VIT.] DRAINAGE OF THE LAND. 67 



be encouraged. For a certain time the seed supplies 

 to the young plant which is being developed from it, 

 all the nourishment the young plant requires, but the 

 little rootlets will soon have to take upon themselves 

 the duty of obtaining food from the soil, and unless 

 the fineness of the soil admits of a close approach of 

 these rootlets, they fail to establish the young plants 

 firmly in the ground. Two distinct conditions are 

 necessary for plant growth. A"~rinehess of the 

 soil such as has been described, and also a moderate 

 firmness, whereby the plant is fixed in the land. 

 Both of these conditions are secured by a judicious 

 use of the roller. 



133. In the succeeding stages of the plant's growth, 

 various mechanical operations, such as horse-hoeing, 

 or hoeing by hand labour, are carried on with the 

 object of maintaining the land in a free and open 

 condition, so that air and moisture can enter, and the 

 roots spread through the soil with freedom in their 

 search for food. The same operations are also useful 

 for the destruction of weeds, which would other- 

 wise take the food intended for the cultivated plant, 

 and occupy space which is most desirable for assisting 

 a luxuriant growth of the crop. 



134. Few operations carried out by the farmer, 

 exercise a more decided influence upon other branches 

 of work, than the drainage of the land. This 

 drainage is carried out, by making in the land channels 

 and water courses, which enable the water to escape 

 from its imprisonment in the soil. So long as an 

 excess of water is kept in the soil, every form of labour 

 upon the land is rendered more difficult, and the 

 growth of the crop is very much slower and less per- 

 fect than it otherwise would be. 



135. As soon as these water courses or drains have 

 been made, the water commences running into them, 

 and the land thereby becomes relieved of the excess 

 which previously existed there. As the water drains 



