800 [Assembly 



produced the well-known rush called cat tail, various weeds and 

 obnoxious plants, and consequently in his estimjtion received no ad- 

 vantage from draining. 



It must be borne in mind, that no system of drainage is, or can 

 be complete, until the substratum, particularly if it is clay, is wholly 

 aud most thoroughly broken up ; for the reason that when heavy 

 rains fall upon lands, the water immediately percolates through the 

 upper soil, and finds its level upon the second surface or clay forma- 

 tion, where it naturally becomes stagnant and remains until it again 

 finds the surface by the action of heat, and evaporates into the at- 

 mosphere. 



If the subsoil is pulverized by the action of a subsoil plow, there 

 is no obstruction to the water which naturally seeks the level of the 

 drain, and finds its way to the terminus desired by the cultivator. 

 We all know that no land can yield a return when formed of com- 

 pact clods; and such will be the character of all clay subsoils that 

 are not well drained and completely pulverized. You have probably 

 aJl seen fields, which in a wet spring have become totally unman- 

 ageable, and by plowing have been rendered perfectly compact, the 

 heavy snow throughout the winter prevents the beneficial action of 

 the frost; and the heavy rains in spring, finding the hard pan be- 

 neath, renders them far from subservient to the advancement of veg- 

 etable growth. Atmosperic air never circulates in such a soil, con- 

 sequently the mechanic; 1 arrangement of nature is destroyed, and the 

 hopes of the husbandman blighted. 



There has never been any improvement in agriculture of more 

 vital importance to the farmer in my opinion, than draining. It must 

 take precedence over all other improvements, and be considered in- 

 dispensable to fertility; there is scarcely a farm in the state of New 

 York, which may not be improved by drains and subsoil plows, but 

 let me advise you not on any consideration to subsoil a naturally wet 

 piece of land without first draining it, or the effect will be an irre- 

 trievable and irreparable injury. For instance it is always custom- 

 ary to till such a soil during dry weather; by such tillage you ren- 

 der it pulverescent; all soils you are aware, contain within them- 

 selves contraction and expansion, what is the result? Rain falls 

 upon them, unites the pulverized particles of earth, and forms a hard 

 mass totally unfit for the germination of seed. Drain your lands ef- 

 fectually, subsoil them properly, and take my word for it, it will 

 never be necessary to adopt the present erroneous system of summer 



