SOIL MANAGEMENT. 11 



nature, and periodical dressings of lime, which breaks 

 up a stiff adhesive soil and makes it more friable. 



Drainage. Water-logged land is always sour, 

 cold, and badly ventilated, resulting in stunted 

 growth and late crops of poor quality. In wet 

 weather surplus water should be able to pass freely 

 downwards from the upper cultivated soil, and deep 

 cultivation alone is often sufficient to secure this 

 result. But should this not avail, and water stands 

 on the surface, or the ground generally proves to be 

 wet, draining must be resorted to. The distances 

 apart of the drains and other details vary in in- 

 dividual cases, and must be determined by local 

 conditions ; but the drains should not be made 

 deeper than 2J feet, and the drain-pipes should 

 not be buried in a stiff tenacious clay when it can be 

 avoided. Bather fill in the drains, above the pipes, 

 with ashes or stones up to the level of a clay subsoil, 

 or to within 18 inches of the surface of the ground, 

 to ensure that the drains will continue to draw well 

 and be effective. 



Some of the chief advantages of good drainage 

 are : (1) the removal of surplus water ; (2) more 

 efficient and deeper ventilation ; (3) a higher and 

 more uniform soil temperature ; (4) earlier and more 

 rapid growth of crops ; (5) increased returns are 

 secured from manures ; (6) better conditions are 

 provided for useful bacteria. 



Soil Bacteria. The soil has an enormous pop- 

 ulation of very minute bacteria, or microbes, which 

 are continually at work decomposing organic sub- 

 stances in the soil, liberating potential plant foods, 

 and afterwards converting certain of these into a 



