12 GARDENING FoR ALL. 
IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOIL. 
DRAINING. 
All soils that are wet through being surcharged with 
water will be cold in proportion, and uncongenial to the 
healthy development of crops of fruit, vegetables, or flowers 
usually cultivated. Such land must be drained if success is 
to be achieved. The method of draining will depend upon 
individual circumstances, but there can be no doubt that 
drainage by means of properly laid drain pipes is generally 
the best and most durable. A good outfall is essential to 
success in a system of perfect drainage, but as we cannot 
always command such an outfall, we must do the best we can 
with what we have. If the outfall will permit, drain pipes 
should be laid thirty inches deep at the bottom of U shaped 
trenches ; these should be in parallel lines at distances of 
eighteen, twenty-four, or thirty feet apart, and running in the 
direction of the outfall or iowest part of the ground, where 
they should join a larger drain laid at an obtuse angle to the 
general drains, and having a good fall to the outlet. 
If the above method is too expensive, the soil may be 
drained in a more primitive and less expensive manner. At 
distances of six, eight, or ten yards apart, a number of 
trenches are excavated. Each trench should be dug out 
thirty inches in depth and at least two feet wide. Throw out 
the top soil on one side the trench, and the soil from the 
bottom on the other side; because, when the soil is again 
returned to the trench, we wish to keep the top soil at the top, 
being the best. In the bottom of these deep trenches we may 
place several inches of loose stones, clinkers, cinders, or refuse 
sticks or prunings. In the absence of any of these we may 
use the old stalks of cabbages, broccoli, greens, cauliflowers, 
&c., and a few weeds or leaves should be spread evenly over 
them. We ought then to shovel back the soil into the 
trench, first returning that which was dug from the bottom of 
the trench, then place a dressing of manure thereon and mix 
Spin a 
