MANAGEMENT OF MEADOWS. 241 



labor, but also in the length of time required to undo and 

 correct the error. God sows the pastures to our hands, 

 but man must sow the meadows. A man may think he is 

 pursuing the most judicious course possible, but he may be 

 in error, and an honest mistake does not free the farmer 

 from loss. He must inform himself correctly on the char 

 acter of the land to be' sown, and then, with every facility 

 at his command, acquaint himself with the grasses best 

 adapted to its requirements. 



In the first place, though many varieties of grass will 

 grow well on moist land, it is not to be understood that 

 they will thrive best on wet lands. When the water stands 

 on the surface all the year the character of the hay is nearly 

 worthless, being full of moisture and with but little nutri- 

 tive principles in it. Consequently it is very important to 

 have soils properly drained, if they require it. It will 

 largely increase the quantity and greatly improve the 

 quality of the crop. With the soil full of moisture it be- 

 comes sour and, though full of fertility, it is unavailable to 

 the plant. With a wet soil, it is impossible to put the land 

 in a proper state of tilth. So all things point to the neces- 

 sity of drainage. 



It may be proper to state that every piece of ground on 

 which water will stand two hours after a rain will be bene- 

 fitted by a system of drainage. This seems to the South- 

 erner to be such a stupendous undertaking that nearly 

 every one is discouraged from making the effort. When it 

 is supposed that draining can only be effected by ditching 

 in every direction, and laying great stretches of pipes, the 

 undertaking does seem indeed to be very costly. 



The method of pipe-laying is the best, and as our farmers 

 see the good effects of a cheaper method, they will gradu- 

 ally, and by slow degrees, come to practice the more sub- 

 stantial methods. A Northern land owner does not hesi- 

 tate to spend fifty or seventy-five dollars on a single acre, 

 when he can bring into cultivation a choice piece of bot- 

 16 



