Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-10-25
TIE DRAIN BENEFITS
Department Of Soils at Ames
Issues Instructive
Article
TILE DRAINS ARE DISCUSSED
Professors Explain Why Under Drain
ing Helps Soils In Time of Drouth,
Benefits Wet Lands and Rolling
Lands as; Well as Its Aid to Good
Road Making.
,cial TO Times epuhlican

Instructive article on dement's 10 LIE
Land and Roads From Tile Drainage"
has lust been prepared by the depart
ment of soils in the agronomy divis-
ion of the State College here. The
article was prepared by Professor w.
III. Stevenson and G. j. Christie, and
gives the results of experiments here
and elsewhere The article is as fol-
lows:
Tile drainage is no longer an experi-
ment. Over sixty years have elapsed
since John Johnson first introduced
undertakings into New York as a
means Of improving soil conditions,
and ever since that time it's value has
been demonstrated over and over again
in many sections Of the country.
However, in spite of this fact, dur
ing the past year many farmers ana
land owners have made inquiry regard
ing the ways In which the land is
really benefited by tile drainage. The
| following explanations have been writ
ten for the benefits of those farmers
who are anxious to gain Information
regarding this important question.
which sustains such vital relation to
profitable agriculture in the central
| west. Many farmers realize that
drainage benefits the land In one Or
possibly two ways, but there are COM
paratively few who have thought OF
all of the sources Of benefit which are
referred to in this brief article.
Drainage Firms the Soil.
| ADEQUATE drainage increases the
ir1nness of the soil and thus renders
lit fit for cultivation earlier in the
season The surplus water readily per-
colates into the drained soil and per-
mits the surface to become firm ana
solid. This firm soil cannot be secured
when the spaces between the sou
grains are filled with water, for then
there is lack Of surface tension and
| the soil grains move very easily upon
one another.
Drainage Increases Aeration.
Oxygen in the soil Is an essential ror
the life of the plant as 1T Is for the an
! imal. without free oxygen IN the soil
1.-The seed fails to terminate and IN a
short time rots; the roots Of plants
fail in their appointed tasks; the IN
Vulnerable host Of soil bacteria, whose
work it is to change the nitrogen OF
decaying organic matter into an avail
able form, perish and the germs on
| the roots OF the red clover and other
leguminous crops, which supply avail
able nitrogen at the lowest cost, do not
| accomplish their work.
| When the soil Is full of water to
within a few inches Of the surface,
there can be no circulation OF air
| among it's particles. Drainage ventll-
ates the soil by lowering the ground
water three to four feet and thus
makes it possible for the roots OF
plants to penetrate the soil more deep
lly. In time these roots die and decay
and afford passage ways thruout the
soil for the ready movement OF the
air These conditions are secured
which promote the growth of plants,
facilitate the work Of the unllm1ted
host Of soil bacteria and hasten the
formation Of available plant food.
Increases the Temperature.
Wet soils are cold soils. This is
true for the reason that large amount
of heat is used in the process of evap-
Grafton of surplus water. Therefore
we'll tiled field from which the water
is drained must necessarily prove
warmer than one which is water
logged.
In early spring 1t often occurs that
drained soil is ten or twelve degrees
warmer than an underlined SOIL. Ihls
Isl due to the circulation Of air IN the
soil and the absence of evaporating
water. An early, dry, warm seed ped
is an essential factor in successful
farming.
Moisture in Time of Drought.
The experience Of Farmers SHOWS
that crops suffer less In tlme Oh
drought on we'll drained clay or alluv-
ial soils than they do on the same type
of soils not drained. Undrained SOILS
dry out very completely, near the sur
face in time of drought and therefore
water rises by capilaarity in them very
much more slowly than in moister
soils. For this reason 1t is very I'M
portant that the soil just beneath the
surface be kept as moist as the grow
ing crop will permit. Furthermore, IN
well drained soil the roots of plants
spread out and go deeper in the early
spring and summer. For this reason
they are located nearer the ground
water supply and do not exhaust the
moisture near the surface to such an
extent that capillarity is seriously I'M
paired. This supply of water furnish
ed by the action of capillarity aids IN
bringing the plant food into an avail
able form and in carrying 1T to the
plant while the deeper growing roots
secure from the ground water supply
much of the water given off by trans
piration. Hence, we'll drained soils
are better fitted for crop production In
time of drought than the same class of
soils not drained.
Drainage Prevents Heaving of Soils.
In many sections of the central west
serious losses frequently occur owing
to the heaving of grass and cereal
crops. Proper drainage of the soil is
doubtless the most effective remedy for
this difficulty. When water freezes
it expands, the surface is raised and
the roots of the plants are torn from
their places of growth. Shallow root
ed plants are thus left on top of the
ground after the surface soil has thaw-
ed and settled into position. 1t is not
an uncommon occurrence after ser
les of freezes and thaws in the latter
part of the winter or early spring, to
find the roots OF clover. wheat and
some other crops partially or wholly
exposed. The percentage of plants
thus destroyed In many fields in a sin
gle winter is so great that the farmer