APPENDIX. 133 



drainage, and this must necessarily be gradual, for the con- 

 traction of the soil is so great that a drain cut first will soon 

 become ineffective, if not deepened. 



(5.) Derelict Agricultural Soils. 



Many of these are gradually returning to their primitive 

 condition using the term "primitive" in an agricultural 

 sense; but many "remain, and will remain, unremunerative 

 under the plough. These it may be wise to plant, and the 

 rent securable under afforestment will doubtless be higher 

 than that under their derelict condition, even taking into 

 consideration the sinking of capital to secure it. 



Such lands will require, as a rule, no preparation whatever, 

 beyond digging the holes, breaking the subsoil where ob- 

 durate, or removing such herbage as may have become 

 rank. 



Drainage. 



The subject of drainage must be dealt with as it becomes 

 necessary. It must be drastic and entire on wet lands, partial 

 on lands only occasionally wet, and here and there where 

 springs rise and the water squanders over the surface. In 

 all cases the drains must be open, for pipe drainage will 

 soon become inoperative through root-fibre ; in fact, many 

 drained lands for past agricultural purposes become water- 

 logged after the lapse of years as the trees develop. All 

 trees affect pipe drains ; but surface-rooted trees, such as 

 ash, beech, and elm, are perhaps the worst offenders. In 

 the open drains through woodland areas this is of course of 

 no importance. Drainage as a preparation for planting 

 should be looked upon as essential only when moisture is 

 in excess, for trees love moisture and will thrive even in 

 excess better than agricultural crops. 



The chief point in wet land, or land with a cold bottom, 



