St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1921-01-15
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can be advantageously cultivated and
fertslized, they must be drained.
There are many reasons why. In
this article We will consider only a
few of these reasons.
First-Most Of the cut-over pine
lands are characterized by a compact
clay or hardpan near the surface.
Their nature and problems are thus
stated by Prof. E. 0. Fippin COT Cor
nell University and formerly connect
ed with the U. S. Deartment of Agri-
culture Soil Surveys, in Farm
Knowledge: "Soils Of rather
compact nature from which the
water does not drain freely but in
which the surface layers quickly be-
come saturated during periods Of
heavy rain. Clay soil and soil hay
ing hardpan near the surface are
in this group. This is one of the
most common types of Wetness in
cultivated fields and constitutes a
temporary condition that is even
more disastrous to the farmer than
permanent one, for crops are like
ly to be planted and lost, whereas OF
permanently wet soil titled crops are
not likely to be planted and the
chances of loss are reduced. I'm
mense areas of land in farms, north
and south, east and west, are wet
in this Way-because of the impeded
movement of the surplus rainfall.
1t does not matter that such land is
situated ON a slope. When the upper
layer of soil is saturated, the cOndi-
ton continues for many days be-
cause Of the slow flow of the surplus
water through the subsoil. Often
such soil is distinguished by gray
or mottled layer below the surface
and just above the hard subsoil or
hardpan where excessive seepage oc,
curs.' This statement clearly shows
that uplands underlaid with a hard
clay may need drainage nearly as
much as loWlands, and it should APP
pear abundantly from other quota
lions which will follow that drainage
is needed and most valuable to all
lands anywhere in the humid South.
Second Another condition here is
the excessive rainfall in winter and
early summer. The above authority
says: ''There is very little land in
humid regions that would not be
benefited, that is, enabled to pro-
duce larger crops, by drainage" In
The Farmer of August 81 last there
was quoted at some length a thor
oughly scientific outline by govern
ment expert of the discoragements to
plant growth from wet soil, es-
pecially that of bad ventilation, pre-
venting proper root growth, causing
seed to rot and not terminate, him
dering the necessary decay of plow-
ed under plant or organic matter,
manure, and other fertilizers, and
excluding the most important e]e
ment Of plant food, the nitrates,
which are produced only where the
air can penetrate the soil; Besides,
a wet soil is cold and plants grow
more slowly in it, and, worse, wet
soil accumulates poisons and favors
diseases which are destructive to
most cultivated plants. Further
more, blowing, planting and cultiva-
ton are SO often delayed by excessive
wetness of the soil that considerable
crop losses occur nearly every year
on this account alone. Drainage is
the only remedy.
Third-Strange it may seem, but
drainage is indirectly Of nearly as
much benefit in dry seasons as in
wet. This is a matter Of consider
able Importance here because we
have droughts as well as excessive
rainfalls. In our wet seasons tho
soil water stands near the surface.
According to Prof Fippin and all the
authorities, this is what happens:
Surplus water excludes the air nee
essary for deep rot development: In
wet soil the roots Of crops are con-
fined to the surface layer and are
unable to make effective use of the
plant food in the deeper layers.
The shallow roofing of crops, to-
gether with the unfavorable filth, in
creases the difficulty with which
plants secure moisture in periods OF
dry weather Therefore, crops On
soil that is temporarily wet suffer
more in dry periods than crops on.
either permanently wet or normally
moist soil. Excessive wetness fol
more than two or three days is SUI
ricient to injure if not to kill the
roots of many crops" "Plant roots
go only as deep as permitted by
the soil water at its highest level.
The crop on undrained land suffers
from drought in midsummer; the
crop on well-drained land sends its
roots deep and is assured of moisture
at all times.''. And to the same eff
feet DR.. S. A. Knapp, formerly of the
U. S. Department Of Agriculture,
says, '1n all the Southern states
there are every year periods Of
drought, sometimes not serious, but
generally sufficiently protracted to
reduce the crop. The remedy for
this is increased storage capacity for
moisture. This can be accomplished
by deep and thorough tillage and by
filling the soil with humus (partly
decayed vegetation)" To which he
adds this pertinent caution: ''Never
ploW below the line Of standing