VOL. X.»1I. XO. 5. 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER 



35 



OF DRAINING AND ITS EFFECTS. 



Among the mnny mechanical methods by which 

 hose changes are to be produced in the soil that 

 ire to fit il for tli'-- better growth of valuable crops, 

 [raining is now allowed to hold the first place, 

 t may be useful briefly to state the several effects 

 finch in different localities are likely to follow aii 

 'fficient drniii;ij:o of the land : 



]. It carries off iill stagnant water, and gives a 

 eady escape to the excess of what falls in rain- 



•2. It arrests the ascent of water I'rom beneath, 

 fhuther by capillary action or by the force of 

 prjrigs — and thus not only preserves the surface 

 oil from undue moisture, but also frees the subsoil 

 rom the lingering presence of those noxious sub- 

 tances, which in undrained land so frecjuently 

 udge in it and impair the growth of deep-rooted 

 ilants. 



3. It allows the water of the rains, instead of 

 lerely running over and often injuriously washing 

 he surface, to make its way easily through the 

 oil. .A.nd thus, while filtering through, not only 

 oes the rain-water impart to the soil those sub- 

 taiices useful to vegetation, and which it always 

 ontains in greater or lei^s abundance, but it wash- 

 3 out of the subsoil also, such noxious substances 

 s naturally collect and may have been long accii- 

 lulating there — rendering it unsound and hurtful 

 3 the roots. The latter is one of those benefits 

 'hich gradually follow the draining of land. When 

 nee thoroughly effected, it constitutes a most im- 

 ortant permanent improvement, and one which 

 an be fully produced by no other available means, 

 t will be permanent, however, only so long as the 

 rains are kept in good condition. The same open- 

 ess of the soil which enables the rains to wash 

 ut those soluble noxious substances which have 

 cen long collecting, permits them alio to carry 

 ffsuch as nre gradually formed, and thus to keep 

 ; in a sound and healthy state ; but let this open- 

 ess be more or less impaired by a neglect of the 

 rainage, and the original state of the land will 

 gain gradually return. 



4. This constant descent of water through the 

 oil causes a similar constant descent of fresh air 

 hroiigh its pores, from the surface to the depths of 

 be drains. When the rain falls, it enters the 

 nil and more or less completely displaces the air 

 'hich is contained within its pores. This air eith- 

 r descends to the drains or rises into the almos. 

 here. When the rain ceases, the water, as it 

 inks, again leaves the pores of the upper soil open, 

 nd fresh air consequently follows. It is, in fact, 

 ucked in after the water, as the latter gradually 

 asses down to the drains. Thus, where a good 

 rainage exists, not only is the land refreshed by 

 very shower that falls — not only does it derive 

 rom the rains those important substances which 

 ccasionally, at least, are brought down by them 

 rom the atmosphere, and which are in a great 

 leasure lost where the waters must flow over the 

 urface, but it is supplied also with renewed acccs- 

 ions of fresh air, which experience has shown to 

 e so valuable in promoting the healthy growth of 

 11 our cultivated crops. 



5. But other consequences of great practical 

 inportance follow from these immediate effects. 

 Vhen thus readily freed from the constant presence 

 f water, the soil gradually becomes drier, sweeter, 

 ooser and more friable. The hard lumps of the 

 tiff clay lands more or less disappear. They 

 rumble more freely, offer less resistance to the 



plow, and are in consequence more easily and eco- 

 nomically worked. These are practical benefits, 

 equivalent to a chiingo of soil, which only the far- 

 mer of stubborn clays can adequately appreciate. 



6. With the permanent state of moisture, the 

 coldness of many soils also rapidly disappears. In 

 consequence of the drainage which has raken place 

 in the parish of Peterhead, in Aberdeenshire, dur- 

 ing the last '20 years, the crops arrive at maturity 

 ten or fifteen days earlier than they formerly did. 



7. On lands of every kind, the removal of the 

 superlUious water is productive of another practi- 

 cal benefit: in its consequences it is equivalent to 

 (in actual deepening uf Ike soil. Remove the wa- 

 ters, and the soil becomes dry to a greater depth ; 

 the air penetrates and diffuses itself wherever the 

 waters have been, and the roots now freely descend 

 into the almost virgin soil beneath. 



8. It is not till the land is rendered dry, that the 

 enterprising farmer has a fair field on which to ex- 

 pend his exertions. In wet soils, bones, wood ash- 

 es, and other artificial manures, arc almost thrown 

 away. Even lime exhibits but one-half of its fer- 

 tilizing virtue, where water is allowed to stagnate 

 in the soil. — Johnston's Lectures. 



For the New England Fanner. 



THE FARMER'S LOT. 



Prosperity uiimingled with adverse influences, is 

 not the lot of any class of men, — and it was in a 

 perfect knowledge of the human heart that this was 

 so ordained ; — for, accustomed lo a constant enjoy- 

 ment of the gifts, man would be apt to forget the 

 Giver. The farmer has his share of disappoint- 

 ment with others — but he is the least liable to it, 

 and the least disastrously affected by it. The first, 

 because of his dependence for success in his busi- 

 ness, chiefly and directly upon God. The second, 

 because no ordinary calamity to his crops, in a sin- 

 gle season, can reduce him to want or involve him 

 in ruin. If he does not think himself blessed above 

 others in being thus circumstanced, it is because 

 he does not prize aright the fortunate exemption he 

 enjoys — and because he is not fully aware of the 

 losses, reverses and ruin attendant upon other pur- 

 suits. 



There is not, I have often thought, a more pleas- 

 ing view of the farmer's comparatively happy lot, 

 than in the consideration of his direct dependence 

 chiefly upon the beneficent provisions of the Al- 

 mighty, for prosperity in his occupation. In de- 

 positing the seed in the ground, he looks to the 

 genial influences of heat and moisture, for its ger- 

 mination; and in all its after stages, from the ten- 

 der plant to the ripened grain, he looks to the sun 

 of heaven and the rain of heaven, as the sole agen- 

 cies, seconded by his own industry, through which 

 his labors can be crowned with success in a plen- 

 tiful harvest. When either of these indispensable 

 agents is withheld from exerting its influence 

 for an uncommon period during the vegetation, 

 growth, or ripening of his crops, his prospects are 

 shrouded in gloom, and he is awakened to a live- 

 lier sense ol his dependence on Ilini in whose pow. 

 er alone it is to send the needed blessing. And 

 when at last his fears are dissipated — (as in the 

 case of the refreshing rain on Sunday, which broke 

 the spell of a fearful drought) — he acknowledges, 

 if not by. his lips, in his heart — if that heart is not 

 incapable of gratitude — the unmerited goodness 

 and provident care of Him who notes even the 

 sparrow's fall. 



Standing in this near relation to the Giver of 

 all good, thus dependent on his beneficence, and 

 constantly observing evidences of his wisdom, 

 goodness and power, the " undevout" farmer, no 

 less than " the undevout astronomer," must be 

 "mad." 



The farmer's condition is enviable. If he knew 

 the condition of others, in other pursuits, he would 

 deem it so: — let him believe it so ; — let him teach 

 his offspring so ; — and, loving his occupation, and 

 honoring his occupation, let him teach his children 

 to love and honor it — and to cultivate their minds 

 and school their hearts, so that they may be an 

 honor to it, — for it is not the busi.ness which 



EN.\OBLi;S THE JM N, BUT THE MAN WHICH KNNO- 



BLE3 THE BUSINESS. Let him believe himself, and 

 teach his children to believe, that there is no occu- 

 pation more honorable, more honored, more useful, 

 than the culture of the earth, — and that it is a 

 privilege and a Messing to be able to cat the bread 

 which he has brought out of the earth by his own 

 honest industry — knowing that " it is uankered by 

 no fraud, wet with no tears, stained with no blood.'' 



J. H. D. 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXHIBITION OF FRUITS. 



Saturday, July 22, 1843. 



There was a fine variety of fruits on the tables 

 of the Society today, contributed by the following 

 gentlemen : 



From Messrs. Hovey & Co., Cambridge ; four 

 boxes Franconia Raspberries, and one box Ohio 

 Everbearing do. ; all very fine. 



From E. E. Bradshaw, Gooseberries and Rasp- 

 berries, very fair. 



From J. C. Howard, Brookline ; seven dishes of 

 Grapes; Black Hamburg and White Chasselas. 

 Like the previous contributions of this gentlemen, 

 they were finely ripened and colored, and very 

 tempting specimens. Also, red and white Currants 

 — very fine. 



From S. & E. Hyde, Newton ; specimens of 

 Hyde's Seedling Cherries — very good. 



From S, R. Johnson, Charlestown ; fair speci- 

 mens of Gooseberries. 



From Otis Johnson, Lynn ; several boxes of 

 Black and White Tartarean Cherries. The for- 

 mer variety were the finest specimens shown this 

 season. Also, two dishes Peaches ; var. Coolidge's 

 Favorite, of very high flavor and finely ripened. 



From J. P. Allen, Salem; superb specimens of 

 Peaches, var. Gross Mignonne ; a dish of Figs and 

 Bergamot Limes — very fragrant and beautiful. 



From Dr. Z. B. Adams, Boston ; a dish of Bi- 

 gareau and Tartarean Cherries, large and fine. 



From Maj. Wheeler, Framinghani ; two varie- 

 ties of seedling (?) Cherries — one var. a black and 

 of fine flavor ; the other a red, sweet but past eat- 

 ing. For the Committee, 



J. L. L. F. WARREN. 



Dutch wives generally assist their husbands in 

 their business, often taking the most active share 

 in it; and it is a common remark in Holland, that 

 whei-e the women have the direction of the purse 

 and trade, the husbands seldom become bankrupts. 



Why does flannel keep a man warm in winter, 

 and ice from melting in summer? Because it pre- 

 vents the passage of heat froin the man and to ihs 

 ice. 



