158 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



But, whether these or the opposite and prevail- 

 ing opinions are correct, we ami our fellow odilor, 

 though standing exactly opposed in conclusions, 

 agree that the subject ought to he brought belbre 

 our readers and the agricultural community. We 

 shall therefore follow hie example in 'Ins respect. 

 And, in the first place, as there, is a most deplora- 

 ble want of inlbrnmtion, and of facts, in regard to 

 the frauds and evils of banking — owing to the 

 influence and power which the banks and the 

 commercial class possess, and exercise to muz- 

 zle the newspaper press — we shall endeavor 

 to throw some liille light upon this deeply 

 darkened and disguised subject. The weekly 

 summaries of news, which have been presented in 

 our weekly issues, have been principally made up 

 of bank items ; not from previous intention, but be- 

 cause, in the two months since the publication was 

 commenced, there have been as many and import- 

 ant bank events — resumption and re-suspension of 

 payments, acknowledged and unacknowledged 

 bankruptcies, wholesale frauds of officers, &c. — as 

 ought to be looked for in twenty years. We shall 

 continue this record, and print together the weekly 

 Eummaries of banking news at the close of each 

 monthly number, and also present some more ex- 

 tended views and arguments, for the purpose of 

 giving light where it is so much wanting.-Ei). R. 



means of calciferous suhsfanccPj as rubbish, chalk, 

 ashes, marJ, &c., provided the oiher conditions be 

 lulfilled. 



THOROUGH DRAINING. 



INFLUENCE OF NATIVE MAGNESIA ON VEGE- 

 TATION. 



From the Jouiiirtl de Pliarmacie. 



The presence of magnesia was regarded as a 

 cause of barrenness in lands, until the investiga- 

 tions of Bergman proved magnesia to Ibrm one o( 

 the principal constituents of fertile soils. This 

 inquiry has been taken up by Prof. Giobert, who 

 concludes from various experiments: Isf, that 

 native carbonated niagneeia is no! injurious lo the 

 various functions of vegetables ; 2nd, that on ac- 

 count of the solubility of magnesia in an excess 

 ol carbonic acid, this earth can exercise an action 

 analogous to that of lime; that a magnesian soil 

 may become (eriile when the necessary manure is 

 employed. From these facts naturally proceeds 

 the conclusion, that il' the magnesia was dissolved 

 in an excess of carbonic acid and water, and had 

 entered, like the lime, into the composition of the 

 eap, it ought to be found in the plants with the 

 potash, lime, oxide of iron, &c. M. Abbene has 

 ascertained this by the analysis of the ashes of 

 plants which had grown in magnesiferous mix- 

 tures. He has also confirmed the experiments 

 of Prof. Giobert as regards the influence of mag- 

 nesia on vegetation being analogous to that of 

 lime; and he likewise concludes that when lime 

 and magnesia exist in arable lands, the former is 

 absorbed in preference by the plants, on account 

 of its greater affinity lor carbonic acid. The 

 barrenness of magnesian lands is not referable to 

 magnesia, but to the cohesive state of their parts, 

 lo the want of manure, of clay, or of other com- 

 posts to the large quantity of oxide of iron, &c. 

 Barren magnesian soils may be fertilized by 



From tlie Ayr Advertiser. 

 I would particularly impress upon you the im- 

 portance ol' furrow or thorough draining as a 

 means of improvement. Its wonder-working 

 effects have only lo be seen to be appreciated, 

 and not the least astounding lad connected with 

 its history is this, that while a difference of opi- 

 nion exists with respect to most other agricultural 

 matters, there is no instance of any person remain- 

 ing unconverted with respect to thorough draining, 

 where the practice has been at all known in hia 

 district. To show you the extent to which tho- 

 rough-draining is carried on in Scotland, I shall 

 mention one instance — in the county of East 

 Lothian, a very small county, above 3,000 miles 

 of tile drains were made in the year 1839, besides 

 stone drains. Buf nothing would surprise you so 

 much as to see the land which it is there consider- 

 ed necessary to drain, land which would here be 

 considered perfectly dry. I had a letter, a lew 

 days since li-om a friend of mine, an extensive 

 farmer in East Lothian, who thus writes upon 

 this subject : — " Every day's additional expe- 

 rience convinces me more and more of the im- 

 mense extent of land, at present considered dry, 

 which actually requires lo be furrow drained, and 

 which would, in a very short lime indeed, amply 

 remunerate the occupier, were the operation care- 

 fully and correctly perlbrmed, notwithstanding the 

 heavy outlay, which makes it almost a landlord's 

 question. We have at present thirieen men cutting 

 drains in one field, and the quantity of water in 

 every drain is almost incredible ; and this on land 

 that was thought dry ground, and a part of the 

 small quantity of ground deemed fi/r/i//? land in 

 Fenton twenty years ago." I should trespass too 

 long on your time were! to enumerate all the 

 advantages of thorough draining, even supposing 

 I could enumerate them ; hut there are one or two 

 so obvious, and of so much importance that I can- 

 not avoid mentioning them: — 1st, You may do 

 away with narrow ridges on drained land, by 

 vvliich a great point is gained — the making what 

 are at present deep furrows, and producing no- 

 thing as productive as the rest of the field. 2d, Less 

 manure will suffice. Lord Gosford, from the opi- 

 nions I have heard him express, will tell you how 

 great an enemy to manure water is, which ex- 

 plains the reason of this effect of draining. 3d. 

 Less seed and labor will be required. 4th. Your 

 crop will ripen evenly. 5th. You may clean your 

 land of weeds at almost any season, and while you 

 have more time to remove them you are likewise 

 cutting off" one great cause of their growth. In 

 conclusion, I would particularly press upon you 

 this consideration, that if it is worthy a farmer's 

 while to pay men for making drains in a country 

 where daily laborers are earning 10s. per week, 

 how much more inexcusable in you is it, having 

 your own hands lo work with, and, probably, 

 much spare time, to allow your land to suffer from 

 that fatal disease which may be well compared to 

 dropsy in the human patient. — Mr. Filgate's 

 Speech. 



