96 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to cultivate) wliilo the excess of water continues. Brain sucli 

 lands, and you bring these elements into action, and convert the 

 water from an iii^ly enemy into a Ivindly friend. 



What is technically called the ' water table ' is that line be- 

 neath the soil proper, where the top of the subsoil presents an 

 impervious barrier to the dcscnt of vratcr by its gravity, and 

 along which it runs slowly in the direction of the inclination of 

 the land. In our stiff lands this is rarely more than one foot 

 from the surface. From rains and melting snows the soil above 

 the water table is saturated, and wliile in tliis state cannot be 

 worked, nor would seeds germinate or plants grow. To rem- 

 edy this, surface ditches are common, and so useful tliat it is a 

 pity they are not more common ; and ploughing the land in 

 ridges or beds, with water furrows, also does some good; but 

 both are, in the way of cultivation, imperfect, temporary, and 

 requiring frequent renewal, in a long course more costly than 

 under draining, and ought never to be allowed to take the place 

 of thorough draining, where the latter is practicable ; yet it 

 must be admitted, are so good as to be urgently recommended 

 when it is not practicable/ 



Effectual drainage can be obtained onlv bv boring throuorh 

 the retentive strata or layers until one open and jiorous-likc 

 sand shall be reached, which was the Elkington method ; now 

 seldom used, except in special localities; or by lowering the 

 water table. The skill and experience of English and Scotch 

 proprietors, have found this is best done by o[)oning ditches 

 not less than three feet deep, (their efficiency increases with 

 their depth) at proper distances apart, and laying therein water 

 channels, with tiles, stones, bricks, brush, planks, or other ma- 

 terials,— -preferring the most durable that were within reach — ► 

 then returning the earth. Drains, so laid, lower tlie water 

 table to a line nearly as deep as the bottom of the ditches. 



Deeper tillage is then practicable and expedient, by deeper 

 ploughing, subsoiling, and trenching. Gradually the soil deep- 

 ens by conversion of the subsoil into properties similar to that 

 of the upper soil, as the passing water deposits the matters it 

 held in suspension or solution, and the atmospheric air which 

 thus gains admission, does work bcmath. akin to Avhat it does 

 in a common plouglied field loft in fallow. 



