THE CULTIVATOR. 
49 
The floating fescue grass , (F. fluitans,) grows in rich swamps 
and marshes on Jarge streams. It is found near Philadelphia, New- 
York and on the borders of the Hudson. It is greedily devoured 
by every spec'es of farm stock, including geese and ducks. Yet 
we do not find that any attempt has been made to propagate it ar¬ 
tificially. 
The water meadow grass , (Poa aquatica,) is a coarse strong 
growing grass, found in fens, swamps and ditches, often with the 
catstail. It gives a great product, and is grateful to most animals, 
but has not been cultivated. 
The florin grass, (Agrostis stolonifera,) has within a few years 
been brought into notice in Great Britain, by the persevering exer¬ 
tions of the Rev. D. Richardson, who particularly recommends it 
for mountainous districts, where other grasses will not thrive. It 
requires a moist soil, and does well on cold clays and bogs. The 
peculiar value of the florin arises from the concrete sap lodged in 
its numerous joints. It suffers less diminution of bulk and nutri¬ 
ment by frosts, than any other grass; and of course is well adapted 
for winter pasture. The florin is propagated by stollens or roots; the 
ground being previously drained, and ameliorated by one or more 
root crops. The surface is made smooth and clean, the strings or 
roots are then strewed over it, and a compost, consisting of parts 
of bog ashes, lime and loam, spread over, sufficient to prevent the 
roots being blown away. There are several of this family which 
grow naturally in the United States, one of which, the couch, 
squitch or quick grass, is too well known to require a description. 
The preparation of the soil, and the sowing of the usual meadow 
grasses, differs in nothing from clover and rye-grass. The after 
treatment of dry meadows, including the making of natural hay, 
will be found in the preceding chapter on the management of grass 
lands, and that of watered meadows was naturally given when 
treating of their formation. 
DRAINING. 
We have spoken in high commendation of the system of drain¬ 
ing in Scotland. We find it asserted in the last Edinburgh Quar¬ 
terly, that a thoroughly drained parish does not exist in Scotland, 
if there be even a thoroughly drained farm. Yet the writer adds: 
“ It is the most perfect system in existence. And it has made Scotland to be 
admired and envied by the world. Much of this perfection and state of admi¬ 
ration and envy in which Scotland is held, must be attributed to draining, par¬ 
tial as it has been. Though silent and secret in its operations, like wholesome 
medicine, draining has renovated the constitution of the soil, and suffused a 
healthful bloom over the face of the country. But since partial draining has 
effected such great and pleasing effects, what may not be effected for Scotland, 
by thorough draining.” 
As having general application in all northern latitudes, and under 
a belief that draining presents one of the greatest improvements of 
which our husbandry is susceptible, we transfer from the Quarter¬ 
ly, a statement of some of the evils which result from the want of 
draining, and the directions for remedying them:— 
“ When the rain falls on the ground, part of it runs off into ditches, and 
thence into rivers; but the greatest part is absorbed. Plants consume much 
of this absorbed water; some of it descends into the bowels of the earth, and 
some only as far as the superior stratum of alluvium and rock, by which it it 
repulsed to a lower level, where it afterwards finds its way to the air in springs 
through the cultivated soil, and thence into rivers; but a greater portion of is 
only descends as far as the subsoil, which, if impervious, retains it. That 
which makes its appearance in springs, is generally easily led away, in drains 
made for the purpose. Much skill and capital have been expended in this spe¬ 
cies of draining in this country. The benefits are, that few springs are now 
to be seen in cultivated lands, and it is likely those benefits will be permanent. 
What flows into rivers, is ready to be evaporated again into the atmosphere 
from the ocean, and returned to the earth in rain. But that which is retained 
under the soil, in improved layers of earth, remains to effect melancholy mis¬ 
chief. While hidden water remains, manure, whether putrescent or caustic, 
can impart no fertility to the soil; the plough, the harrow, and even the roller 
cannot pulverize it into a fine mould; the grass can contain no nutriment for 
live stock, as the finer sorts disappear, and their places are usurped by coarse 
aquatic plants; the stock can never receive a hearty meal of grass or straw from 
land in such a state; they are always hungry and dissatisfied, and of course, 
remain in low condition; the trees acquire a hard bark, and stiffened branches, 
and soon become the prey of innumerable parasites; the roads in the neigh¬ 
borhood are constantly soft and rutted; the ditches and furrows are either 
plashy, or like a sponge, full of water,—suitable receptacles for the newt and 
frog; the circumambient air is always damp and chilly, and from early autumn 
till late spring, the raw hoar frost meets the face like a wet cloth, morning and 
evening; in winter the frost incrusts every furrow and plant with ice, while 
the snow lurks in crevices behind the sun, till late in the spring—tit feeding 
grounds of the wood-cock and snipe; and in summer, musquetoes, green flies, 
midges, gnats and gad flies, torment the cattle, the laborer and his horses, 
from morning to night, Whilst the sheep get scalded heads, and are eaten up 
by maggots, during the hot blinks of sunshine.” 
“ The kind of draining which would be most effectual, is not difficult to 
choose. The greatest obstacle to fertility, is the stagnant water, spread exten¬ 
sively upon a tenacious subsoil; and the only kind of draining which is effi¬ 
cacious for its removal, is not the very deep and distantly placed drains, which 
are admirably suited to the removal of springs or spouts , as they are called, 
whether superficial or deeply hidden, but the more shallow drain frequently 
repeated, for deep drains at considerable distances, cannot draw water at those 
distances, from impervious subsoils. The depth and the distance between the 
drains, depends entirely on the impermeability of the subsoil. But it is easy 
to fix the minimum depth. No kind of drain, on any pretext, ought to have a 
smaller depth of stone than eighteen inches, nor a smaller depth of earth above 
them, than one foot. The width should allow a man to work freely in them. 
The distance between the drains, has been fixed at the breadth of a ridge, that 
is, in every furrow. When it does not exceed fifteen or eighteen feet, accord¬ 
ing to the tenacity of the subsoil, the distances may be considered to be pro¬ 
per. Much has been urged in favor of making the drains up and down the 
declivity. We confess we see no particular charm in the perpendicular posi¬ 
tion; on the contrary, we see many objections to it. We hold it to be a max¬ 
im in draining, that rapid descents of water, in drains, is incompatible with the 
maintenance of good workmanship. Water descending rapidly any where, 
gutters the ground, and so it will in any drain. Besides, the perpendicular 
position is not the most favorable for intercepting the water in its descent; 
because it is very rare that the declivity presents only one declination; it 
is almost always attended with two—one up and down, and another from 
side to side, in the horizontal direction. Down such a declivity, the water 
will take a diagonal direction, guided by the degree of the natural declination. 
Now it is as obvious as any demonstration in dynamics, that drains placed in 
parallel lines, down the face of a declivity, having a two-fold inclination, that 
is, diagonally, will afford a much more easy passage fora current of water, 
than any other direction. The more easy the egress of the water, the more 
gently will it run away, and the more effectually will it dry the land. The 
only reason for placing drains up and down is, that the furrows are so placed; 
but it would be better to make the ridges run diagonally, than allow water 
to run quickly in a drain, in a perpendicular direction. Small round stones, 
or broken stones, should, in every case, be preferred to tiles, and they should 
be carefully placed by the hand. It is only when stones cannot be obtained, 
but at great labor and expense, that tiles should be used. 
“ This species of draining possesses the advantage of being applicable to 
any kind of soil; and it will certainly relieve any soil which is affected with any 
surface stagnant water. If generally practised, it would effectually drain the 
whole country, and remove the chief obstacle that exists to the perfect fertility 
of the soil. Were the soil thus fertilized, the produce of the country, whether 
in corn, straw, green crops or pasturage, would be increased many fold. 
Wheat and live stock would then be so abundant, and of course cheap, that 
every laborer would then be enabled to consume wheaten-bread and butcher’s 
meat. Nor is such a national scheme of improvement chimerical. One sheep 
additional kept, or one quarter of corn more raised, on an acre, would add 
millions a year to the wealth of the country.” 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
INQUIRY. 
Wheatland, Monroe county, March 15th, 1836. 
Mr. J. Bcel — Sir —Having but a slight knowledge of farming, and wishing 
to improve both my farm and capital, I take the liberty to request information 
through the Cultivator, expressly for my own interest; and now sir, on the 
first day of April I shall come in possession of a small farm of 125 acres of land; 
80 acres of which are improved, and all, or nearly all, dry land. The soil of 
said farm is a dry hard gravelly or stony, or what is generally in this town 
termed a limestone soil. The information I wish to obtain, is in what manner to 
proceed to pay for the farm off of the farm in the shortest time possible, having 
to pay $37 an acre for the land. If you will give your view on the above sub¬ 
ject, you will confer a favor on your most humble servant and subscriber. 
A. B. S. 
The Conductor's views .—That our correspondent is sincere is evidenced by his 
having paid postage;—that he can learn is indicated by his asking advice— 
for many think there is nothing for them to learn—under these circumstances 
he shall have our advice. The location and description of the soil show that 
the farm is good wheat land. The requisites are, that A. B. S. be industrious, 
prudent and persevering; and that he always examine his crops before sunrise. 
He may put 40 acres in wheat next fall, having prepared the ground well, and 
sow clover upon it next spiing, at the rate of ten pounds seed an acre, and co¬ 
ver it by passing a light harrow (a short wooden toothed one will do) over his 
wheat crop. Sow other 40 acres, and stock it in like manner in the fall and 
spring of 1837. The first 40 acres may be put in wheat again in 1838, and the 
second 40 acres in 1839. These four crops should average 30 bushels the acre, 
which, at $1 per bushel, will more than pay for his land, and give him the use 
of 40 acres to pay his labor and support his family. In the mean time he may 
learn from those who do better around him; and when he has paid for his farm, 
let him discontinue alternating wheat and clover, lest he should exhaust his 
land too much of its fertility. If he successfully follows these directions, he 
will not then stand in need of our advice. 
PIGS PROFITABLY FATTENED ON GRAIN. 
It is a mooted question, whether these devourers can be kept and fattened 
on grain for market, so as to leave a small profit to the producer. 
The Rev. Mr. Watson, pastor of the Lutheran Church at Cobleskill, has fur¬ 
nished us with an experiment to the point. If the conductor of the Cultiva¬ 
tor thinks it worth a place in his paper, it is at his service. The above gen- 
