The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-01-11

Nature has furnished some land with q
porous sub soil capable OF drawing off all
surplus moisture. Most sandy regions
have such a sub-soil, and occasionally we
find a clay underlsid with bed of gravel
or sand sufficiently near the surface TO
furnish complete drainage. AL such
lands do not need anv artificial drainage,
but their area is not large compared with
that hsv ng a compact sub-soiL OF the
latter class large portion is supposed not
90 need under drainage, as il is sufficiently
rolling 10 cause the water to run off of it,
and thus does not overtax the absorbing
power of the compact soil beneath. 1t is
probable tina, it will not pay to tile rolling
land now, when much larger profits can
be gotten from draining the fat lands. yet
the day will come when we will tile al OF
our rolling land that has a tight sub soil.
This belief is based uDon the knowledge
OF the manifold benefits of tile drainage
other than that merely OF removing the
surplus water. The eff cts OF thorough
drainage are so many and important that
IL is not essy to name the most valuable,
but none is greater than its power to give
air to the roots OF plants. Roots need air
just as much as any other organism, and
die without II. II there is a surplus OF
water on and in the soil for any length of
time plants turn yellow and become
stunted. They must have air Tile re-
moves this surplus water and permits the
air TO enter. Tie air is partially excluded
in any very compact subsoii, and thus
tile Is beneficial in rolling and, as it
opens up the pores through the ground by
which the water descends TO the tile, and
the subsoil is thus brought into a condi-
ton that rather attracts than repels the
roots of the plants. not only increasing
the ter ritOry in which the roots NAV feed,
but encouraging so deep a root growth
that droutn is more easily withstoOd.
The dead water, that which fills al the
air pores Is injurious to all mechanical
conditions OF the soil, as well TO the
vegetable growth. by reason OF the ex-
clusion of the needed air. The surplus of
water tends 10 solidify rather than TO per-
nit of puverization of the sell by means
OF the air, heat and frost. Ii lies ready
20 raise The top sol by freezing, and either
break Oft plant roots or pull them out OF
the ground. II is cold body of water in
early spring. aad requires days of spring
heat TO evapOrate II, but when 1t Is drawn
10 the tile underneath il it leaves the
ground in the best condition for warming
by the heated air and for deeply rooted
plant growth.
The time is at hand when we cannot af-
ford TO q fiat lands without underdTan-
age, natural or artificial. The dead water
handicsps Us. keeping us out OF the fields
a''er summer rains, when the plants need
cultivation. 1t putties the soil and pre-
vents capillary attraction, the agency that
draws moisture from beneath I'D 10 the
plant roots when needed 1t often keeps
us from tilling field, most of which is
dry enough for tillage, because it collects
In basin In the center OF the field and
forms a barrier. A tile through such a
basin permits tillage OF the higher ground
when needed, before crust Is formed
that excludes the air
! ne conditions OF good crop include
porous subsOil IN which plant roots NAV
penetrate. III which air nav pass to pull
veTizs the soil and feed the plants in
which there l. no surplus water, in which
q warm spring shower can enter. bringing
heat for plant growth, and In which the
mechanical condition Is favorable TO cap
ilisrv attraction 20 draw water to ths sur
face In case of drouth. AL this tile dram
age gives. II insures in great measure
against food, action OF frost aud even
drouth. the iects of the after being ward
ed of by the deeper roofing of the plants.
tits not the panacea for all evils, but il is
going 10 become more and more the ioun-
dalton Of all successful agriculture.
Our Hill Pastures.
When meadow land becomes foul the
pillow lie put into it and a titled crop -
raised, 70 lowed by a small grain crop and
reseeding. IL is the thin hillsides that
puzzle u. Bushes and briers spring up
on every side and weeds encroach upon
the grass The man with several hundreds
of acres OF such land feels somewhat help
less. while the smaller holder of land
keeps those pests under control by his
own hard labor. II 1t pave to keep ten
acres q can, why not 100? As in ali other
things the fight against al SUCH growth
must be aggressive and constant if one
would win.
If old pastures are full of bushes and
briers it is not best to leave the cleaning
until spring. When the ground is hard
frozen and all grass and weeds are dead
the cleaning can be done fast. With
sharp noes or mattocks cut everything
o. at the surface of the ground and pile
IL for burning II the growth is heavy.
This cutting will kill many OF the roots.
Ia the spring stock viii eat a great deal Of
the new growth, and during a summers
5rOuth the ground shOu j De again cleared.
Within two years We become masters OF
the situation; the growth becomes lighter
and can be removed at less expense.
little persistent work makes the field clean
and the growth OF grass is greatly in
creased
The foul weeds are hard TO handle. TIE
SENIINEL farmer carries a sack of salt.
hung with a strap on the shoulder. when
cutting thist es and drops a handful on
each root after cutting. This shonld be
done in dry weather. Broom sage il in
cTeasing fast in the NOrh and bids fair 10
become as bad pest with Us as il is TO
our southern farmers. The remedy il not
easy 20 find and prevention il worth more
than any reputed cures. When the plant
IL beginning TO gain a foothold il should
be carefully DESTROYED. Some practice
burning over the ground in the late fall
beore the seed scatters, but it IL much
better 10 cut out the plants earlier in the
season. This applies to fields when the
pest first appears, but it soon gains such
headwsy that if unchecked tits impossible