this heat were not absorbed
by the water, it would be largely
absorbed by the soil. II all OF it were
not The specific heat OF water Is
greater than that OF the soil-iive
times as great as humus, seven times
ms great as loan, eight timos as great
as clay and ten times ne great as sand.
Hence more heat Is required % warm
up a certain weight OF water than to
raise the same weight OF soil TO the
same temperature. As drains remove
an excess OF water ia the soil, in the
spring at least II would remove water
mat otherwise would take heat from
the earth. More than this, water is a
sa-y poor conductor Of heat, and when
the soil is wet as in the spring, the
heat will penetrate much moro slowly
than II the water were removed. In
Prussia IL has been officially determined
that on an average the snow there
melts week earlier on drained than
on undrained land; and the difference
would not be less in this country. A
difference OF ten to fifteen degrees In
temperature OF drained and undrained
soils has frequently been noticed; and
the constantly higher temperature Of
drained soils is doubtless responsible
for much Of the larger growths upon
them. and often would alone pay for
draining. John NJ Stshl, In American
ACric,tltnrfof