58 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



warms up much sooner than a compact one, we see another 

 reason why the drained soil is warmer. 



Drainage improves the texture of the soil, as already indi- 

 cated, by allowing greater chemical action, and by producing a 

 better mechanical condition, and also because, by lengthening 

 the season, it enables the farmer to prepare his land more 

 thoroughly. In other words, a well-drained soil will not only 

 be found in such a condition that the work of preparation will 

 be more effectual, but, as the work can be begun earlier, the 

 farmer will not only have more time in which to do it, but 

 more favorable conditions. 



If the plows can be started in March, and the breaking 

 finished early in- April, the weather will usually be cool, and 

 the work much easier for the teams. Land plowed at this sea- 

 son does not dry and bake quickly, as when it is done later, 

 after the hot weather comes. It also undergoes some changes, 

 which make it crumble more readily, and the farmer whose 

 land has been plowed early has abundant time to pulverize his 

 soil and get it in good condition. All these causes combine to 

 give a better condition of soil on the well-drained farm. 



It is difficult to estimate the importance of the lengthened 

 season which drainage gives. For several years business led 

 me to travel the length of Ohio, from north to south, in early 

 spring, and the contrast was striking. Several counties through 

 which I passed in the south-western part of the State are nat- 

 urally and artificially well drained, and here the spring work 

 would be well advanced, gardens made, oats coming up, and 

 most of the corn land plowed. When I reached the flat coun- 

 ties, where little, if any, attention had been paid to drainage, 

 often as late as the first of May not a furrow had been plowed, 

 and water would be seen standing on the fields, and the outlook 

 was most discouraging. 



The effect of frost is disastrous on undrained lands, both in 

 spring and fall, as the land cools so rapidly by evaporation 

 that the fruit and gardens are often killed on such lands when 

 they do not suffer at all on drained lands. Thus the season 

 is shortened at both ends. My garden, which is thoroughly 



