43 



by which we avoid the weeds and foul grasses that arc introduced 

 by careless cultivation. Those who are careful of the health of 

 their horses take pains to extirpate weeds from grass fields. 

 Next to thistles, perhaps the most troublesome is white weed. 

 This is found in great abundance in the lower part of the county. 

 It is occasionally seen in the upper and western parts ; but the 

 farmers consider it for their interest to extirpate it, either by pull- 

 ing it up by the roots or by frequent ploughing. Cattle will eat 

 it freely, if cut early in the season, but it generally blooms before 

 the grass is fit to be cut. Grass being the most easily managed 

 and most profitable of our crops, whatever hinders its growth or 

 impairs its quality should engage our earnest attention. 



The principal improvement in the cultivation of grass that is 

 now attracting the attention of the agricultural public, is drain- 

 age. This has long been practised on a large scale in England, 

 and with such success, that in thousands of instances it has 

 doubled the productiveness of land at a comparatively small ex- 

 pense. Not swamps and meadow lands alone, but ordinary up- 

 lands, a large majority of which are found to repay the lahor and 

 ex])ense of thorough draining. Every farmer is aware that cold 

 water standing around the roots of his plants will kill them. They 

 are killed in immense numbers every year by this cause ; and the 

 evils of a backward season or of an early frost may be traced, in 

 many cases, to the water which freezes upon the surface or stag- 

 nates below it. And none the less in our hot climate than in 

 cooler ones ; for, although we are liable to extremes of heat and 

 drought, yet the average quantity of rain falling here is greater 

 than in England, where rainy days are more numerous. 



We do not propose to enter into the details of this subject — 

 neither our practical knowledge or skill justifies such an under- 

 taking. But we wish to call the attention of our Society to the 

 experiments and observations of others eminently qualified to in- 

 struct us. In the Patent Office Report for 1856, just published, 

 is an Essay upon Drainage, by the Hon. Henry F. French, of 

 Exeter, N. H. This essay is a valuable contribution to agricul- 

 tural literature. 



We will briefly state the several points that are illustrated by 

 the author. From these it will be seen that a new and wide field 

 is opened, that promises to be productive of the greatest benefit. 

 According to Mr. F., the advantages of drainage are these : That 

 it deepens the soil, furnishing room for the roots of cultivated 

 plants ; that it promotes pulverization ; that it prevents siu'face- 

 washing ; that it lengthens the season for labor and vegetation, by 

 causing the ground to dry off early in the spring ; that it prevents 

 freezing out, by leaving the root-bed of the plants so free from 

 water that they retain their natural position ; that it prevents 

 drought by increasing the capacity of the soil for capillary attrac- 



