AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 333 



When rain falls, a portion escapes into the streams, and a portion sinks 

 into the soil ; the latter descends in a straight line through the loose ma- 

 terials of the earth until it reaches rocks or impervious suhsoil. If the 

 rocks are porous, or have cracks in them, it continues to sink until it 

 reaches indurated clay, or some compact material, over which it spreads 

 laterally, and finally accumulates in beds and gives rise to natural springs, 

 which we are enabled to bring to the surface by means of wells, making 

 lands inhabitable that would not be so were it not for this wise provision 

 of nature. When such lands ai-e hardened by drought, the well will enable 

 the farmer to distribute water over them, and thus facilitate plow or spade 

 culture. The proper situation of the drain is the line where wetness first 

 begins, which is usually rendered perceptible by a change of color in the 

 soil; and the course the drain should follow is indicated by the growth of 

 sub-aquatic plants. By cutting a drain in nearly this line, of sufficient 

 depth to reach the sandy or porous stratum in which the water percolates, 

 you can intercept and remove it to some convenient neighboring outlet. In 

 this case draining is effected without much difficulty. But moisture arises 

 to the surface in diff"erent manners, which requires the judgment of the drain- 

 er to adapt the direction of his drain to the change of circumstances. When 

 the soil and subsoil are of a mixed nature, draining becomes far more tedious 

 and sometimes extremely difficult. In such soils the collections of water 

 are separated from each other by beds of clay, and, when heavy rains 

 occur, rise to the level of the surrounding surface, where it overflows and 

 saturates the ground, rendering it sour and unproductive. These mixed 

 soils frequently have no connection with each other, and will consequently 

 require as many deep drains as there are beds, in order to draw the water. 

 To drain such a field, you must commence at the lowest part and work up 

 to the most elevated, in such a direction as to pass through the beds of 

 porous materials as well as the clay. 



No rule is strictly applicable to mixed soils. The drainer must study 

 the cause of injury, and adapt his remedy to meet the exigency, aiming 

 constantly to reach the reservoir in which the water is retained. If the 

 ground to be drained is flat comparatively, a ditch carried through the 

 hollowest part will act as a desiccative to the land for a great distance on 

 each side of it, for the reason that the shape resembles a basin, formed 

 generally by a clay subsoil, which holds the water to be supplied to the 

 superincumbent soil. Land, rendered wet, however, by water springing 

 from beneath, bears but a small proportion to that injured by the fall of 

 rain upon its surface ; consequently those soils that are considered dry, 

 frequently render cultivation precarious by the imperfect escape of rain 

 water from their surface. When soil is incumbent upon beds of sand, the 

 water is rapidly absorbed. AVhen on beds of impervious clay, the water 

 saturates every particle of earth as it runs slowly over the surface. When 

 on partially pervious subsoils, by good management, in a favorable season, 

 crops may be produced. But when on rock, filled with numerous fissures, 

 the land is generally fertile, and universally produces good crops. There- 



