The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-16
FARM AFT AIRS.
DRAINAGE.

1ts Importance in Making Fertility Avail
able
CorresDondence Of the Progressive Farmer.
The question OF drainage is one to
which the farmers of the South will
have to address themselves, il they
hope to compete with their Northern
brethren in raising big crops. The
S,uth is subject to very wet spells
at certain seasons Of the year, when
tho soiI becomes saturated with water
and remains so for weeks at time.
During one of these seasons, such as
We passed through in the GUNNER OF
1898 all our work and fertilizer seems
10 have been wasted. Except on
few particularly we'll drained spots,
things began to turn yellow, and plant
growth was almost at a standstllI
Tnen, after one Of these spells, the soil
is in a depI0r able condition; 1t has run
together badly, and become tough
and hard before it is dry enough to
plow, aud it is next to impossible,
where crops are growing, to get it into
good condition again So much for
the upland. In the bottoms, most OF
which are drained only at very wide
intervals by a few shalloT' open
bitches. stock will mire up often to the
knees. Here, weeds and grass soon
take possession and the farmer says
the wet weather ruined his crop. The
annuaI Ioss throughout our Southern
country for the want Of proper drain.
age, is appalling, and yet this first,
and fundamental principle Of success
tul agriculture is apparently the last to
be thought of.
Before preparing for the crop of 1900
it bshooves our Southern farmers to
think about this matter, and not only
think about it, but go to work this
winter while they have plenty of time,
and underdrain the worst places first.
AS rule it does not pay to under
drain our red clay upland. Where
such drains have been put In, they
very seldom, if ever, run. 1t has been
tried at the Georgia Experiment Sta
tion without any beneficial results,
and we have several such drains on
our place, and shall not put in any
more. These lands are naturally we'll
drained If the hard pan which lies six
or eight inches below the surface, is
we'll broken. On these lands deep
pIoWlng and Fubsoiling is all that is
necessary, and the water will take care
OF Itself. The satUrastd d and poor con-
olElon described above is caused by
this hard pan. and If you will notice,
this condition does not occur on new
ground. The old land has been plowed
Tor years only about four to six inches
deep and the continuous tramping of
the stock IN the bottom of these fur
rows has formed the hard pan
through which the water will not per
'o1aIe freely. The result is, the top
soli becomes too wet, this excludes the
ar nltrh aation stops, and with it,
'u9 SLo"Ih OF the crop. This is exem
P,iue1 oy the weak and sickIy growth
WHICH forms upon land which is con
tinuousIy wet, although the land may
Ds naturally qHse rich, while the
pLants which thrive best ia these locali
Hes, have their rCot system almost en-
1Fely on the surface; with the ezcep
Ilon OF perhaps few water plants. By
'4's we see that the roots of lants
must have air as well as the foliage,
and anything which excludes this air.
viii stop the plants growth. Let us
1'0mence at the beginning then, and