1848. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



287 



In the excellent grazing zone pointed out by us, 

 so abounding in pure air, pure water, and deli- 

 cious fruits, and withal so accessible to the sea- 

 board and the markets of the world, common in- 

 telligence and industry will be sure to prosper. 

 The people are remarkable lor their kindness, 

 hospitality and attachment to reputable neigh- 

 bors. There are very few slaves in the moun- 

 tain portions of Virginia, North and South Caro- 

 lina, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama. White 

 men labor in all these regions just as they do in 

 New Hampshire and Vermont. White clover, 

 timothy, red top, blue grass, wild pea vines and 

 other herbage for cattle, sheep and horses, 

 abound. The demand for mules in all the plant- 

 ing portions of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, 

 Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, to say nothing 

 of Cuba and other islands, is enormous. Canada 

 and Vermont horses sell at very high prices in 

 this section. A bull raised in Westchester and 

 just brought out, sold at $'500. First rate milk- 

 ers sell at:#40 to -f 100. The annual consumption 

 of blankets and coarse cloth by some 8,000,000 

 negroes, is obviously very large. Wool foi- these 

 blankets, and factories for making them, will soon 

 vibound in the valleys andon the hills of the great 

 Alleghany range of mountains. Their invaluable 

 minerals, from cheap iron and coal to costly gems 

 and precious gold, are destined to employ millions 

 of laborers, and thus create a home market for 

 all that the farmer produces. 



When will civilized man tire of constructing 

 rail-roads, locomotives, cars and steamships '/ 

 The Coal and Iron which so abound on the Atlan- 

 tic slope of the AUeghanies, from Pennsylvania 

 to Alabama, inclusive, are soon to be turned to 

 a valuable account. To the agriculturist they 

 are full of promise. Think of a mountain fir- 

 mer whose corn is now worth only ten cents a 

 bushel; having a good rail- road brought to his 

 door, on which he can send 100 fat hogs to an 

 Atlantic city for $6.5 ! Such of my readers as 

 have seen wheat sold, before the Erie Canal was 

 made, in Western New York :-t 30 cents a 

 bushel, as the writer has, will appreciate the 

 value of an iron-way with cheap fuel, to drive 

 1000 tons at a load, over a slightly inclined 

 plane down to Salt Water. No reader of the 

 Genesee Farmer will despise the Iron Horse. 

 He is the offspring of cultivated Reason — tlie 

 diffuser of civilization — the eTiduring friend of 

 truth, justice, comfort, science and religion. The 

 Press and the Locomotive are okmcnts of moral 

 power, by which kings, emperors, lords, tyrants, 

 ignorance, error and wrong in eVery form, will be 

 tried as by fire. Had St. Paulseen a dozen power- 

 presses at work, driven by a steam engine, and 

 as many locomotives each hauling a train of cars 

 a third of a mile in length, and with the speed of 

 a race hor-e, he would have been assured that 



Draining Lands. 



Aptke, Prof. Norton, of Yale College, had 

 concluded his able and interesting lecture at the 

 recent Fair in Buffalo, a short discussion was 

 had on the subject of Draining. In the course 

 of this, remarks were made by intelligent gen- 

 tlemen which convinced us that this important 

 matter is less understood, and less practiced than 

 is desirable. The objects of draining are two- 

 fold ; First, to get rid of any excess of water on 

 the ground as it falls on the surface of the earth , 

 and secondly, to remove all excess in the subsoil. 

 Surface draining and Subsoil draining are best 

 effected by very unlike operations. Open ditch- 

 es are the things for the economical removal 

 of surl'ace Vvater; and (5overed drains for drying 

 soils rendered too wet by springs, or water 

 that rises from below the surface. At the 

 South, open drains aj-e exclusively used for both 

 purposes, and greatly to t&e benefit of many 

 fields. 



Deep tillage doubles the capacity of the soil 

 to hold the water that falls in showers without in- 

 jury ; and to that extent prevents its washing. 

 This often removes the necessity for ditches of 

 any kind to carry it off. It is characteristic of 

 poor, ihin hard soils that a large share of the 

 water which falls upon them in the course of a 

 year, runs off immediately. It is indicative of a 

 good soil if it will i?r.bibe and retain much water, 

 diffused so deep'') as not to have the surface 

 nor subsoil too we. for cultivated plants. What- 

 ever of the org ad.; and inorganic elements of 

 planis the eurti contains in a soluble condition, 

 th's water will d'ssolve. So long as there is no 

 la .-k of moisture in the ground, its evaporation 

 fiom the many leaves of plants vvill be free and 

 constant. The free ascent of water through 

 the roots and stems of vegetables to their leaves, 

 >.?.arrying with it much nutriment, (which does 

 ot escape with the vvater in vapor,) will cause 

 these plants to grow rapidly. To supply a crop 

 with all the water it needs ia a dry season, the 

 earth to a considerable depth mu.5t possess a pe- 

 culiar mechfjnical texture, adapted to the holding 

 of this liquid in a harmless diffusion. The ag- 

 gregate supply must be larger than farmers who 

 have never studied solar evaporation, are apt to 

 be-lieve. Our researches lead to the conviction, 

 that, for the perfection of human culture, very 

 iitiie more water falls in the United Stales in 

 spring and summer than should be retained where 

 it falls on the bibulous earth, for the full growth 

 and maturity of vegetation. 



With deep tilth and suitable underdrains where 

 the soil is compact, very little surface draining, 

 cwill ever be required. Many doubt the effects 

 of drains three feet deep and covered, to carry 

 off the excess of moisture in the subsoil to tl^ 

 "allt hings" were to be "proved," that what is I distance of 20 or even 10 feet from the line of 

 "good" may be "held fast to" by moral man. 'the drain. We have never seen or heard of 



