107 



England, Ireland and France, might be given, but this one trium- 

 phant experiment, quoted from Mr. Johnston's report* on the sub- 

 ject, is deemed sufficient to confirm the argument for deep and 

 thorough draining. 



If any farmers in Norfolk county, or elsewhere in the Common- 

 wealth, who have lands that need draining according to the doc- 

 trines of this Essay, let them, as Mr. Johnston said to his once 

 doubting, taunting, jeering neighbors, try an acre, and wait for the 

 results. Those who are willing to do so, will confirm the truthful- 

 ness of the views of such as advocate the importance and absolute 

 necessity of prosecuting the work of deep and thorough under- 

 draining, somewhat after the plan herein set forth and maintained. 

 But do not rest satisfied when this first step of permanent improve- 

 ment is taken, for if you do, you will be ultimately disappointed in 

 results. In addition to draining, you must introduce deep and 

 thorough tillage, and, besides, make a liberal use of fertilizers. 



The earth thus treated will be found a liberal rewarder, return- 

 ing to the husbandmen, some thirty, some sixty, and to others even 

 a hundred fold. They who drain and till deeply and thoroughly, 

 and sow liberally, shall reap bountifully, and thus have the satis- 

 faction of seeing the work of their hands prosper. 



* Since the Essay was in type, tlie writer has had an opportunity of reading the 

 report of the Committee on Draining, published in the last volume of the N. Y. 

 State Agricultural Society's Transactions, witii tlie statements of Messrs. Dan- 

 forth and Burtis, between whom the premium of $20, offered for the best experi- 

 ment in draining, was equally divided. 



Mr. F. Danforth, of Sennett, Cayuga Co., entered upon his farm a little more 

 than two years ago, with his mind fully made up, to test the utility of thorough 

 underdraining. He commenced on a low, boggy piece of land, cleared about fifty 

 years ago, consisting of a rich vegetable mould from six to ten inches in depth, 

 underlaid by a subsoil of pure clay. After completing the main drain, branches 

 were laid from 25 to 35 feet apart at right angles. The cost of draining with tiles 

 was from 25 to .30 cents per rod. The succeeding crop of corn amply remunerat- 

 ed, in the surplus, the whole expense of draining. He remarks, in conclusion, " I 

 am so well pleased with the results of my experience in draining, that I intend to 

 continue it until I complete the thorough draining of my whole farm, (102.^ acres.)" 



Mr. S. Burtis, of Oaks Corners, Ontario Co., commenced underdraining about 

 fourteen years ago, and laid saveral hundred rods with stone, about five inches 

 apart and covered with flat stones. These worked well about two years, but 

 have utterly failed, owing to the field mice, and the washing in of sand. He 

 concludes from experience that it will not pay to make stone drains on loamy 

 soils, whose subsoil is inclined to quicksand. His first statement concerning eight 

 acres, drains 35 feet apart, cost about 40 cents a rod, including tiles and the blast- 

 ing of rocks. On land apparently worthless before draining, he says, " I have 

 raised one crop without manure or extra cflbrt, that will at the present low prices, 

 more than pay all the expenses of the first year, and will be the most valuable lot 

 on my farm." He mentions another experiment, where, from five acres, he har- 

 vested 550 bushels of cars of good corn. In both of these cases, ho remarks, 

 owing to the wetness of the season, " had not these fields been thoroughly under- 

 drained there is no doubt the crops would have been an entire failure." Such 

 statements should encourage farmers to make experiments where lands are sur- 

 charged with moisture, and thus rendered unproductive. 



