largely as though the ground
were drained, it would lose enough in unfavorable seasons to reduce the
average more than ten (10) bushels per acre.

The average crop, on such land, has been assumed to be 30 bushels per
acre; it would be an estimate as moderate as this one is generous, to say
that, with the same cultivation and the same manure, the average crop,
after draining, would be 50 bushels, or an increase equal to twice as much
as is needed to pay the draining charge. If the method of cultivation is
improved, by deep plowing, ample manuring, and thorough working,--all of
which may be more profitably applied to drained than to undrained
land,--the _average_ crop,--of a series of years,--will not be less than 60
bushels.

The cost of extra harvesting will be more than repaid by the value of the
extra fodder, and the increased cultivation and manuring are lasting
benefits, which can be charged, only in small part, to the current crop.
Therefore, if it will pay to plow, plant, hoe and harvest for 30 bushels
of corn, it will surely pay much better to double the crop at a yearly
extra cost of $5, and, practically, it amounts to this;--the extra crop is
nearly all clear gain.

The quantity of Wheat required to repay the annual charge for drainage is
so small, that no argument is needed to show that any process which will
simply prevent "throwing out" in winter, and the failure of the plant in
the wetter parts of the field, will increase the product more than that
amount,--to say nothing of the general importance to this crop of having
the land in the most perfect condition, (in winter as well as in summer.)

It is stated that, since the general introduction of drainage in England,
(within the past 25 years,) the wheat crop of that country has been more
than doubled. Of course, it does not necessarily follow that the amount
_per acre_ has been doubled, large areas which were originally unfit for
the growth of this crop, having been, by draining, excellently fitted for
its cultivation;--but there can be no doubt that its yield has been greatly
increased on all drained lands, nor that large areas, which, before being
drained, were able to produce fair crops only in the best seasons, are now
made very nearly independent of the weather.

It is not susceptible of demonstration, but it is undoubtedly true, that
those clay or other heavy soils, which are devoted to the growth of wheat
in this country, would, if they were thor