88 THE FARMER'S 



If, on examination, it is found that the wetness proceeds 

 from water which falls upon the surface, and, in conse- 

 quence of a hard retentive subsoil, remains near the sur- 

 face until evaporated, it will be necessary to dig a ditch 

 (as before described) along the lower side of the field, as 

 a receiver for the ditches, which we are about to describe, 

 to empty into. Then, at right angles with this, make 

 drains (in the same manner) parallel to each other, if the 

 surface of the ground will permit, all emptying into the 

 first. The distance from one drain to another must de- 

 pend on the subsoil. If that is very stiff, twenty feet will 

 be proper. But, if the subsoil is more porous, the dis- 

 tance may be thirty feet. It is believed that a thorough 

 use of the subsoil plough will render the subsoil so porous, 

 that thirty feet will be sufficiently near in most cases. 



In draining, be sure to make the land dry, and fear not 

 the result. This may be objected to, on account of the 

 expense ; and some may think it will prove an unprofit- 

 able outlay of capital. But it should be remembered, 

 that earth continually saturated with water is worth no- 

 thing except for grass, and that is generally small in 

 quantity, and always poor in quality. We know a person 

 who has had some experience in reclaiming land by 

 draining, and, with his permission, we shall now proceed 

 to give you a statement of facts concerning the condition 

 of a piece of ground previous to draining; the cost of 

 draining ; the tillage it has since received, and the crops 

 which it has produced. 



The field, when the operation of draining was com- 

 menced in 1937, contained seven and a half acres, which, 

 previous to that, had never been ploughed ; was so wet 

 as to be useless, except for pasturage ; and on almost 

 one-half of it the grass was wild, coarse water-grass, 

 which no animal would eat, except for a short time in the 



