UNDERDRAINING AND DEEP TILLAGE. 131 



Passing over tlie well-known facts, that drained la)id is always 

 lighter and easier to work at any season, and the superiority of 

 such land for pasturage, ovnng to the better quality of the forage 

 and the fact that the feet of cattle do not trample it hard as they do 

 wet land, that all operations needful to be done upon the land may 

 be more easily done, that a given amount of manure will do more 

 service upon drained land than upon undrained ; omitting to enlarge 

 these and other benefits, I come now to speak of under draining as 

 a valuable seciirity against drought. 



This is one of the most serious evils against which the New Eng- 

 land farmer has to contend, and every assistance Avhich he can gain 

 should be welcomed and improved. Our seasons are very variable, 

 one year being what we call a " dry summer," the next may be a 

 '•wet" season, and the succeeding one may be a "drought." 

 Weeks, and sometimes months, may pass with little rain, and during 

 all this time the crops are growing but slowly, if, indeed, vegetation 

 is not entirely checked. It is certainly of the highest interest to 

 the farmer to guard in every possible way against the effects of 

 drought. 



At first sight, it might appear as absurd to drain land in order to 



guard against drought, as it would be to irrigate land in order to 



make it drier : but such is the effect, as experience has fully 



demonstrated. The fact being established by the concurrent tes- 



mony of all who have underdrained land, it matters comparatively 



little whether we know the why and wherefore of its operation or 



not. But a little reflection will enable us to learn much relatins; to 



the way in which it is effected. In undrained soils, vegetation is 



feeble, particularly in its early stages, the very time when a strong 



and healthy start should be gained. The roots can go no farther 



than to the stagnant water in the soil, whether it be three inches or 



ten inches. When they reach it, they cannot extend into it, for the 



soil containing water of drainaf:;e admits of no access of air. In 



such ground the plant is unable to obtain that aliment which it 



need?, and therefore extends its roots in a lateral direction, branching 



out in search of a more congenial soil, and this it can do but feebly 



aid ineff.^ctually. The plant sickens and cannot grow vigorously 



without deeper roots. If a drought follows such a state of things, 



they are unable to penetrate more deeply and thus obtain a supply 



