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kM, i ss VOL. XXIJI.11- 3 ~ry • INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, JAN. 7,1888 37,0 ^o NO. 1 The Needs of the Hour. BY J. J. W. BH.LINO.SLKY. [A paper read before the late meeting of the Indiana Tile and Drainage Association ] It is often the ease, tbat things that are judged by us, to be misfortunes, prove, when we get far enough beyond them to see the effect,to be blessings instead. They have at least a silver lining. . Drouths are not always the worst events that can happen to a country. It is our observation,and the observation of others, that seasons of drouth are succeeded with years of plenty. The year 18S0 was one of severe drouth in the greater portion of this State, and it was followed with abundant harvests in the years of 1881-2. We might refer to other years of drouth as further illustrating the fact if it was necessary. The cause of this, suggesting itself to our mind, is, that during the drouth the water line is carried down to a depth that admits the air to circulate through the spaces of the soil. The air coming in contact with the elements of fertility, causes oxidation, and otherwise effects chemical combinations of the. utmost importance in the preparation of plant food. During the continuance of a drouth there is at all times during the day more or less evaporation of moisture from the surface of the soil. This moisture is brought up through the capillary tubes formed in the soil, the ■ same as oil passes up the lamp wick to supply the flame. This upward flow of moisture from the greater.depth of earth, brings with it, in solution, fertilizing elements, but parts with them at the surface when the moisture evaporates. This deposit fit earth's treasure, in the way of plant food, goes on until the surface soil is greatly enriched, as in the late continued season of drouth. The raius that'have followed have fallen as a benediction from the skies—so gentle, that the earth's surface has drank in the water, carrying this added fertility down sufficiently below the surface to hold it in store for the coming crop or crops. If our first rains had been heavy flood tides, washing and leaching the surface, rushing oft" into the streams, then there would have beeh a great loss, covering in most part, the gain to the fertility made during the continuance of the drouth. But somehow or other, there is a Providence that interposes in our behalf—sending them so gently. Again, years of drouth are usually succeeded with seasonable year-s having the early and latter rainfalls. So that we very confidently look forward to years of plenty in this State and consequently to years of prosperity. There are some practical lessons to be learned from this season of drouth, in the use of tile, and the benefits to be derived, or not derived, from under draining, that it is well to heed and profit by. The first that we mention is, that shallow under- drainage does not afford the protection against damage to the crops from drouth like that of deep underdrainage. Where the tile drains have been laid within 18 or 20 inches, or two feet of the surface, there has been little difference, if any, obsei v- able between the tiled and untiled lard. But where the drains have been put in to a depth of 3 or 4, or more feet, the effect has been marked, and usually the greater depth has shown the best results. And there are reasons why this is so. One rea- onis, that the air in passing along the line of the deep drains comes in contact with earth at a temperature sufficiently low to cause the moisture, which is always present in our atmosphere in greater or lass quantities, to condense and deposit on the particles of cooler earth like dew deposits in the night time on vegetation, and in this way supply needed moisture to the roots of the crops. ,In some of the excavations made during the late drouth to test this matter, the tile at a depth of 3% and 4 feet were found to be quite moist. In one instance where the tile had been laid at a depth of five feet, near the outlets, it was observed that in the time of the drouth when the air indicated considerable moisture and the clouds threatened rain, but it did not rain, a small stream of water not larger, the gentleman said, than a rye straw, ran •from the mouth of the drain for several hours until the threatened rainfall was passed. Shallow drains are too near the surface in extreme hot and dry weather to be cool enough to cause the deposit of moisture before referred to. Another reason that we mention in this connection is that the deeper drains will give a greater depth of porous earth for the roots to penetrate for both food and moisture supply. A condition very necessary to the growth and well being of the crop. It is well to- remember the fact,tbat roots of crops will go down deep if the way is opened for them by making the earth porous. One of the lessons to be learned from the effects of the late drouth, and of all drouths in fact, is that the drains should be deeper than they are commonly laid. And the lesson is not without compensation to those who are engaged in the business of manufacturing tile, for the reason ihat'as "soon as the brainy men ol the country are convinced that deep and thoroughunderdrainage will protect them in a dry season, as well as a wet, that they may put their land in such a mechanical condition by underdrainage that their crops will not likely fail any season, and in addition gain 25 or 30 per cent in the increased production, they will then put in more tile and do the work better. It has been in the past a difficult problem to get the greater number of men to believe it to be to their interest to do such thorough work. Indeed some of our tile men have felt that it was not to their interest to advocate deep underdrainage, for fear the greater cost of it would discourage the farmers from putting in tile. There are two men living side by side, with only a highway dividing them. One has advocated and practiced shallow, and the other deep drainage—the years since they commenced to underdrain, in 1881, have been alike seasonable, until this season. The advocate of shallow drainage insisted that his drains did quite as well every way as his neighbor's, and so en- thusisatic did he become over his view of the matter,that he laid many of his drains as shallow as 18 or 20 inches. His neighbor, however, was not discouraged a whit, but being a little stubborn went deeper still, 3J4 and 4 feet deep, and in some instances a greater depth. His crops did well, quite as well as his neighbor's and a little better perhaps. He would occasionally say: "You'll see Charley, by and by, that I will have deeper soil at least." In this he was right. But the day of testing came, this season, and the superiority of the deeper drains tells the story of 50 bushels of corn to the acre, well matured, while the neighbor across the road on quite as good land by nature and with faithful cultivation, but with shallow drains, has not more than half the number of bushels per acre, and light and chaffy as we say, at that. The farmer who did the deeper and better work, has drawn as many or more tile this fall than any season before, to put in this winter and next spring, and says "I am going to have my entire farm thoroughly underdrained before I quit." The other neighbor sees his mistake now, but much of what he has done is in the way of better work, and it will take him a year or two to mend up what he has done if he does even that. The lesson is,that it is not only better to do thorough work, but it is in addition an encouragement to make larger investments in the purchase of tile, to extend the work. The best laid drains are better for both the tile maker and the tile user. A man may in a single season put in more tile by putting them only a little below the plow, and may be satisfied, yea, enthusiastic over the result of a wet season. Some men are enthusiastic over dead furrows in a field and think them sufficient, and there comes a day of testing when they do not come up to the demands of the hour. This severe drouth which we have just passed, will, where men have brains enough, prove a corrective of much of the faulty work that would otherwise have been done.. What we want and what we need now more than anything else, in our judgment is, to get the facts, as to the benefits of deep and shallow drainage before the people. If they are once convinced that deep and thorough work will pay them, and pay them well, and pay them certainly every year, wet or dry, or drouth—then they will wheel into line in this work as never before. Men act when they are convinced that it is to their interest, and the more in proportion to the increased interest. The cause and effects and the lessons to be learned are not myths, they are as true as it is that the sun shineth. They are lessons of great practical value if we will only study them well. At other meetings of this body when the reports from the field were favorable as to sales of tile, the writer then urged the need of a thorough understanding of the effects of underdrainage, and the need of doing the work well, so that the greater benefits would come of the work, but some said "no, no; just so they buy the tile that's all we want." But the drouth came and the slight difference between lands not drained and these shallow drained has been discouraging to many, and now it will take a little flood or so to float them on, in the work. But why not do this work intelligently? Go at it like laying the foundation of a structure intended for the generations to come, as tile drainage deserves to be considered, if well done. There is need for getting on in this work. We are upon the eve of a prosperity if the signs of the times deceive us not, that will call upon the farm lands of the State for a yield of products for home markets never before experienced in the past. We will need to have every acre of our soil put into the best possible condition for culti vation. Our soils are highly favored by nature in their elements of fertility—and only need the mechanical improvement of deep underdrainage to make them laugh with fatness at the good husbandman's touch. The discovery of natural gas and the prospective future of our State in the up building of large manufacturing interests, with a teeming population of operatives who will have to be supplied from our markets will make a future for our State in all probability that few of us have little dreamed of. Are we ready to respond to the needs of the hour? Are you ready gentlemen to go to your homes and sound the bugle notes of advance, by telling of the future that lies before us, the wonderful markets that are near at our doors for every product that can be grown, and the need of putting the land in the best condition by underdrainage and intelligent cultivation ? We have now (probably) a population of 70 to the square mile,—look forward to a time in the near future when our population shall be doubled, say 6,000,000, or 166 to the square, mile, which will be more than double. It is not a thing incredible, located as this State is with her water and' great railroad facilities, soil, water and fuel resources developed and being developed, with gigantic manufacturing interests springing up on every side, that the present population should be doubled in the next twenty years, and even then we shall not be so densely populated by half as some of the European countries, and that too, with abetter soil and a greater wealth of resources. Besides there are the cities of Louisville, Cincinnati and Chicago on our border whose markets are to be supplied in part from our State. We have great faith in the soil resources of this State, with underdrainage and an agriculture alive to the needs of the hour. We can support easily a population of 7,000,000 or 8,000,000 people. But are we alive to the importance of impressing the people with the need of getting ready for such a coming prosperity. To our shame it can be said that even now we do not supply our markets in full with such products as can be grown abundantly in this State. "Vegetables of all kinds are shipped into this capital city to supply her markets, from adjoining and other States, amounting to an enormous sum of money. Take the item of Irish potatoes, this city ships in Irish potatoes more or less every year. Will any one dare to say that our soil, if well underdrained, will not grow an abundance of potatoes, if they are only planted in season and properly cultivated? A low ou such 3t.il to our kuoivleugo have had a return of from 80 to 150 bushels in this seassn of drouth, which at ?1 per bushels, or 75 cents per bushel, makes quite a sum of money. Do you know of any thing much better? But what has this to do with the tile business? The tile business ought to have much to do in bringing about such remunerative returns. We are behind, as a State.what we ought to be in the area of tiled land and in the character of the work that has been done. What we need to do, is to get the facts as to the benefits of underdrainage, and the prospects before us, fixed in the public mind. Our State has the largest area of natural gas so far discovered, a cheap fuel for manufacturing purposes, a cheap fuel for the people, a cheap fuel to bnrn tile and brick, and coal, fields the limits of which have not been determined, sufficient for ages, and above all a soil as rich as the best, well watered and healthy, with transportation not excelled by any of our sister States. There are millions in its future development. What you need to do as tile manufacturers is to resolve the whole of your 600 • and odd in number, if there is any way to do it, into a committee of the whole, to consider the best means of gettiDg the magnitude of our promising future before the farmers of this State. In a word enthuse them. The capital will come with willing hands to do the work of this great up building not in this city alone, but in your county towns and villages. The agricultural interests need to be advanced in the drainage of the land in the reclamation of the waste places, that our State may literally groan beneath the abundant harvests of the future. To some, this may seem to be a roseate yiew, but let me assure you that before the clo.«e of the next decade, you will be roady to sing that "the half has never been told." We may, if we allow it, let our sister States largely supply our markets and pocket the proceeds. We may, if we will, underdrain our lands, the greater proportion of which it will be profitable to underdrain, and in this way fit them for the highest state of fertility, and then with enterprise in their cultivation supply our own home markets and pocket the proceeds. Which will we do? is the question of the hour. In conclusion may we not urge upon you the advisability, when you return to your homes of beginning the work of a higher education of the people as to the material resources and future of this our grand commonwealth. You have the resources and the opportunity of doing a good work, gentlemen, in this upbuilding —the onlyunsolved part of the question is, will you gird yourselves for the "Needs of the hour?"
Object Description
Title | Indiana farmer, 1888, v. 23, no. 01 (Jan. 7) |
Purdue Identification Number | INFA2301 |
Date of Original | 1888 |
Subjects (LCSH) |
Agriculture Farm management Horticulture Agricultural machinery |
Subjects (NALT) |
agriculture farm management horticulture agricultural machinery and equipment |
Genre | Periodical |
Call Number of Original | 630.5 In2 |
Location of Original | Hicks Repository |
Coverage | United States - Indiana |
Type | text |
Format | JP2 |
Language | eng |
Collection Title | Indiana Farmer |
Rights Statement | Content in the Indiana Farmer Collection is in the public domain (published before 1923) or lacks a known copyright holder. Digital images in the collection may be used for educational, non-commercial, or not-for-profit purposes. |
Repository | Purdue University Libraries |
Date Digitized | 2010-11-30 |
Digitization Information | Original scanned at 300 ppi on a Bookeye 3 scanner using internal software. Display images generated in CONTENTdm as JP2000s; file format for archival copy is uncompressed TIF format. |
Description
Title | Page 1 |
Subjects (LCSH) |
Agriculture Farm management Horticulture Agricultural machinery |
Subjects (NALT) |
agriculture farm management horticulture agricultural machinery and equipment |
Genre | Periodical |
Call Number of Original | 630.5 In2 |
Location of Original | Hicks Repository |
Coverage | Indiana |
Type | text |
Format | JP2 |
Language | eng |
Collection Title | Indiana Farmer |
Rights Statement | Content in the Indiana Farmer Collection is in the public domain (published before 1923) or lacks a known copyright holder. Digital images in the collection may be used for educational, non-commercial, or non-for-profit purposes. |
Repository | Purdue University Libraries |
Digitization Information | Orignal scanned at 300 ppi on a Bookeye 3 scanner using internal software. Display images generated in CONTENTdm as JP2000s; file format for archival copy is uncompressed TIF format. |
Transcript | kM, i ss VOL. XXIJI.11- 3 ~ry • INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, JAN. 7,1888 37,0 ^o NO. 1 The Needs of the Hour. BY J. J. W. BH.LINO.SLKY. [A paper read before the late meeting of the Indiana Tile and Drainage Association ] It is often the ease, tbat things that are judged by us, to be misfortunes, prove, when we get far enough beyond them to see the effect,to be blessings instead. They have at least a silver lining. . Drouths are not always the worst events that can happen to a country. It is our observation,and the observation of others, that seasons of drouth are succeeded with years of plenty. The year 18S0 was one of severe drouth in the greater portion of this State, and it was followed with abundant harvests in the years of 1881-2. We might refer to other years of drouth as further illustrating the fact if it was necessary. The cause of this, suggesting itself to our mind, is, that during the drouth the water line is carried down to a depth that admits the air to circulate through the spaces of the soil. The air coming in contact with the elements of fertility, causes oxidation, and otherwise effects chemical combinations of the. utmost importance in the preparation of plant food. During the continuance of a drouth there is at all times during the day more or less evaporation of moisture from the surface of the soil. This moisture is brought up through the capillary tubes formed in the soil, the ■ same as oil passes up the lamp wick to supply the flame. This upward flow of moisture from the greater.depth of earth, brings with it, in solution, fertilizing elements, but parts with them at the surface when the moisture evaporates. This deposit fit earth's treasure, in the way of plant food, goes on until the surface soil is greatly enriched, as in the late continued season of drouth. The raius that'have followed have fallen as a benediction from the skies—so gentle, that the earth's surface has drank in the water, carrying this added fertility down sufficiently below the surface to hold it in store for the coming crop or crops. If our first rains had been heavy flood tides, washing and leaching the surface, rushing oft" into the streams, then there would have beeh a great loss, covering in most part, the gain to the fertility made during the continuance of the drouth. But somehow or other, there is a Providence that interposes in our behalf—sending them so gently. Again, years of drouth are usually succeeded with seasonable year-s having the early and latter rainfalls. So that we very confidently look forward to years of plenty in this State and consequently to years of prosperity. There are some practical lessons to be learned from this season of drouth, in the use of tile, and the benefits to be derived, or not derived, from under draining, that it is well to heed and profit by. The first that we mention is, that shallow under- drainage does not afford the protection against damage to the crops from drouth like that of deep underdrainage. Where the tile drains have been laid within 18 or 20 inches, or two feet of the surface, there has been little difference, if any, obsei v- able between the tiled and untiled lard. But where the drains have been put in to a depth of 3 or 4, or more feet, the effect has been marked, and usually the greater depth has shown the best results. And there are reasons why this is so. One rea- onis, that the air in passing along the line of the deep drains comes in contact with earth at a temperature sufficiently low to cause the moisture, which is always present in our atmosphere in greater or lass quantities, to condense and deposit on the particles of cooler earth like dew deposits in the night time on vegetation, and in this way supply needed moisture to the roots of the crops. ,In some of the excavations made during the late drouth to test this matter, the tile at a depth of 3% and 4 feet were found to be quite moist. In one instance where the tile had been laid at a depth of five feet, near the outlets, it was observed that in the time of the drouth when the air indicated considerable moisture and the clouds threatened rain, but it did not rain, a small stream of water not larger, the gentleman said, than a rye straw, ran •from the mouth of the drain for several hours until the threatened rainfall was passed. Shallow drains are too near the surface in extreme hot and dry weather to be cool enough to cause the deposit of moisture before referred to. Another reason that we mention in this connection is that the deeper drains will give a greater depth of porous earth for the roots to penetrate for both food and moisture supply. A condition very necessary to the growth and well being of the crop. It is well to- remember the fact,tbat roots of crops will go down deep if the way is opened for them by making the earth porous. One of the lessons to be learned from the effects of the late drouth, and of all drouths in fact, is that the drains should be deeper than they are commonly laid. And the lesson is not without compensation to those who are engaged in the business of manufacturing tile, for the reason ihat'as "soon as the brainy men ol the country are convinced that deep and thoroughunderdrainage will protect them in a dry season, as well as a wet, that they may put their land in such a mechanical condition by underdrainage that their crops will not likely fail any season, and in addition gain 25 or 30 per cent in the increased production, they will then put in more tile and do the work better. It has been in the past a difficult problem to get the greater number of men to believe it to be to their interest to do such thorough work. Indeed some of our tile men have felt that it was not to their interest to advocate deep underdrainage, for fear the greater cost of it would discourage the farmers from putting in tile. There are two men living side by side, with only a highway dividing them. One has advocated and practiced shallow, and the other deep drainage—the years since they commenced to underdrain, in 1881, have been alike seasonable, until this season. The advocate of shallow drainage insisted that his drains did quite as well every way as his neighbor's, and so en- thusisatic did he become over his view of the matter,that he laid many of his drains as shallow as 18 or 20 inches. His neighbor, however, was not discouraged a whit, but being a little stubborn went deeper still, 3J4 and 4 feet deep, and in some instances a greater depth. His crops did well, quite as well as his neighbor's and a little better perhaps. He would occasionally say: "You'll see Charley, by and by, that I will have deeper soil at least." In this he was right. But the day of testing came, this season, and the superiority of the deeper drains tells the story of 50 bushels of corn to the acre, well matured, while the neighbor across the road on quite as good land by nature and with faithful cultivation, but with shallow drains, has not more than half the number of bushels per acre, and light and chaffy as we say, at that. The farmer who did the deeper and better work, has drawn as many or more tile this fall than any season before, to put in this winter and next spring, and says "I am going to have my entire farm thoroughly underdrained before I quit." The other neighbor sees his mistake now, but much of what he has done is in the way of better work, and it will take him a year or two to mend up what he has done if he does even that. The lesson is,that it is not only better to do thorough work, but it is in addition an encouragement to make larger investments in the purchase of tile, to extend the work. The best laid drains are better for both the tile maker and the tile user. A man may in a single season put in more tile by putting them only a little below the plow, and may be satisfied, yea, enthusiastic over the result of a wet season. Some men are enthusiastic over dead furrows in a field and think them sufficient, and there comes a day of testing when they do not come up to the demands of the hour. This severe drouth which we have just passed, will, where men have brains enough, prove a corrective of much of the faulty work that would otherwise have been done.. What we want and what we need now more than anything else, in our judgment is, to get the facts, as to the benefits of deep and shallow drainage before the people. If they are once convinced that deep and thorough work will pay them, and pay them well, and pay them certainly every year, wet or dry, or drouth—then they will wheel into line in this work as never before. Men act when they are convinced that it is to their interest, and the more in proportion to the increased interest. The cause and effects and the lessons to be learned are not myths, they are as true as it is that the sun shineth. They are lessons of great practical value if we will only study them well. At other meetings of this body when the reports from the field were favorable as to sales of tile, the writer then urged the need of a thorough understanding of the effects of underdrainage, and the need of doing the work well, so that the greater benefits would come of the work, but some said "no, no; just so they buy the tile that's all we want." But the drouth came and the slight difference between lands not drained and these shallow drained has been discouraging to many, and now it will take a little flood or so to float them on, in the work. But why not do this work intelligently? Go at it like laying the foundation of a structure intended for the generations to come, as tile drainage deserves to be considered, if well done. There is need for getting on in this work. We are upon the eve of a prosperity if the signs of the times deceive us not, that will call upon the farm lands of the State for a yield of products for home markets never before experienced in the past. We will need to have every acre of our soil put into the best possible condition for culti vation. Our soils are highly favored by nature in their elements of fertility—and only need the mechanical improvement of deep underdrainage to make them laugh with fatness at the good husbandman's touch. The discovery of natural gas and the prospective future of our State in the up building of large manufacturing interests, with a teeming population of operatives who will have to be supplied from our markets will make a future for our State in all probability that few of us have little dreamed of. Are we ready to respond to the needs of the hour? Are you ready gentlemen to go to your homes and sound the bugle notes of advance, by telling of the future that lies before us, the wonderful markets that are near at our doors for every product that can be grown, and the need of putting the land in the best condition by underdrainage and intelligent cultivation ? We have now (probably) a population of 70 to the square mile,—look forward to a time in the near future when our population shall be doubled, say 6,000,000, or 166 to the square, mile, which will be more than double. It is not a thing incredible, located as this State is with her water and' great railroad facilities, soil, water and fuel resources developed and being developed, with gigantic manufacturing interests springing up on every side, that the present population should be doubled in the next twenty years, and even then we shall not be so densely populated by half as some of the European countries, and that too, with abetter soil and a greater wealth of resources. Besides there are the cities of Louisville, Cincinnati and Chicago on our border whose markets are to be supplied in part from our State. We have great faith in the soil resources of this State, with underdrainage and an agriculture alive to the needs of the hour. We can support easily a population of 7,000,000 or 8,000,000 people. But are we alive to the importance of impressing the people with the need of getting ready for such a coming prosperity. To our shame it can be said that even now we do not supply our markets in full with such products as can be grown abundantly in this State. "Vegetables of all kinds are shipped into this capital city to supply her markets, from adjoining and other States, amounting to an enormous sum of money. Take the item of Irish potatoes, this city ships in Irish potatoes more or less every year. Will any one dare to say that our soil, if well underdrained, will not grow an abundance of potatoes, if they are only planted in season and properly cultivated? A low ou such 3t.il to our kuoivleugo have had a return of from 80 to 150 bushels in this seassn of drouth, which at ?1 per bushels, or 75 cents per bushel, makes quite a sum of money. Do you know of any thing much better? But what has this to do with the tile business? The tile business ought to have much to do in bringing about such remunerative returns. We are behind, as a State.what we ought to be in the area of tiled land and in the character of the work that has been done. What we need to do, is to get the facts as to the benefits of underdrainage, and the prospects before us, fixed in the public mind. Our State has the largest area of natural gas so far discovered, a cheap fuel for manufacturing purposes, a cheap fuel for the people, a cheap fuel to bnrn tile and brick, and coal, fields the limits of which have not been determined, sufficient for ages, and above all a soil as rich as the best, well watered and healthy, with transportation not excelled by any of our sister States. There are millions in its future development. What you need to do as tile manufacturers is to resolve the whole of your 600 • and odd in number, if there is any way to do it, into a committee of the whole, to consider the best means of gettiDg the magnitude of our promising future before the farmers of this State. In a word enthuse them. The capital will come with willing hands to do the work of this great up building not in this city alone, but in your county towns and villages. The agricultural interests need to be advanced in the drainage of the land in the reclamation of the waste places, that our State may literally groan beneath the abundant harvests of the future. To some, this may seem to be a roseate yiew, but let me assure you that before the clo.«e of the next decade, you will be roady to sing that "the half has never been told." We may, if we allow it, let our sister States largely supply our markets and pocket the proceeds. We may, if we will, underdrain our lands, the greater proportion of which it will be profitable to underdrain, and in this way fit them for the highest state of fertility, and then with enterprise in their cultivation supply our own home markets and pocket the proceeds. Which will we do? is the question of the hour. In conclusion may we not urge upon you the advisability, when you return to your homes of beginning the work of a higher education of the people as to the material resources and future of this our grand commonwealth. You have the resources and the opportunity of doing a good work, gentlemen, in this upbuilding —the onlyunsolved part of the question is, will you gird yourselves for the "Needs of the hour?" |
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