The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-11-01
THE FIELD
Importance of Draining Wet Land.
Oh. l.. Blanchard

Importance or Draining wet Land
III. l.. Blanchard.)
The business of farming Is very
closely allied with the subjects of ir-
rigation and drainage. The up-to-date
farmer necessarily becomes a student
of both. In proportion as he under
stands both subjects and the relation
they bear to each other, will he gath
er from his farming operations both
pleasure and profit. There are two
kinds of irrigation and drainage
natural and artificial. Irrigation con-
sists in supplying the required moist
ure to the soil for the nourishment OF
plants. This is done by the natural
rainfall, or by conveying the water
upon the land commonly through
bitches made for the purpose.
Under either method at times there
becomes an excess of such moisture
for the welfare of plants, which II not
removed from the soil proves disas-
trous to plant life or causes feeble
growth of same. The best and most
profitable farming demands that suit
able provision be made for the escape
or the removal from the soil OF any
and all excessive moisture. This be-
comes a very important part or ne
business of farming, on most farms at
least. and is done by digging bitches,
laying pipes or constructing some OF
the many kinds of underdrains, under
a system calculated to accomplish the
object. These things provide for and
constitute what is known as farm
drainage" Ideal soil conditions Tor
general farming operations admit OF
going on and off of the fields any day
of the year for such purposes. Inc
nearer that one can approach to such
conditions the more advantageouriy
can we conduct our farm work. 1t is
impossible to do so, however, on very
much of the farming lands OF the
north west, except by and through the
use OF drains. Even upon much OF the
land that is being artificially irrigated
the writer is informed that the queS-
ton of getting rid of the surplus
moisture at times becomes quite
vexatious problem. Thus it is that
the subject of drainage becomes one
of general importance to all who may
be engaged in farming.
The plants which we, as farmers,
are interested in producing gather
very little, if any, of the fertility from
soil holding an excess of moisture at
planting time. The writer has varl-
ETY. of soil conditions on his farm
with which to contend, and which fur
nish much food for thought and study
along these lines. That is to say:
Much of the farm-about twenty-five
acres-evidently at one time was
lake bottom, and is subject to over
flow during the rainy season each
year. Another part of the farm lies
adjacent to a timbered hill and high
lands, and is made wet by seepage
finding it's way up through gravelly
subsoil in springlike formations, which
is clearly the water from the higher
land finding an outlet, while another
part of the farm lies Immediately at
the foot of such hill-a long and mar
row strip-and is of sandy, gravelly
loan formation. This latter area does
not require any artificial drainage,
since, owing to the loamy character
of the soil, the water from the heav-
lest rains in a very short time passes
into the soil to depth not to inter
fere with cultivation of the soil or
plant growth. Likewise, the water
from the high land in finding its
course to it's natural outlet referred to.
This narrow strip of land furnishes
an example of perfect natural drain
age to meet all requirements.