130 HOW TO GET A FARM, 



drains would have been choked or destroyed by the 

 falling trees, or the operation of grubbing. But in 

 September this work was begun on one side of the 

 main ditch, and was pushed rapidly to completion. 

 Narrow drains or ditches were sunk wherever they 

 were supposed to be necessary, in the bottom of which 

 small bushes were deposited and then covered. Care 

 was taken to lay the bushes all one way lengthwise. 

 Each one of these underdrains began immediately 

 to perform its office of relieving the ground of a 

 portion of its surplus water, as might be seen by 

 examining the outlet in the main ditch. Some of 

 them, such as had tapped a spring, discharged 

 copious streams. 



All who have had any experience in underdrain- 

 ing are aware how quickly it transforms wet land 

 into dry land ; and those who have not, can form 

 no idea of it until they witness the result for them 

 selves. It was so with my protege. He was aston 

 ished at the work of his own hands. The drained 

 side of the swamp now dried up very rapidly. The 

 land in some places settled away from the large 

 stumps which yet remained, and was evidently be 

 coming hard and firm. These indications kept him 

 in excellent spirits, to which the manure-like ap 

 pearance of the rich black soil that had everywhere 

 been turned up as the drains were dug, made a 

 further contribution. No one could walk over the 

 ground on the two sides of the main ditch without 

 instantly discovering the difference between the 

 drained and the undrained. That winter he em 

 ployed in clearing up the swamp more thoroughly, 



