Farm drainage: The Principles, Processes, and Effects of Draining Land with Stones, Wood, Plows, and Open Ditches, and Especially with TilesFrench, Henry F. (Henry Flagg)
Science
Farm drainage: The Principles, Processes, and Effects of Draining Land with Stones, Wood, Plows, and Open Ditches, and Especially with Tiles
French, Henry F. (Henry Flagg)
Drainage
Mr. Pusey says, "Every one who is practically acquainted with moory
land, knows that such land may be easily over-drained, so that the soil
becomes dusty or _husky_, as it is called--that is, like a dry
sponge--the white crops flag, and the turnip leaves turn yellow in a
long drought."
These Fens contain an immense extent of land. The Great Level of the
Fens, it is said, contains 600,000 acres. Much of this was formerly
covered by the tides, and all of it, as the name indicates, was of a
marshy character. The water being excluded by embankments against the
sea and rivers, and pumped out by steam engines, and the land
under-drained generally with tiles, so that the height of the water is
under the control of the proprietors, grave disputes have arisen as to
the proper amount of drainage.
An impression has heretofore prevailed, that these lands would be too
dry if the water were pumped out, so as to reduce the water-table more
than a foot or two below the surface, but this idea is now controverted.
In July 1857, in company with three of the best farmers in Lincolnshire,
the writer visited the Fens, and carefully examined the crops and
drainage. We passed a day with one of the proprietors, who gave us some
information upon the point in question. He stated, that in general, the
occupants of this land entertain the opinion, that the crops would be
ruined by draining to the depth of four feet. So strongly was he
impressed with the belief that a deeper drainage was desirable, that he
had enclosed his own estate with separate embankments, and put up a
steam-engine, and pumped out the water to the depth of four feet, while
from the land all around him, it is pumped out only a foot and a half
below the surface, though in Summer it may sometimes fall somewhat
lower.
The crops on this land were astonishing. Our friends estimated that the
wheat then growing and nearly ripe, would yield fifty-six bushels to the
acre. Although this was considered a very dry season, the crops on the
land of our host were fully equal to the best upon the Fens.
The soil upon that part of the Fens is now a fine black loam of twelve
or eighteen inches depth, resting upon clay. Upon other portions, the
soil is of various depth and character, resting sometimes upon gravel.
Attention is called to these facts here, to show that the common
impression that these lands will not bear deep drainage, is controverted
among the occupants themselves, and may prove to be one of those errors
which becomes traditional, we hardly know how.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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