288 



GENESEE FARMER. 



Dec 



fair trials made in this country; but from the 

 accounts published of draining compact clay 

 soils in England, we see no reason to doubt their 

 efficacy. Have any of our readers had expe 

 rience in underdraining what would be regarded 

 as impervious clay subsoils? Is it absolutely 

 requisite that all such lands should be thrown up 

 into undulating surfaces, for surface draining? 

 We have long recommended this in our public 

 lectures ; but are not satisfied of its being strictly 

 necessary where subsoil plowing and underdrain- 

 ing are practic^ed. If mellowing land four inches 

 deep will enable it to absorb a third of all the 

 water that falls in ordinary rain, should not its 

 tillage twelve inches in depth, give it power to 

 imbibe three times more, or the whole of the 

 water ? 



There is a good deal of surface draining at 

 the South. Some plantations on the Savannah 

 bottoms have 20 miles of ditches on a single 

 farm. These fill up rapidly by reason of the 

 flowing of mudd\^ water into them from plowed 

 land. Few are aware of tlie annual expense 

 of cleaning these open drains. If covered ones 

 would answer as well to remove all excess of 

 moisture in the soil, ov^r which the plow could 

 work, they would be much cheaper in the long 

 run. The earth acting as a filterer, all water 

 that passed into the drain three feet below the 

 surface, would be as clear as Ihct from the purest 

 springs ; and of course no sediment would be 

 conveyed into the drains to choke it up. As 

 logs and brush in mill-dams, where constantly 

 wet and partially excluded from the air, last for 

 ages, so brush and poles placed three feet under 

 ground, witli the atmosphere excluded in a good 

 degree, and kept wet, v/ill doubtless last a half 

 century or more. We could quote instances in 

 point, as found by experience in England and 

 Scotland, did we regard the fact as a mooted 

 question. Our impression is, that these under- 

 drains will carry off so much water from the 

 subsoil as to render surface draining generally 

 unnecessary. How thick they should be, will 

 depend much on the closeness of the subsoil. 

 If this be not compact, ro under-drains will be 

 required ; for the water will sink deep into the 

 earth, as fast as is desirable on deeply plowed 

 land. Hov/ far apart these covered water courses 

 ought to be. is a matter to be judged of and de- 

 cided in each case by the operation. Abundant 

 experience in England has shown that drains 

 three feet deep are decidedly better than tho.se 

 of a less depth. -The economical construction 

 of these will form the subject of another article. 



Drink and Dise.ase. — It is remarkable that 

 all the diseases caused from drinking spirituous 

 liquors are liable to become hereditary, even to 

 the third genei-ation, and gradually increase, if 

 the curse be continued, till the family becomes 

 extinct. — Dr. Danein. 



Hessian Fly. 



This destroying insect is becoming more and 

 more plenty over the whole wheat district, sub- 

 ject to slight variations through the effect exer- 

 cised over them by the severe and open winters 

 and frosts. That they are extremely local, and 

 when once colonized do not emigrate far, when 

 they can find the proper pabulum for subsistence 

 near home, M-e have been a long time satisfied. 

 A respectable and extensive farmer in Pennsyl- 

 vania, states that he has for ten years past, al- 

 most entirely prevented their depredations, by 

 burning over the stubble directly after cutting his 

 wheat, and before they had changed from the 

 larva; to the winged state ; while fields in hi? 

 immediate neighborhood were destroyed. 



This view of the subject is remarkably con- 

 firmed, b}'- a case related to us a kw days since 

 by one of our best wheat farmers in this section. 

 His crop was so entirely destroyed that it did not 

 pay for harvesting, and the land being in fine 

 tilth, he resolved to follow it again with wheat, 

 and consequently turned it over pretty soon 

 after. About the first of September he com- 

 menced cross plowing, and when about half the 

 field was finished, the other half looked in such 

 good order that he omitted plowing it, and sowed 

 his wheat. The next summer the grain was so 

 destroyed on the part twice plowed that he did not 

 harvest it, while the other was a full average crop. 



The rationale is plain ; the insect when in 

 in the worm state, was plowed under with the 

 stubble, and on that part twice plowed was 

 brought up again, hatched out, and attached their 

 eggs to the young wheat — while in that part but 

 once plowed they were buried beyond their 

 power of getting to the surface, and were de- 

 stroyed. 



These facts are worth looking at, and support 

 each other remarkably. * 



Luci-mNE. — From what we have seen of this 

 plant, often called " French Clover," we think 

 its culture for soiling can be made profitable. 

 Its seeds should be planted in drills by a machine. 

 We have traced its roots 38 inches into the 

 ground. In permeable s'lils of fair strength, it 

 grows luxuriantly. Deep culture, gypsum, lime 

 and leached ashes, well mixed and drilled in 

 with the seed, are recommended by us. If the 

 soil is thin or poor, stable manure should not be 

 omitted. Seed should be sown or planted early 

 n the Spring. Having deep roots. Lucerne 

 stands dry weather better than almost any other 

 plant. 



Ventilation. — In airing a room, both the 

 upper and the lower jjarts of the window should 

 be opened, as the bad and heated air, from its 

 lightness, will pass out at the top, and the fresh, 

 cool air come in at the bottom. 



