Farming Notes.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXII, Issue 42799, 31 October 1905, Page 2

Farming Notes.

[By Farmer.] DRAINAGE. The first, object of draining is to remove surplus water, but tbc secondary object, i.e., to allow an ingress of fre-di water into the soil, is scarcely less important, though it is no doubt attained unconsciously in a great many cases. Stagnant water not only Irondors a healthy growth impossible, but also excludes the fresh (rain) water, which contains a valuable quantity of that important plant-food, nitrogen. It. also excludes the air, which is so necessary to the chemical changes which make the various ingredients of the soil suitable plant-foods. The effect. of good draining is to keep the water in motion. Light, porous - soils, of course, require little, if any, draining, and then only when the configuration of the land is such that, the water cannot get away. With stiff soils, however, some draining is nearly always advantageous, as oven on a good slope the retentive quality of the soil tends to keep it saturated with stagnant water, To restore tho circulation, as it were, the stagnant water must be drawn otf, when room will ho left for fresh water and air. Curiously enough, a well-drained soil is hotter able to stand a drought than an undraiuod ouo. This is due to a mechanical ofi'oot of draining, increasing the capillary action Of the soil, i.e.. the power of draining a fluid upward, which is easily seen by holding tho lower end of a lump of sugar in a fluid, which will vapidly ascend through the little hair-like.passages. An undramed soil is apt to dry in a haul cake, which is almost impervious to the light, showers! of summer, whereas a drained soil is more friable, and ready to mauve tho lightest shower. A. drained soil encourages a plant to send its m»ts deep down into tho lower layers or sou in sourah of plant-food, this is notr possible on undvalnod land owing to the absence ot air, These rants supply tho plant, with moisture when very little is left in the surface soil, A great deal more could ho sn.icl on this subject, but perhaps the most important factors for tho farmer to remember am these : Drainage improves the texture of the soil, making tillage easier and consequently cheaper. It. improves both tho quantity and quality, of tho vegetation. By increasing the warmth of the soil it lengthens the season of growth, gives an earlier harvest, mid u higher feeding value- 1