98 THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



when deep and subsoil ploughing are resorted to 

 in connection with it; indeed, we may say that in 

 most cases of thorough draining the subsoil plough 

 should be used as a matter of course, and should 

 be regarded as necessary to complete the improve- 

 ment that it is designed to effect in draining. After 

 what has already been said in relation to deepening 

 the soil, its effects, and the utter fruitlessness of 

 attempting it on a wet soil, it is unnecessary to 

 dwell upon the benefits resulting from the use of 

 the subsoil plough in connection with the drain ; 

 we would remark, however, that as there are com- 

 paratively few subsoils which have good natural 

 drainage, there are also, comparatively, few soils 

 which are benefited by the use of the subsoil plough 

 until after they have been thoroughly drained. 



Soils that have been drained are found to resist 

 drought better than undrained ones; the subsoil 

 having been made lighter the roots of plants pene- 

 trate farther in search of necessary moisture, and 

 for the same reason the supply of water which is 

 brought up by capillary attraction to replace that 

 removed by evaporation is greater and lasts longer. 



Pasture lands frequently contain portions upon 

 which only the coarser grasses will grow — grasses 

 which are not nutritious, and which stock will not 

 touch until all the finer grasses have been eaten 

 off — these portions suffer from an excess of mois- 

 ture. One of the first effects of draining upon such 

 lands is the disappearance of the coarse herbage 

 and the substitution of the finer and more nutri- 

 tious grasses in its stead. 



But though little is known yet in relation to the 

 practical benefits of draining in this country, the 

 few who have tried draining and have made known 

 their experience, speak in the highest terms of its 

 effects. In Great Britain large areas have been 

 drained, and with the very best results. Drained 

 lands have their productiveness so much increased 

 that landlords are enabled to raise their annual rents 

 sufficient to yield them an interest of from five to 

 seven per cent, on the outlay for draining, and 

 tenants find it to their advantage to pay the in- 

 creased rent for drained lands, rather than cultivate 

 undrained ones. Cases have occurred in which the 

 increased yield from the first crop covered the en- 

 tire expense of draining. 



The drain has been found beneficial on almost 

 every variety of soil, from the stiffest clay even to 

 light, sandy soils. Where failures have occurred 

 they have been most frequent in very stiff clays. 

 Some very stiff clay subsoils will not permit the 

 passage of water through them at all, or at most 

 'to a very slight degree. Such soils would not drain 

 no matter how close the drains were placed to each 

 -other. It has been recommended that before any 

 attempt is made to drain a very stiff soil, a hole or 

 , pit be dug in it, and securely covered so that no 

 water may enter from above, and then ascertain 

 whether, in time of rains, water finds its way into 

 • the pit from the surrounding soil ; if it does, the 

 soil is susceptible of being drained ; if not, to at- 

 tempt to drain it would be to throw away time and 

 -money. 



Before proceeding to describe the methods in 

 tuse for draining land, it may not be amiss to indi- 

 cate, so far as their appearance will justify us, 

 those soils which need draining most. All boggy 

 or marshy soils must be drained before they can be 

 cultivated at all. Soils in which there are springs, 

 whether seen at the surface, or hidden, as many of 

 them are, when their presence becomes known only 

 from their producing weeping in the soil, require to 



be drained ; at least those portions which suffer in 

 any measure from the springs. Many spots which 

 otherwise would be very productive are, even when 

 high upon the sides of hills, made almost useless 

 from this very cause. The explanation of the oc- 

 currence of springs in such situations may be found 

 in the fact that the strata^ which underlie the soil 

 prevent the sinking of the water when it falls, but 

 carry it off and deliver it again when the outcrop 

 or break in the strata occur. Any portion of a 

 field on which the water after rain remains for 

 some time, or any part of a meadow or pasture that 

 produces coarse herbage which stock refuse to eat 

 as long as any other can be had, all require to be 

 drained before they can be said to be in a proper 

 condition with respect to moisture. Finally, any 

 soils which continue wet for some time after a long 

 rain, which soils, by the by, are very apt to wash 

 badly, are generally very much benefited by drain- 

 ing ; still it cannot be said that draining is in all 

 cases necessary for profitable cultivation. 



'In draining land it is proper to commence with 

 the largest or main drains. These must occupy the 

 lowest line of the field or area to be drained ; have 

 a uniform rise or slope ; should be some six inches 

 or more deeper than the small or parallel drains ; 

 be as straight as the nature of the ground will per- 

 mit, and be sufficiently large to discharge all the 

 water from the field or area to be drained. As the 

 other drains empty into these, they are sometimes 

 left open, so that the mouths of the small drains 

 may be kept clear; but this practice cannot be 

 recommended, as open drains should always be 

 avoided, if possible. If the small drains are pro- 

 perly secured at their mouths when first constructed, 

 and the mouths of the main drains are provided 

 with gratings to keep out vermin, the covered mains 

 will be found as effective as open ones. The fall of 

 the main drains should be as much as one foot to 

 the hundred, if it can be had; if that fall cannot 

 be had, one foot to two hundred will suffice. After 

 locating the main drains, a drain is made across 

 the upper side of the field or area to be drained. 

 This cuts off the water from springs or any other 

 water that might find its way to the field from the 

 higher ground. Lastly, the small drains are laid 

 out ; they are made parallel to each other whenever 

 it is at all practicable ; they should run straight 

 down slopes, and should have a uniform fall of not 

 less than one foot to two hundred yards. They are 

 made to connect with the top drain and empty into 

 the main drains. They may be of any length up 

 to two hundred feet; if longer, they are apt to 

 choke. When the distance from the top drain to the 

 main drain is more than two hundred feet, sub main 

 drains should be constructed, which should have a 

 free communication with the main drains. The 

 depth of the drains should next be considered. 

 They ought to be deep enough to free the subsoil 

 of its water, to at least the depth to which the roots 

 of plants penetrate, and to be out of the reach of 

 the subsoil plough. When the subject of draining 

 began to attract the attention of agriculturists two 

 and a half feet for the small, or parallel drains, and 

 three feet for main drains, were considered as depths 

 sufficient for all practical purposes ; but the expe- 

 rience of the last few years in England and Scot- 

 land is such as ^ctwarrant us in recommending the 

 small drains to be at least three feet deep ; in many 

 cases they might be made four feet deep, or even 

 more, with decided advantage. Laying drains deep 

 is now regarded in Great Britain as one of the fixed 

 principles of draining. Such deep drains would, at 



