60 Svbtropical Vegetable-Gardening 



Well-drained land. 



It frequently occurs that the very best vegetable land 

 is soggy and sour in its original state. When a piece of 

 land is found that is excellent in all other respects, but 

 needs to be well drained, the problem then is, how shall 

 this be effected. When there is plenty of fall to the land, 

 this may be accomplished in one of two ways — either by 

 surface drainage or by underground drainage. The latter 

 method is preferable and cheaper in the end, though more 

 expensive in the beginning. 



The method of surface drainage has the advantage of 

 being cheap and easily accomplished, though it takes some 

 time and attention to keep it in good running order. The 

 method is simple. All that is necessary is to make a ditch 

 from one to three feet deep and to keep this open so that 

 the water will run off. 



The advantage of draining has been demonstrated 

 repeatedly in this country and in Europe. Plants on 

 tUe-drained land, and to a greater or less degree on land 

 with open ditches, will do better during a rainy season, 

 and, what seems rather contradictory, they will give a 

 larger yield in dry years. Crops are also earlier on 

 drained fields. In a clay country, land that is well 

 drained naturally will be benefited by a well-planned 

 system of tile drains. Where land that is naturally 

 well drained can be obtained, this is of course preferable, 

 as it does away with the initial expense of draining; 

 but, on the other hand, it should be remembered that the 

 land producing the largest and most profitable crop is 

 drained land. 



