CHAPTER IX 



DRAINAGE OF FARM SOILS 



NO OTHER farm practice has added to the 

 value of agricultural lands in the eastern 

 part of the United States more than under- 

 drainage. Excess of water in the soil is as fatal 

 to most farm crops as deficiency. A soil must 

 be able to rid itself of surplus water before 

 it can be cropped and it often happens that this is 

 the only defect of many soils that are otherwise 

 very valuable for farming. Fortunately it is 

 usually quite practicable to remedy this defect by 

 drainage. 



A Problem of the Eastern States. Drainage is, 

 for the most part, a problem of the states east of 

 the Mississippi. Probably it would pay to under- 

 drain from 20 to 30 per cent, of the farm land in this 

 region. On the prairie lands of the central West 

 under-drainage is practised more than in any other 

 part of the country, and it has added immeasurably 

 to the wealth of that section. West of the Mis- 

 souri and Mississippi in general, and in the regions 

 of scanty rainfall in particular, the drainage of lands 

 is often necessary, especially on alkali soils, and is 

 frequently used ; but it is insignificant when compared 

 with the need of drainage in the humid regions 

 of the East. What irrigation is to the West, drainage 

 is to the East, although both are needed more or 

 less each side of the great rivers. Until quite 

 recently drainage has received the most attention 

 in this country; now irrigation has come to the 



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