Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-04-29

was placed upon surfsce-ditcnes. ana
fat lands were regularly plowed and
cultivated in 'land-beds." They were
plowed the same way every time, and
II was common thing TO see the ele-
waited lands foot or two higher than
the water-furrows between Under
drains cannot altogether do away with
the usefulness of these land-beds on
nat clay lands, as in times of heavy
rainfall the water cannot reach the
drains fast enough, and the level soil
will puddle and subsequently bake
Surface drains are frequently useful
auxiliaries TO the underdrains 70 carry
on the surplus water quickly. Asa sub
stitute for covered bitches, q bold sys-
tenn of land-beds viii frequently help
matters on fiat meadows. The lands
may be made not over eight or ten yards
wide. and the middle burrows cleaned
out after cultivation is finished.
On no crop is il so important to guard
against s.agnaDt water on the surface
as winter wheat. On such spots il is
very apt to winter kill In blowing fat
land the dead burrows should be lett
in such an arrangement as to carry the
water OF from the 'sags" and the level
stretches. II the surface is somewhat
uniform. IL may be plowed in lands"
lying in the direction Of the drainage.
each middle furrow then acting as a
surface drain. When the surface is
not uniform il may be expedient TO
plow in two systems. so that the dead
burrows OF each shall favorably drain
either section. In addition to plow-
ing in lands. il may be sometimes neces-
sary to strike few burrows with the
pillow after the crop is planted have
seen this simple eXpedient do effective
service on tat piece OF ground. X
Is necessary TO clear the burrows with
shovel where they may be clogged by
the imperfect action OF the piow or at in
tersectons.
With the use OF grain drills and other
wheeled machinery water burrows are
avoided as much as possible. but there
remain many situations where they are
Of the greatest use. While their op-
GRAFTON is superficial. they are OF great
help in removing the surplus water in
times OF heavy rainfall. The idea is
90 get the water of the crops before
il does damage Wi,h hillside fields The
reverse OF this policy holds. There
the object is To- re,ard the flow OF wa
ter SO that il viii not furrOw and
gully the land. Terracing is simply
surface drainage TO prevent washing on
hnlside5
1t is bad practice 20 pillow sloping
land up and down the slope it lt can be
avoided. When washy hillsides are
plowed at all they should be plowed
deeply. SO that the loose earth may alb
sorb large portion OF the surplus wa
ter. Then the crop. IL il is one that is
10 be cultivated. should have the rows
rather across the slope than with il.
says Farm and FiresiGe. Then each row
as IL is cultivated becomes a miniature.
terrace To carry the water gently along
20 some depression. whore 80 accumu-
lates I'm stream and rushes down TO
the lOwlands. These depressions should
always be left In grass or sod 10 pre-
vent outlying The surface water from
the uplands. when disposed there so
as TO do no damage very frequently
causes trouble ia the adjoining lowlands.
whore Il spreads out 10 drown land
already oversupplied. The evident rem
edy here is 20 cut a surface ditch 20 in
tercept the water and carry il out OF
the way.