574 SELECTIONS FROM ADDRESSES. 



water, should afterwards suffer equally under a prolonged period 

 of dry weather. This is however undoubtedly the fact in 

 many cases. The cause is this — as the surface dries with 

 drought, the plants are obliged to push their roots downward 

 in search of moisture, but in this case they cannot go far 

 without coming in contact with the injurious acid substances, 

 that are so apt to accumulate at and beneath the water level, 

 especially when that level is near the surface where vegetable 

 matter abounds ; thus the plant forced to receive food into its 

 roots, and finally into its circulation, that is injurious, and even 

 noxious, begins to droop, and if the drought continues, dies._ 

 I have seen land of this sort ridged up quite high for grain 

 crops ; in a dry season it was curious to observe that on the 

 tops of the ridges, where of course the soil was dryest, the crop 

 was best, while in the hollows between, where was most ready 

 access to moisture, the plants were yellow and small. On the 

 top of the ridge they had a considerable depth from which to 

 draw supplies before getting to the noxious subsoil, while in 

 the hollows they were but a few inches removed from it. 



This is a complete explanation of the observed fact, that 

 well drained land generally withstands drought better than wet 

 land ; and it shows too that much of the land which is now 

 considered by our farmers nearly dry enough, is really suffering 

 from the presence of too much water. The introduction of 

 drains would lower the water level to a point where vegetable 

 matter does not often abound, and where hurtful compounds 

 would therefore seldom form ; the surface soil would at the 

 same time be warmed by the sun, penetrated by the air, and 

 rendered wholesome for plants to a considerable depth. In 

 accordance with those principles, I have no hesitation in say- 

 ing, that the uses of the drain are as yet but imperfectly appre- 

 ciated in this country. It will be applied over a breadth of 

 land of which our farmers at present have little conception, 

 although in many districts the subject is now receiving a great 

 and increasing degree of attention. 



This topic of draining might be made to occupy your time 

 for many hours. The mere sketch that I have given of the 

 eflfect of water, opens up at once a great field of inquiry ; if to 



