The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1855-08-18

I
to suitably drain the county, its progressive
settlement will be increased hereafter rather
than retarded
The effectiveness of drainage has been felt
even in dry seasons. The present wet sum-
mer has proved that more enlarged andex-
tensive scale of ditching must be adopted.
1t is not question whether it can be done.
1t must be done, notwithstanding the oppo-
stion of the " webb footed and fishy" An
enlargemet of the outlet bitches will not on
ly save our crops in wet season, but will
nearly double the yield in ordinary years
We must avail ourselves of the ditch law,
bungling and defective as it is. Although
it is poorly adapted to the wants Of this
country, and poor as it is, if we cannot get
a better one, we must anchor our hopes up
on it for our future progress. There is no
law in the statute book so essential to our
prosperity as liberal drain law adapted TO
our peculiar wants.
How can the Hull Prairie, Keeler Prairie
and Ralston Prairie be drained without the
operation of drain law? They must all be
better drained or their lands will never be
worth half price. If these lands were drain
ed as they should be, they would be better
worth $40 per acre than they are now worth
SSl5. What portion of the difference in val
ue would it cost to drain them? Perhaps
one dollar per acre, perhaps less-a mere
trifle in comparison to benefits. Yet there
are some who oppose their drainage on an
extensive scale because they say they cannot
afford it. These same persons made the same
it off the less able they will be to do it.
The Keeler Prairie and Tontogany outlet,
now in course of construction, when finish
ed, will add immensely to the value of the
lands that will be drained by it. The Hull
Prairie outlet, now in prospect, if construct
ed right, will increase the amount of crops
in one year more than its cost. So it will
be with almost every similar undertaking.
There is community of interest amongst
us. There should also be community Of
feeling. These Improvements are essential.
and unless communities, united in interest,
undertake together the construction of the
necessary outlet di ches, they cannot be made,
any more than roads can be made without
the united action of those that need them.
BY way of exhibiting the difference in the
minds of some people on the subject Of drain
age, and showing some of the supposed and
imaginary difficulties in the way | will H.
lustrate by giving case in point. 1t is we'll
known that the plank road is the most i'm
portant road in the county. 1t runs through
The entire county and divides it into two
nearly equal parts. Nearly half the inhab-
itants depend on it to carry their produce to
market. The grading up of this road was
the pioneer project of draining in the county.
When it was first graded up, the bitches on
each side had the effect to drain the road,
and also drain and reclaim the adjoining
lands, and make them fit for cultivation
Beautiful and we'll improved farms have been
opened upon it. When it was first thrown
up, some ten years ago, the bitches were much
deeper than now. They then answered
much better purpose to drain the road and
adjoining lands.
Although they have always been consider
led defective for want of depth, yet the ne
cessity of deepening them has not been so
great, before this season. 1t has now become
apparent that these bitches must be cleaned
ont and deenene6 Or tho cultivation Of the