140 Under-Draining — Its Beneficial Effects. [Marcli, 



speedily raise it to the temperature necessary to cause the seed, cast 

 into its bosom, to germinate, and the sap to begin to flow through shrub 

 and tree. This warming of the soil, so important at all times during 

 the season of vegetation, is assisted, too, by the penetration of the 

 atmospheric air among the particles of well drained soil, which is 

 always more porous than one not so treated. 



But if under-draining relieves land from the evils of too much wet, it 

 also prepares it to endure extreme drought, with almost if not perfect 

 impunity — always presuming deep plowing to accompany this process. 

 The land is never so thoroughly drained, but that there is a sufficiency 

 of moisture left at the time, for all necessary purposes in the vegetable 

 economy. And as this supply is exhausted, in the absence of rain, 

 much moisture is drawn up from the sub-soil, by capillary attraction. 

 Then we ses and realize the benefit to be derived from aiding nature in 

 the performance of her kind offices. For, the atmospheric air being 

 admitted with greater facility, as I have before stated, to penetrate such 

 a soil, as it permeates among the earthly particles, being warmer than 

 they, imparts to them the much coveted and life-giving moisture with 

 which it is charged. Thus safe from its injurious eifects, we may rejoice 

 in the benefit to our soil from drought. This same moisture which rises, 

 as we have seen, from the sub-soil, brings along with it in solution those 

 hidden treasures, (salts of different kinds), of which our frec[uent crop- 

 ping exhausts the stirred soil. 



Neither would I omit to mention that the atmospheric air, in passing 

 throifgh the soil, not only imparts warmth and moisture to it, but, also, 

 those enriching gases, with which, as before stated, it is more or less 

 impregnated. And even itself may be decomposed, and its very com- 

 ponent parts, oxygen and nitrogen, made use of in the numerous chem- 

 ical changes which nature is constantly developing in the soil, and in 

 the growing plant. 



Not only do blessings follow this beautiful treatment of the soil through 

 all the growing season of the year, but even in cold and ice-bound winter 

 its beneficial effects may be seen. It is a well known fact that when 

 the ground is frozen while full of water, the tendency is much greater 

 to heave out plants and young trees than when the soil is comparatively 

 dry. Under-draining then, by removing speedily the surplus water 

 obviates this great evil. 



These are some of the good results attendant upon the under-draining 

 of all such soils as are not provided by nature with porous sub-soils. 

 And they are not untried theories, but have been fully tested by 

 practice. 



