No. 63. J 



99 



thorough subsoil draining, one of the most efficacious converters of 

 soil yet devised. 



On light soils, 



the use of the roller, combined 



with the application of manures, will usually correct the evils that 

 arise from that source; but where the mechanical texture t>f the earth 

 allows too easy an escape of water, clayey earths must be resorted to. 

 Pond mud, swamp muck, or the earth from ditches, are here particu- 

 larly useful. t Experience proves that there is no soil mechanically 



• The beneficial effects of draining may be mainly attributed to two things. It renders 

 the soil porous, and it gives to it a higher temperature. The capacity of a soil to retain 

 water, is mostlj^ depending on its clay and humus. When water is given to a soil, all the 

 particles of these substances become saturated, or filled; and this is the condition of good 

 soil. If more water is added, it must occupy the space between these particles and the 

 other earthy particles, and thus the air is excluded, or the soil loses its porosity, so essen- 

 tial to fertility. Draining removes this excess of water, and restores porousness to the 

 soil. In a series of experiments made by Dr. Madden, he found that in soils of precisely 

 the same quality, and the same external temperature, but one drained, or in a proper state 

 of moisture for vegetation, and the other filled with water, there was a difference in tem- 

 perature of 6.| degrees in favor of the tlrained soil. The experience of every farmer who 

 has tried ilraining, will confirm these experiments. 



For practical illustration, the writer may be permitted to refer to the farm of E. Marks, 

 Esq., which received the first premium for farms, offered by the Onondaga Agricultural 

 Society in 1842. A large portion of this farm was naturally hea\-y land, level, with a re- 

 tentive subsoil, and black muck surface. Part of it was so swampy^that previous to his 

 taking possession, no attempt had been made to cultivate it. The first operation of Mr. 

 M., was to thoroughly drain this wet and useless part of his farm. This was done by a 

 skilfully constructed network of imder drains, which have been gi-adually extended until 

 a large portion of his heavy soils have been drained, and with the best results, as heavy 

 crops of roots, corn, and wheat, are now taken from those parts where before nothing but 

 coarse natural grasses could be made to grow. [See Cultivator, Vol. viii., page 83.] 



f There is no more important or decisive character of good or bad soils, than their ca- 

 pacity to absorb or retain water, as this in a great degree influences their fertility. The 

 following, collated from Prof. Schubler's numerous experiments and tables, will show 

 some of the most important differences in the most common earths, in this respect ; as 

 also in that of retaining heat : 



Kind of Earth. 



Weight of a 

 cubic foot : 



Water 

 evapo- 

 rated in 



4 (lays. 

 In grs. 



Dry. Wet 



Calcareous sand, . . 



Silicioussand, 



Gypsum powder, . • 



Sandy clay, 



Loamy clay, ...... 



Brick, or stiff clay, 

 Pure grey clay, . . . 



Garden mold, 



Arable soil, 



Slaty marl, 



113.6 



111.3 



91.9 



97.8 

 88 

 80.0 

 75.2 

 68.7 

 84.5 

 112.0 



141 



136 



127.6 



129.7 



124.1 



119.6 



115.8 



102.7 



119.1 



140.3 



146 

 160 

 136 

 105 

 110 

 95 

 100 

 121 

 131 

 130 



Diminufn 

 in volume 

 in 1000 pts. 

 by drying. 



Water ab- 

 sorbed by 50 

 squ're inches 

 of surface of 



dry earth injronnding tem- 

 72 hours ; w't perature at 61", 

 in grains. in hours and 

 minutes. 



no change 



60 

 89 

 114 

 183 

 149 

 120 

 35 



Time required 

 by 30 cubic in- 

 ches of earth at 

 144° to cool to 

 70", the siir- 



3 





 1 

 28 

 35 

 41 

 49 

 52 

 23 

 33 



8 hrs. 30 min. 



3 " 20 " 



.34 « 



41 «c 



30 " 



24 " 



19 " 



16 « 



27 

 26 



2 



2 " 



2 « 



2 « 



2 " 



2 " 



2 " 



3 " 





