UNDERDRAIXrxa AXD DEEP TILLAGE. 127 



draining, they are freed of the surplus moisture early and easily, 

 and hence much time is gained for Avork, \A'hich without, would be 

 either ill-done or neglected. No doubt exists on this point, for ex- 

 perience has abundantly proved that at least two weeks, (and some 

 good farmers say three or four weeks) are thus gained by draining 

 for spring work on such soils as require drainage. This is certainly 

 no slight consideration in a latitude, where every day of the grow- 

 ing season is of great value to the plants. The spring work of ma- 

 nuring can be done at an earlier period than Avithout draining; 

 and early plowing, instead of rendering the soil harder than before, 

 can be done more advantageously at an early period — in short all 

 spring work can be more easily performed, and in a better manner. 

 Thus, by these two benefits conferred by underdraining, we get the 

 equivalent of a longer season and a warmer latitude. Now a cer- 

 tain degree of heat is requisite to the full development of any 

 plant — without such temperature, vegetation becomes sluggish and 

 inactive. Farmers, everywhere, acknowledge this truth, and often 

 when asked account for a poor or scanty crop by declaring that the 

 land on which it was raised was "cold." Just here is the differ- 

 ence between the vegetation of the tropics and that of the extreme 

 northern parallels of our temperate zone. In the one, the plants 

 attain a majesty of stature which inspires awe in the beholder as he 

 sees the ferns, canes and palms of the tropics, while in the other a 

 stunted, dwarfed growth affjrds but a scanty vegetation confined to 

 the cone-bearing shrubs and trees, and the flowerlcss plants, mosaes 

 and lichens. Of course there are all grades and degrees of differ- 

 ence between these two extremes — tropic and frigid, all dependent 

 on latitude, or on elevation. ■ Since then vegetation varies according 

 to warmth, it follows that if our soils can be made warmer wc vir- 

 tually have a longer season, longer by some weeks each year. Can 

 the farmers of our State who watch anxiously every autumn, the 

 approach of frost, fearing that it may come before the corn, now in 

 the milk, will be hardened and glazed — can these farmers afford to 

 lose the opportunity affjrded by underdraining to hasten vegetation 

 and make sure of good crops ?- 



Another advantage to be gained from draining is the deepening 

 of the soil, by developing the latent capabilities of the subsoil. It 

 does this by allovring the access of air to produce decomposition 



