62 



IHE GENESEE FARMER. 



experience coincides witli the remarks of Mr. Allen 

 abont a naturally dry sub-soil. He has an orchard 

 standing on a springy hill-side, which he had under- 

 drained" with tile; but the fruit is always small, 

 knotty, one-sided, and worthless. Another orchard 

 of his, on land with a naturally dry, porous sub- 

 soil, jn-oduces fruit, both in quantity and quality, 

 to his entire satisfaction. He thought a few varie- 

 ties might succeed on moist soil. 



Mr. Spenoe was surprised to hear tile drainage 

 denounced for orchards, and farms that need such 

 treatment recommended to be traded off to some 

 unfortunate neighbor ! Drainage, whether natural 

 or artificial, is the same. He has an orchard on a 

 low, moist, rich soil, the roots of which are often 

 bathed with water; and he has another on high 

 land, but it never bore so well as the low one. — 

 Lately he has underdrained the low orchard with 

 tile, tVom three to four feet deep, but could not yet 

 say anything of the re-sult. 



Mr. VicK thought that before this point could be 

 decided, Mr. Hookee should explain how he under- 

 drained. 



Mr. Barry said that perhaps Mr. Hooker''s land 

 is no better after draining than it was before, and 

 he would now say more than he had before : he 

 would prefer a strong land that would require drain- 

 ing, to a light soil. He was surprised to hear gen- 

 tlemen of so large experience express such opinions. 

 It is well known that tile draining is eminently bene- 

 ficial for farm crops, and trees require no better or 

 ditferent land than such as is well adapted for gen- 

 eral farming purposes. As the orcliard which Mr. 

 HooKEK refers to is on a side-hill, he was inclined 

 to think that the drainage was ineftectual, a.s it is 

 well known that side-hills have always been con- 

 sidered the most difficult to drain. 



Mr. Maxwell thought that he could drain a side- 

 hill without any trouble — had done considerable 

 such draining — always laid the tiles straight up and 

 down the slope, and found them to work well. 



Mr. Scott said Smitu of Deanston had discovered 

 the true method of draining side-hills, by tapping 

 the springs.* 



Mr. B. Smito, of Geneva, thought that under- 

 draining would accomplish all that its most earnest 

 advocates claim for it. 



-J. J. Thomas would like to inquire about the 

 depth and direction of Mr. Hooker's drains. 



Mr. Hooker drained down the slope ; the drains 

 were from four to ten rods apart, and from two and 

 half to four feet deep. The surface of the land was 

 broken, so that it was impracticable to lay out the 

 drains in straight lines or at regular distances. — 

 Some parts of tlie land appearing dryer than others, 

 he had put the tiles in at greater distances. A part 

 of tliis land, in all respects similar to that where 

 the orchard stood, and drained in the same manner, 

 was cultivated with corn and other farm crops, and 

 drained well. 



* It was Elkington of Warwickshire, not Smith of Deanston 

 that adopted the practice referred to by Mr. S. Smith advocated 

 the system of layinj; shaLlow parallel drains at regular intervals, 

 and it is the one wlii^'h has been most generally adopted in Eng- 

 land. Parkes adopts the same system, only tliat he recommends 

 deeper drains. The old-fashioned " Elkington system," in special 

 localities, is good, as far as it goes; but it can hardly be consid- 

 ered the "true method of draining side-hilLs," as it has little influ- 

 ence in draining off the surface water. Ei>s. 



Dr. P. P. Bristol, of Dansville, had been much 

 delighted with the discussion ; but it was not clear 

 to his mind that land could be considered to be well 

 drained merely because tiles were laid through it at 

 certain distances apart, without reference to the 

 peculiarities of the situation. Drains should be laid 

 close enough to do their work eftectually, whatever 

 the distance required might be. He has an orchard 

 on the border of Cayuga Lake, that was in fine 

 bearing condition for several years past, and until 

 within the last two years, when the water of the 

 lake has been higher than for fifty years before. 

 Many of these trees are now dead, and the remain- 

 der are in a dying condition. This orchard now 

 stands only two feet above the level of the lake, but 

 previously the usual height was from six to eight 

 feet. Now, as the only apparent reason for the 

 death of this orchard is the saturation of the earth 

 with water, so it is evident that if this water could 

 by any means be removed, the land would be re- 

 stored to its former fertility. Here is a fact indi- 

 cating the advantage of underdraining for orchards. 



Lewis F. Allex and H. E. Hooker made similar 

 remarks, to the elfcct thtit they did not wish to be 

 understood as denouncing artificial underdraining 

 for orchards; but that in their opinion it is unprofit- 

 able to underdrain for this purpose when so much 

 land ctm be obtained that is naturally adapted to it, 

 and the low land could be profitably used for pas- 

 turage and meadow. 



L. B. Langwortiiy considered the quality of the 

 soil of little consequence or value, but underdrain- 

 ing everything. Plants receive comparatively little 

 of their substance from the soil, but mostly from 

 the atmosphere, through their leaves. Soil is only 

 a substauce in which to fix plants to keep them iu 

 place, { ! ) and an excess of moisture at their roots 

 impedes their healthy organic action. A dry sub- 

 soil, therefore, he thought worthy of the cultiva- 

 tor's first and last attention. 



F. W. Lay, of Greece, had observed that apples 

 grown on light soils were apt to decay sooner than 

 those grown on heavy lands, 



L. F. Allen had noticed that apples grown in 

 warm, dry seasons, woidd decay sooner than those 

 of cool, moist summers. 



S. L. Fuller, of Conesus Center, has a neighbor 

 who has two orchtu'ds, one on a flat and the other 

 on a high land ; and the fruit from the low land 

 always keeps the best. 



EVENING SESSION, 

 This session was opened by an elegant, learned, 

 and appropriate address, from the late President, 

 J. J. Thomas, a portion of which will be published 

 in a future number. 



PRUNING. 



Mr. Barry, who was expected to have delivered 

 a lecture on the subject of Pruning, rendered as an 

 apology for not doing so, absence from home for 

 some time past. 



The subject of Pruning, he remarked, is far more 

 important than is generally considered. It requires 

 the study of trees, and the whole science of vegeta- 

 ble physiology; and, as the President in his address 

 has said, is a beautiful subject. 



