108 CULTIVATION. 



" If such land is properly furnished with tile drains, 

 (having a clear and sufficient outfall, offering suffi- 

 cient means of entrance to the water which reaches 

 them, and carrying it, by a uniform or increasing 

 descent, to the outlet,) its water will be removed to 

 nearly, or quite, the level of the floor of the drains, 

 and its water-table will be at the distance of some 

 feet from the surface, leaving the spaces between the 

 particles of all the soil above it filled with air instead 

 of water. The water below the drains stands at a 

 level, like any other water that is dammed up. 

 Rain-water falling upon the soil, will descend by its 

 own weight to this level, and the water will rise into 

 the drains, as it would flow over a dam, until the 

 proper level is again obtained. Spring-water enter- 

 ing from below, and water oozing from the adjoin- 

 ing land, will be removed in like manner, and the 

 usual condition of the soil, above the water-table, 

 will be that which is best adapted to the growth of 

 useful plants. 



"In the heaviest storms, some water will flow over 

 the surface of even the dryest beach sand ; but in a 

 well-drained soil the water of ordinary rains will be 

 at once absorbed, Mail slowly descend toward the 

 water- able, and will be removed by the drains so 

 rapidly, even in heavy clays, as to leave the ground 

 fit for cultivation, and in a condition for steady 

 growth, within a short time after the rain ceases. It 

 has been estimated that a drained soil has room 

 between its particles for about one quarter of its 

 bulk of water, that is, four inches of drained soil con- 



