1 AGRICULTURE. 



the cracks, and get an abiding tenure. Earth-worms follow 

 either the roots or the mould. Permanent schisms are esta- 

 blished in the clay, and its whole character is changed. An 

 old farmer in a midland county began with 20-inch drains 

 across the hill, and, without ever reading a word, or, we be- 

 lieve, conversing with any one on the subject, poked his way 

 step by step to 4 or 5 feet drains in the line of steepest 

 descent. Showing us his drains this spring, he said 

 " They do better year by year ; the water gets a habit of 

 coming to them." A very correct statement of the fact, 

 though not a very philosophical explanation. Year by year 

 the average dry ness of the soil increases, the cracks are 

 further extended, and seldomer obliterated. A man may 

 drain retentive soils deep and well, but he will be disap- 

 pointed if he expects what is unreasonable. No intelli- 

 gent and honest operator will say more, than that money 

 judiciously expended in draining them will pay good, and 

 generally very good, interest. If you eat off turnips with 

 sheep, if you plough the land, or cart on it, or in any way 

 puddle it when it is wet, of course the water will lie on the 

 surface, and will not go to your drains. A 4-feet drain may 

 go very near a pit or a water-course without attracting 

 water from either, because water-courses almost invariably 

 puddle their beds, and the same effect is produced in pits by 

 the treading of cattle, and even by the motion of the water 

 produced by wind. A very thin film of puddle always wet 

 on one side is impervious, because it cannot crack. 



No system of draining can relieve soils of water-of- 

 attraction. That can only be exhausted by evaporation. 

 Retentive soils hold it in excess ; its reduction by evapora- 

 tion produces cold ; and therefore retentive soils never can 

 be so warm as porous. Expect reasonable things only of 

 your drained retentive soils, and you will not be disap- 

 pointed. Shallow drainers start with the idea of a drop 

 of water falling on the top of the soil, and working its 

 solitary way through narrow and tortuous passages to a 

 drain ; and they say that it would be lost in the labyrinth, 

 which we think very likely. They have no idea that the 



