You might as well try to keep a cork under water, as to try and
keep air under water. 'Oh! but then our soil isn't porous.' If
not, how can it hold water so readily? I am led to these
observations by the strong controversy I am having with some Essex
folks, who protest that I am mad, or foolish, for placing 1-inch
pipes, at four-foot depth, in strong clays. It is in vain I refer
to the numerous proofs of my soundness, brought forward by Mr.
Parkes, engineer to the Royal Agricultural Society, and confirmed
by Mr. Pusey. They still dispute it. It is in vain I tell them _I
cannot keep the rainwater out of_ socketed pipes, twelve feet
deep, that convey a spring to my farm yard. Let us try and
convince this large class of doubters; for it is of _national_
importance. Four feet of good porous clay would afford a far
better meal to some strong bean, or other tap roots, than the
usual six inches; and a saving of $4 to $5 per acre, in drainage,
is no trifle.
"The shallow, or non-drainers, assume that tenacious subsoils are
impervious or non-absorbent. This is entirely an erroneous
assumption. If soils were impervious, how could they get wet?
"I assert, and pledge my agricultural reputation for the fact,
that there are no earths or clays in this kingdom, be they ever so
tenacious, that will not readily receive, filter, and transmit
rain water to drains placed five or more feet deep.
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