436 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



face of the ground, which air is indispensable to the nutrition of 

 plants, if excluded the seeds would lie dormant and germination 

 would not take place. The temperature of a wet soil through the 

 winter and summer rains is only six or eight degrees, whereas to 

 induce health and vigor to a crop of wheat, it should vary from 

 thirty-five to forty degrees. These injurious effects can be readily 

 overcome by thorough draining, and a field of wheat made to pay 

 twenty-six per cent on the expenditure. The crop will not only 

 thus increase, but the seeding, cultivation, and maturing will be 

 earlier, and a consequent increase of quality and weight; the ma- 

 nures used will be preserved, and their application will be easy 

 and economical. In clay lands particularly, proper drainage will 

 render the success of wheat sure where it was previously preca- 

 rious. 



My experience has proved that deep underdrains, particularly 

 those seven feet in depth, yield water peculiarly soft and fine for 

 drinking, washing and culinary purposes, and is selected by stock 

 in preference to that obtained by shallow draining, which is often 

 offensive. I am making thermometric observations on drainage 

 water to discover the temperature at different periods of the year 

 to find the effect on soil and climate, and will at some future time 

 report. I noticed a singular fact when in the country two weeks 

 since — the snow had all melted away on my drained land, and 

 was still lying in some places two feet thick on undrained, show- 

 ing a great difference in temperature between the two, and the 

 beneficial effects of perfect drainage. 



Drained land does not, as has been supposed deteriorate, but 

 constantly increases in fertility, and retains the increase from 

 season to season, though it may be washed by heavy rains every 

 week, if manures, are supplied in a liquid form, they do not find 

 their way to the drain, but are retained chemically by the soil ; 

 this I have proved from the fact that the water passes off as pure 

 as crystal, and fit to drink. You may place liquid manure on a 

 thoroughly drained field in the winter, and it will remain in the 

 soil in readiness for your fall crop. I speak understandingly 

 when I affirm this, for I have tried the experiment. 



You may place 3^our liquid manure on your drained fields 

 whenever time and circumstances will permit, and take my word 

 for it, that though it may rain two months, your crops Will find 

 it all, and what they may not require, will be left for the. suc- 

 ceeding crop, if 190 days intervene between the two. I would 

 recommend all farmers to use liquid manures in preference to 

 solid. You may dilute it until smell is extinguished, when it is 



