EOOTS AND VEGETABLES. 97 



water so that willows and wild grapes make their appearance 

 in the place of timothy and redtop, give evidence of stand- 

 ing water, from the fact that these water-loving plants would 

 not have been found there, had not the stagnant water below 

 the surface been present and encouraged their growth. 



In reply to the second inquiry, it may be said that all cereals 

 and root-crops require that water should be removed from 

 twenty to twenty-five inches below the surface, for the 

 purpose of giving deep ploughing, thus admitting air and 

 warmth. 



It has come under the observation of extensive root-grow- 

 ers on meadow and swamp lands, that if the water stand in 

 the ditches only six or eight inches from the surface, then the 

 root penetrates only to that depth, but refuses to go further ; 

 here it makes half a dozen little fangs or fingers, branching 

 oif side wise ; anywhere rather than into its enemy, cold water ; 

 and the result is a half-starved crop. 



All cereals require the very opposite of wet, cold land, 

 but a deep, loose, friable soil, and this cannot be reached 

 when water is at or near the surface. It has of late come to 

 the knowleds^e of observino; cultivators, that the small roots 

 of cereals extend many feet, instead of only a few inches, as 

 was formerly supposed ; hence when these small, tender roots 

 come in contact with any pernicious substance, their growth 

 is retarded, the stock grows pale and sickly; consequently, 

 a meagre crop. 



Stagnant water, again, is deadly poisen to young pear-trees 

 and grape-vines ; therefore, the young man who intends to 

 embark in the cultivation of pears or grapes, should carefully 

 study the nature of his soils, — their texture, location, aspect, 

 etc. ; and for any or all of the above-named crops, he should 

 be satisfied with nothing short of a deepli/ pulverized soil, and 

 this cannot be had when its foe is at the bottom. 



Nursery-men and market-gardeners have long since learned 

 that a well-drained soil, either naturally or artificially, and 

 deep cultivation, have been their stronghold of success. 



It was the theory of the early teachers of agriculture, that 

 by having a soil free from water, and by giving deep and 

 frequent ploughings, they would so much enrich the soil, that 

 successive crops might be taken without the application of 



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