268 THE PHIL ADELPHIA FLORIST. [Jan'y. 



sn ston proved the correctness of his principle, and many farmers have 

 since proved it in practice. It was no small matter to cut up whole 

 acres and run drains to the depth of three and a half feet at intervals 

 of fifteen ft. across the field, running these into a main drain perhaps 

 four or four and a half feet deep. Yet great as was the expenditure, 

 thousands of acres have thus been drained during the last ten years, as 

 without this thorough draining all other subsequent improvements are 

 in a great measure lost. We do not say that it would be necessary 

 thus to thorough drain the lands of America, where the rapid approach 

 of the scorching summer follows so closely on spring as to evaporate 

 the pools of water that we have waded through in the furrows of some 

 of our Philadelphia county arable fields in the month of March, not a 

 drop of which remains in the latter part of April or May, when the 

 farmer comes round to prepare for the crop. We do not say any good 

 farmer would suffer his fields to lie thus deluged with water, the eva- 

 poration of which renders the soil unfit for the necessary operations, 

 and the continual flowing of which water to the surface to be contin- 

 ually evaporated, reduces the natural temperature of the soil many 

 degrees, as well as renders it tenacious and difficult of pulverisation or 

 reduction to a proper tilth. Thorough draining would not hurt many 

 fields in Pennsylvania, even those fields which during the droughts of 

 summer appear never to have received a shower of refreshing rain ; 

 but dig deep, and we are much disappointed if water will not accu- 

 mulate, and that, too, at a less depth than that to what well-sinkers 

 generally descend. We should like to see the system of thorough 

 draining well and practically explained to farmers — which can only 

 be done by actual experiment — not beginning in the middle of the 

 subject, but at the fundamental principles which regulate the matter, 

 elucidating the laws of hydrostatics in relation to the soil. Then the 

 rotation of crops is a topic of immense importance ; how necessary is 

 it to the proper cultivation of the farm, and how satisfactory to under- 

 stand clearly the causes on which depends the fact, that a rotation of 

 crops is of the first importance in husbandry. Manures, their charac- 

 ter, composition and application, would still bear much elucidation, 

 as may be observed by the discussions still carried on about the pro- 

 per functions of lime, still held by many to be a manure 5 the plough- 

 ing in of green crops, invariably in preference to other more concen- 

 trated substances possessing nearly the same properties, and far more 

 cheaply and conveniently procured ; these discussions show that there 

 is room for well conducted experiments and practical information of 

 a reliable character. We have still much to learn as to the treatment 

 of farm animals, the improvement of the breeds of cattle, the arrange- J 

 L ments for housing, feeding, and pasturing, which are still deficient. h 



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And of still greater importance and receiving less attention, is the j£) 



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