10 



Tin: GENESEE FARMER. 



as they unfortunately are at present, there is more 

 economy in deep draining here than in England; 

 and even there general experience is in favor of deep 

 drains. Deep drains, as a general rule, will dram 

 the land to a greater distance than shallow ones. 

 We are acquainted with farmers in this vicmity 

 who pay $U per thousand for tiles, and then lay 

 them, in some cases, not over twenty inches deep. 

 This is a great waste of tiles. The same remarks 

 a: .ply to stone drains, which are at least equally ex- 

 pensive. 



It has long heen a controverted point whetlier it 

 iH hest to drain up the fall or across it, but experi- 

 ence and theory alike seem to decide in favor of the 

 former course. When the drains are cut up the 

 fall, the water can get into the drains from both 

 sides ; whereas, if they are cut across the fall, it en- 

 ters only from the elevated land on one side, and of 

 course the influence of the drain extends to a less 

 distance. We are well aware, however, that some 

 of the most experienced drainers contend that when 

 the slope is gradual, the drains are more efficient 

 when cut across the fall. 



Had we not seen the opposite course adopted, 

 wc should deem it quite unnecesary to say that the 

 proper place to commence cutting the drains is at 

 the main ditch, working towards the more elevated 

 portions of the land. In regard to the proper fall 

 of the di-ains, all that is necessary is to cut Ihom so 

 that the water will run off freely from the c'rainers. 

 When stones are abundant, and it is an object to 

 get rid of them, it may be cheaper to drain with 

 stones than with tiles, though we have some doubts 

 on the point. It is necessary to dig the drains 

 wider for stones than for tiles, and the cost of laying 

 the stones is much greater, while a properly made 

 tile drain is equally effective and durable. Much 

 needless labor is expended in cutting the drains an 

 unnecessary width. One of our popular authors re- 

 commends digging drains for two inch pipe-tile, 

 "three feet wide at top, narrowing gradually to 

 the bottom" which is three feet deep. Now such a 

 width is entirely unnecessary. A skillful workman 

 call dig drains three feet deep, only twelve to four- 

 teen inches wide at the top, using a long-handled 

 scoop for removing the loose soil at the bottom. 



Our object, however, is not now to give specific 

 directions for underdraining. If we can succeed 

 in inducing our readers to commence on a small 

 scale — to underdrain thoroughly one acre, — we feel 

 satisfied that the results will be so beneficial that 

 they wUl not give up this most fascinating of all 

 agricultural operations so long as there remains a 

 single wet spot on the fai*m. 



LIME AND rrSjCmilCAL CHANGES. 



Lime is not as was once supposed, an element, 

 but consists of the metal calcium united with the 

 gas oxygen, and is properly an oxide of calcium,^ 

 j'ust as' potash, soda and magnesia are oxides of 

 potassium, sodium, magnesium. It is never found 

 pure in nature, except occasionally in the craters ot 

 volcanoes, but is usually united with carbonic acid, 

 for which it has a strong attraction. In this state 

 it is neutral, and insoluble in pure water. When 

 limestone or any other form of carbonate of lime is 

 exposed to a sufficiently high temperature with ac- 

 cess of air or moisture, the carbonic acid gas is 

 driven off, and the lime wliich remains is called 

 q^iklc or caustic, from its strong alkaline re-action. 

 When sucli lime is plunged into water for a short 

 time, or water is poured upon it, heat is evolved, 

 the lime swells, cracks, gives off much watery va- 

 por, and finally falls to a powder. Tins powder, 

 or slaked lime, is a Mjdrate of hme, water being 

 chemically combined with it. In this state it is still 

 caustic, though somewhat milder than when fresh 

 from the kiln. 



The rise of temperature is so great when large 

 heaps of good lime are sudc^enly slaked, as to en- 

 flame gmipowder and scorch wood; it certamly 

 exceeds, accordingly to Pei.i.etiek, 500 ^ ; and when 

 the operation is performed in a dark place, light is 

 also evolved. All sorts of imaginary causes have 

 been assigned to account for these phenomena. 

 They are referable, however, to a very simple and 

 universal law. All substances during their change 

 from a gaseous to a liquid, or from a liquid to a solid 

 state, evolve heat, and vice versa. The intense cold 

 produced by hquifying ice or snow by admixture 

 with salt is a familiar instance of the latter ; and 

 the heat evolved in solidifying carbonic acid under 

 intense cold and pressure, is sometimes dangerous 

 evidence of the former— the expansion of air conse- 

 quent on the sudden liberation of heat from the car- 

 bonic acid in the moment of congelation, not un- 

 frequently shattering the vessel to atoms. 



Lime in slakmgwill absorb one-fourth its weight 

 of water ; but the slaked lime is not more moist 

 than before. The water unquestionably, there- 

 fore, is chemically combined with the lime, and 

 becomes solidified ; and it is simply owing to this 

 solidification of the water that heat is evolved. ; 

 Caustic lime has a strong affinity for water and car- 

 bonic acid. When kept in a dry place, it gradually 

 slakes, cracking, splitting and crumbling to pow- 

 der with the evolution of heat— which, however, ia 

 not so perceptible on account of the length of time 

 during which the process ia extended— just as 



