41 



accumulation of water and prevents it free escape. Whenever such 

 conditions occur the soil must be artificially drained. 



Moving water supplying moisture to the roots of plants and 

 bringing air and warmth in its train is invigorating and life- 

 giving ; but stagnant, lifeless water, on the other hand, by 

 favouring the decomposition of the organic matter in the soil, makes 

 it sour, causes the emission of noxious gases, rots the rootlets of 

 trees, limits the depth of soil they are abl3 to feed on, starves them 

 out, renders them liable to the attacks of diseases, and is utterly 

 adverse to the healthy growth of trees. 



There is a widespread idea that in a dry, warm country, with 

 only a scanty rainfall during the growing months, the more water 

 the soil retains, the better for the plant. This popular fallacy, how- 

 ever, stands no discussion. In the winter or the rainy season, such 

 soil is turned into a slushy bog, on which the operations of plough- 

 ing and digging are carried on under great difficulties and with little 

 if any good results. During the hot, dry summer months, on the 

 other hand, all the water is pumped out of these quagmires, which 

 are turned into a hard cake as dry as brick, in which what few roots 

 the plants have been able to preserve from rotting during the winter 

 months are in turn roasted and will perish in the baked soil in which 

 the plant has been thus placed. 



Draining may be said to sweeten the soil by checking the 

 formation of the sour products of fermentation and rotting of the 

 organic matter it contains ; it also removes the excess of saline 

 matters in the soi], and prevents alkaline salts from rising from 

 below. It equalises the temperature of the soil, and prevents any 

 possible chill to the plant. It restores to health plants suffering 

 from attacks from fungus diseases. It brings warmth to the roots 

 in the winter time and keeps them cool during the summer months. 

 It deepens the layer of soil the roots of plants feed in. It favours 

 the absorption and the circulation of air and moisture, and thus helps 

 to pulverise the soil and unlock its fertilising elements, which are 

 made available for the rootlets. Drainage of cold, damp ground 

 favouring a higher temperature in the soil, hastens the growth 

 of plants, and thus often brings on maturity of the fruit several days 

 earlier. 



Drainage is effected by several methods, viz., open drains or 

 underground drains. Open drains again comprise arterial and 

 surface drains. 



Arterial Drainage embraces a comprehensive scheme for 

 draining a large patch of country. This work is generally under- 

 taken by the State, as its benefits extend not only to one or two 

 particular settlers, but to the whole district at the same time. Such 

 a scheme is now being carried out by the Government in the 

 vicinity of the Harvey agricultural area. The size of these drains 

 depends upon the gradient ; the less the gradient, the greater the 

 capacity of the drains. In order to keep it clear of silt, a gradient 

 of at least one foot per mile is necessary. Streams of smaller size 



