DRAINAaE. 89 



circumstances ; yet we have stated only a part of the argument 

 on which the apostles of drainage justly depend for the advance- 

 ment of their ideas. 



Land that remains wet so far into the spring as often to delay 

 the plowing until it is time to plant, may, after being drained, often 

 be plowed in March instead of May ; when the seed is planted, 

 it will never be rotted in the ground and call for a new planting, 

 if the water can find its way to the drains below. Weeds, which 

 grow while the land is too clammy to be hoed, and get beyond 

 our control, so that when the ground is dry hoes and horse-hoes 

 have to wage an unequal warfare against them, may, on drained land, 

 be attacked on almost any sunny day and killed with little work ; 

 and when the time comes for hauling off the crop, as in spring in 

 hauling on manure, it will not be necessary to wait weeks for the 

 ground to be solid enough for the teams to work, nor will the 

 ground be so much injured in the operation. 



In short, work can be done in proper season, done in a proper 

 manner, and done with a definite certainty of a fair return, and 

 with very much less dependence on the weather than when the 

 water of heavy rains has to lie soaking in the soil until dried up 

 by the sun and wind. 



It may be objected to the above calculation that it is unfair to 

 capitalize the annual cost of cultivation, manure, etc., because 

 these expenditures come from the yearly income of the farmer, 

 and do not represent the interest on his capital. If this view of 

 the case be taken, it will surely be fair to charge the cost of drain- 

 ing by its annual interest, and not by its gross amount, for it bene- 

 fits not only the crop of the first year, but of all subsequent years 

 — and often in an increasing degree — while it is subject to no 

 deterioration, but remains as permanent and as safe an investment 

 as is a mortgage on a neighbor's farm. 



What is needed is that we have more general information on 

 the subject, more practical examples of the beneficial effects of 

 draining, and cheaper draining tiles. All of these will come slowly 

 at first, but they are coming surely ; and they cannot fail to increase 

 in rapid progression, by the very effect of their own influence. 



