242 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



root. I will not give a decided opinion in regard to either. 

 My impression is, from the circumstances of the case, inas- 

 much as the doctor has told us that his land was originally 

 wet, and there was a channel of water on the surface, that 

 the aquatic grasses, or, to speak more properly, the sedges be- 

 longing to the family of Cyperacce, and the rushes, ])elonging 

 to the family of Juncacce, must have flourished there. The 

 Pkalaris is an eminently aquatic grass ; it is the one that most 

 frequently disturbs the equal>le flowing of our surface sti-eams, 

 and in some cases it has l>een known to choke up streams so 

 completely that the whole region around was converted into 

 a swamp. 



With regard to all these plants I have mentioned, they are 

 very reluctant to be dispossessed of the hold they once get 

 upon the soil. If they once get rooted they will resort to the 

 most astonishing expedients to prevent their own extirpation. 

 I have repeatedly seen the roots of quack gi-ass and tlie roots 

 of this Phalaris run nearly twenty rods in search of water; 

 and in dry seasons I have seen the roots of corn growing in 

 the direction of a current of water to a length that perfectly 

 surprised me. If there was any dry season when the doctor 

 planted corn in that field it would strengthen my opinion that 

 some of these are corn roots. 



Dr. RigCxS. — With all my previous under-draining I have 

 had no trouble. By the by, I will say that I collar my tile 

 with strips of tin about the size of my three fingers. I use 

 for that purpose the old roofing of buildings, which I find ly- 

 ing about the country. I think these strips operate better 

 than a loose collar; they keep the tiles from getting by each 

 otiier, and they keep out the silt; but whether they will keep 

 out these roots or not I do not know. I have not much faith 

 in them in that regard. 



Prof. Johnson. I should think that possibly the expedient 

 to which plumbers resort in clearing out the water pipes about 

 dwellings might be applied to drains, if laid on a uniform 

 grade, as in this instance. Provided there was a simple ar- 

 rangement at the upper end to fix a force pump, I should 

 think these things might be worked out in this way. I know 



