his district of country. These water-beds in
the sand lie at depths varying usually from four to eight feet below the
surface. This surface stratum is comparatively compact, and very slowly
pervious to water before it is drained. The water from below, is
constantly pressing slowly up through it, of course preventing any
downward percolation of the rain-water. By running deep drains at wide
intervals, and boring down through this surface stratum with an auger,
the pent up water below finds vent and gushes up in copious springs
through the holes, and flows off without coming nearer to the surface
than the bottom of the drains; thus relieving the pressure upward, and
lowering the water-line in proportion to the depth of the drains.

Mr. Ruffin gives an instance of the drying up of a well half a mile
distant, by cutting a deep drain into this sand-bed, and thus lowering
its water-line.

No doubt in many localities in our country, a competent geological
knowledge may detect formations where this principle of drainage may be
applied with perfect success, and with great economy.

_Is there danger of over-draining swamp lands?_ In speaking of the
injury by drainage, we have treated of this question.

Our conclusions may be briefly stated here. There is an impression among
English writers, that light peaty soils may be too much drained; but
many distinguished drainers doubt the proposition. No doubt there are
soils too porous and light to be productive, when first drained. They
may require a season or two to become compact, and may require sand, or
clay, or gravel, to give them the requisite density; but these soils
would, we believe, be usually unproductive if shallow drained.

In short, our idea is, that, in general, a soil so constituted as to be
productive under any circumstances, will retain, by attraction, moisture
enough for the crops, though intersected by four-foot drains at usual
distances; and that cold water pumped up to the roots from a stagnant
pool at the bottom, is not, either in nature or art, a successful method
of irrigation.

Still we believe that peaty soils may be usually drained at greater
distances, or by shallower drains, than most uplands, because of their
more porous nature; and we should advise inexperienced persons not to
proceed with a lavish expenditure of labor to put in parallel drains at
short distances, till they have watched, for a season, the operation of
a cheaper system. They may thu