514 [Assembly 



land ; and second, the minute pores which are found in the par- 

 ticles themselves. When the soil is perfectly dry, these large 

 pores are filled with air, and no moisture exists in them. A seed 

 placed in this soil will not vegetate. When the large pores are 

 filled with water, and the small ones with air, the seed will ger- 

 minate at once. Land is always in proper condition for the growth 

 of seeds, when it has the appearance of being well watered, but 

 will still crumble when pressed between the hands without adhe- 

 ring to them. The first effect of an excess of water in the soil 

 is a diminution of the amount of air beneath the surface, which 

 air is indispensible in the nutrition of plants, and if altogether 

 excluded, the seed w^ould decay, or remain in a dormant state. 

 After your soil is most thoroughly drained, it must be as com- 

 pletely pulverised by plowing, harrowing or spading. Old Jethro 

 Tull was so impressed with the importance of pulverising, that 

 he made himself believe that nothing else was necessary, not even 

 manure. The calculation is that a drained field of one acre pul- 

 verised to the depth of eight inches, will retain beneath its sur- 

 face, 12,545,280 cubic inches of air; by plowing nine inches, 

 your soil will retain beneath the surface, 1,568,160 additional 

 cubic inches of air. During many years, fevers and ague have 

 been prevalent in certain localities, and if examined into, it will 

 be found that they all require draining, and it is necessary that 

 the drains should be covered, if it is desirable to render the neigh- 

 borhood healthy ; a covered drain, the same depth as an open 

 ditch, will drain a much greater breadth of land, than the ditch 

 will. The sides of all open ditches soon become covered with 

 vegetation, and the stagnant water contained in them will render 

 a whole district unhealthy. 



Pit draining I have often found effectual, when the ordinary 

 drain tailed ; first find either by boring or digging where the bed 

 of water is concealed ; there sink a pit until it reaches it, which 

 will be known by a sudden rise of water; fill this pit with large 

 round stones, leaving numerous interstices, and from this construct 

 a drain to the nearest ditch. If you happen to hit upon the pro- 

 per location for the pit, the result will be found most satisfactory, 

 and will rid you of an immense quantity of troublesome w^ater. 



