Land Drainage in New York 1661 



benefits help to reduce the need for commercial fertilizers, thereby 

 affecting a material saving to the farmer, which saving goes on 

 from year to year. 



6. The winter "heaving" of plants is largely I3revented by 

 drainage. " Heaving " is due to the freezing of water in a satu- 

 rated soil. Water in freezing must expand and since in the pro- 

 cess it can not expand in any other direction it is manifested in 

 lifting the surface. It carries small plants with it. When the 

 ground thaws the soil falls back around the roots. Each time the 

 freezing is repeated, the " heaving " is increased, and on wet land 

 in some seasons tap roots like clover may be raised to the extent 

 of twelve or fifteen inches, and literally spewed out of the soil and 

 left on the surface to dry up. All winter crops are particularly 

 subject to this type of injury which is frequently called " winter- 

 killing." Wetness is its cause and drainage the remedy. 



PURPOSE OF DRAINAGE 



The object of drainage is to quickly remove from the root-zone 

 of the soil the excess of water above that which may be retained in 

 thin films on the soil particles and commonly known as capillary 

 water. Any sort of a channel which accomplishes this purpose is 

 effective and many methods of drainage may be employed. Some 

 are less efficient and permanent than others. 



OBJECTION TO SURFACE DITCHES 



Surface ditches and canals are used where temporary results are 

 desired, or where a large volume of water must be moved. For 

 agricultural purposes the common surface ditches or furrows are 

 of low efficiency and very expensive. They do not remove the 

 water from a sufficient depth of soil, their grade is usually poor 

 and the water flows slowly or not at all, or if it flows rapidly cut- 

 ting results. The earth thrown out in forming the ditch hinders 

 the entrance and removal of water ; the ditch obstructs the surface, 

 interferes with tillage and harvesting operations and harbors 

 weeds Further, such ditches must be renewed from year to year, 

 all of which make them more expensive over a period of years 

 than covered drains. 



