Scientific research in soil drainage

Abstract

The science of land amelioration, or “Kulturtechnik” as it is called in Germany, where it has been chiefly developed, is concerned with the scientific principles underlying the improvement of agricultural land by such means as artificial soil drainage, irrigation, river regulation and land reclamation. Since the War it has been attracting increasing attention throughout the Continent, and it now ranks as one of the most important branches of soil science. In England land amelioration has, for political and economic reasons, been very much neglected during recent years, and in consequence there has been little opportunity for scientific research on problems relating to it. The difficulty of studying these problems is greatly increased by the fact that some of the most important literature is either inaccessible or is only available with difficulty in Great Britain. It is hoped that the present résumé will to some extent fill the gap as far as one particular branch—that of artificial drainage in mineral soils—is concerned. Discussion of the drainage of peat soils has been omitted, since this presents rather different problems, and can only be adequately considered in relation to the reclamation of such soils as a whole. Mole drainage and the various combined mole-tile systems have also been left out of consideration to a great extent, since, in spite of their importance, very little scientific research has been done on them. Except where otherwise stated, the present account is confined to tile drainage.