NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



ue as esculents and the economy of production of 

 those tubers, which are used in common with the 

 potato in its native climate, such as the yam, yucca 

 and the camote (or sweet potato) 1 And what is 

 the result of experiment on that subject? 



No. 2. — Subject, Thorough Braining and Subsoil 

 Ploughing. 



I. What experience have you had of the bene- 

 fits of draining land, and over what period has it 

 extended ] 



II. What soils, and under what general condi- 

 tions of altitude and quality, have you experiment- 

 ed upon? 



III. What depth, width of trench, and space be- 

 tween drains, does your experience recommend; 

 and what material for forming drains would you ap- 

 prove — keeping cheapness and eligibility in view ? 



IV. At what price, per rod, did you sink your 

 drains; and are you aware whether any cheaper or 

 m,ore speedy mode could be adopted — and, if so, 

 what ] 



V. What has been the general and what the 

 special effect of your experiments — in modifying 

 the influence of climate, and in enhancing produc- 

 tion? 



VI. What are the comparative advantages of 

 draining thoroughly, over imperfect drainage; also 

 in contrast with its neglect? 



VII. Can you bring reliable statistics to bear on 

 the question of profit or loss from draining 1 



VIII. What have you found to be the compara- 

 tive advantages of covered drains and of open 

 drains? 



IX. What soils derive the greatest advantage 

 from subsoil ploughing? 



X. What is the proper depth for subsoil plough- 

 ing; and how often in the progress of years should 

 the process be repeated ? 



XI. How do you account for the fact, that sub- 

 soil ploughing is beneficial ? 



XII. Does the depth to which the common 

 plough should go depend at all upon the subse- 

 quent use of the subsoil plough ? 



For the New England Farmer. 

 IMPROVEMENT OF WET LANDS. 



Mr. Cole : — The subject of draining is almost 

 entirely overlooked or neglected by most farm.ers 

 in this country. Having of late taken the sub- 

 ject under consideration, it has induced me to ex- 

 amine many English writers on the subject, -and 

 compare their views and practice with those of oui 

 own country. I have come to the conclusion that 

 the best and most fertile lands in this country are 

 laying waste for want of draining. In travelling 

 through the several counties, I have observed the 

 liigh lands cleared of trees and brush, while low 

 lands and swamps are totally neglected ; in many 

 cases where they can be drained with little or no 

 expense. 



The way draining should be conducted, it will 

 in my opinion pay well for the labor, as well as 

 contribute an abundance of new and fertile soil to 

 the owner, wherever there is a swamp that has an 

 outlet sufiiciently low so as to have fall enough for 

 the water to run off. The draining may be done in 

 this manner; first, dig a ditch along shore on each 

 side of the swamp, three or four feet wide, com- 

 mencing at the lower end; the mud should be all 

 taken to the barn-yard for manure; let t\\ o carts be 

 used; two men can dig and put the mud into the 

 cart as fast as a teamster can take it to the yard or 

 compost heap ; and by digging a good channel by 

 the edge of upland, all of the springs are cut off, 

 and the meadow or swamp will become almost dry, 

 and the muck will be worth enough to pay for all 

 of the labor. 



After the side or shore ditches are dug and the 

 water taken off from the fountain, then if the swamp 

 or meadow is fit to cart on, a ditch may be dug 

 through the centre and the mud carted off; but if it 

 is not fit for a team to go on, the mud should be 

 thrown out of the ditch into piles, so that it will 

 keep dry, and enable it to be got off in good sled- 

 ding, when the meadow is frozen, in the ensuing 

 winter. If that does not drain suflficient, small 

 ditches may be made from the shore ditches to the 

 centre ditch, from one to two feet wide, filled with 

 brush, covered over with mud. After this is done, 

 most meadows or swamps will be dry enough in the 

 summer to plough or harrow in herds grass seed. 



If the mud is deep and there is not consistency 

 enough, it would be well to cart on sand or gravel, 

 if it is to be had without carting too far. But mcst 

 of the swamps or low lands can be reclaimed with- 

 out anything being done except draining and break- 

 ing up the soil and sewing in grass seed. In all 

 cases all bushes and wild grass roots must be to- 

 tallv destroyed, which can easily be done either by 

 ploughing or digging in the fall, and the winter 

 will kill them (the roots;) then next summer har- 

 row or hoe in the grass seed with oats, and a good 

 late crop of fodder will be sure and safe The next 

 season there will be a good crop of English hay, 

 from one to two tons to the acre, without manure, 

 and this will continue until the wild grass returns; 

 then it must be ploughed and dug over again, as it 

 was in the first place. The ditches should be cleaned 

 out when they get clogged within by mud or any 

 other substance, so as in no case let the water be- 

 come stagnant, for if the water is suffered to stand 

 on low land, rushes and wild grass will always be 

 troublesome. 



The ditching can be done either in the summer, 

 fall or winter. When the mud is deep, the winter 

 is the best time, as the team can go on better then, 

 without injury either to the cattle or meadow, un- 

 less there is too much water; in that case tlie mud 

 must be thrown out in the fall, and be carted off in 

 the winter. By doing- this the soil will be returned 

 to the high land from whence it has been washed 

 down, enriched with rotten wood, decayed leaves, 

 and other vegetable and mineral sub.stances, which 

 have mixed together, to make the best of compost 

 if mixed with lime and barn-yard manure, well dug 

 over. Yours, &c., S. A. Shurtleff. 



Spring Grove, Feb., 1851. 



To Cleanse the Hair. — It is recommended to 

 use a little soda in the water instead of soap. 



