78 VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



stagnant water,but in such places only a coarse, poor quality of 

 grasses or aquatic plants are seen, which lessen in value as the 

 water rises nearer the surface. 



Probably the first attempts at draining were shallow trenches 

 to convey the surface water. This was a cheap but not 

 very effectual method and there is a constant waste of fertility 

 which is carried off after every shower or by melting snow in 

 the spring. But with the use of farm machinery came a 

 demand for covered or under-drains as they are usually called, 

 which are to be understood when draining is mentioned. 

 The material for under-drains is usually stone or tile, but 

 brush, straw and other substances, such as weeds and tan bark 

 have been used, but drains made of these materials, which if 

 near at hand may make a cheap job, must of course be short 

 lived and then the work must be done over again. Under- 

 draining, as applied to modern agriculture, was first extensively 

 used in England during the last half of the eighteenth century. 

 Stone was used in many ways and tile was first used in farm 

 draining. Many systems and theories were put forth, none of 

 which were practical for all conditions of soil. It was claimed 

 that all land, both wet and dry, would be benefited by drains. 

 But these theories are too finely drawn for practical Vermont 

 farmers and the onty lands in Vermont that really needs drain- 

 ing are the low-lying meadows, swamps and hillsides where the 

 water from above works through the soil until clay or hardpan 

 is reached, which brings it again to the surface or nearly so; 

 also where there are springs which rise to the surface and dis- 

 charge enough water to make a bog of more or less land which 

 lies below. These last are perhaps the easiest of all to drain, 

 for if the spring can be tapped the whole source of trouble can 

 be removed at once. 



When I was a lad, upon a farm which joined my father's 

 an English farm hand was set to dig an open ditch to take the 

 water from a spring to a small stream a few rods distant. He 

 explained to his employer that he had seen in England a stone 

 water course laid in the bottom of ditches and then the dirt 

 replaced, leaving the field smooth and even. He was told to 

 finish the job in his own way. That underdrain which was the 

 first of any extent in that section, is I believe, doing good 

 work at the present time. The spring which it was sought to 

 remove, in finding its way to the brook kept constantly wet one 

 or two acres of fine alluvial land which never was or could be 

 plowed ; this one underdrain rendered the whole dry enough 

 to cultivate and it has produced fine crops of first quality hay, 

 and grain at times, but as it lies very low and is liable to flow 

 it is usually kept in grass. 



