Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-12-03
Proata q unaardrainins-.. =.


forward you a brief account of any uri-
derdraihing, success, &c. The lot contai Is
four and three-quaTter acres, is nearly squa-e
and has descent to the east and north
east; of two or three inches to a rod Tho
soil is a strong, dark loan, seven or eight
inches deep resting upop tenacious sub
/ soil About two acres in the northeast
corner of the lot was 50 wet as 10 render il
unit for generaLcuItvation. and never sue
cesstui ia e-owiBg'a decent crop, mess the
| months of My and June were very dry.
have known my father 10 top dress it verv
highiyi and in three years no trace Of il left.
Fifteen bushels OF corn, and about the same
amount OF oats, with an abundance Of weeds
was the usual crop; the half buFushes. and
the rest cold sour grass. ,.,............. la.
In the autumn of 1857 I put in 2 500 feet
of drain from 80 to 35 feet apart, 81 feet
deep and % inches wide. Stones were pla-
ced On each side of the ditch 10 the height
of six or seven inches, and covered with
fat stones. Smell stones were then thrown
in, filling to the height of eighteen inches
from the bottom Of the ditch. Over these
put buckwheat straw, small bushes and
swamp grass, taking care that sufficient was
put in 10 prevent the dirt from falling among
the stones The dirt was hauled into the
ditchee With scraper made of three inch
plank, two feet wide, four feet long and
shod with an old saw~mill saw. A long
tongue placed in the centre Of this, SO thar
the oxen would be on one side of the ditch
and the holder on the other, made the filing
up suall job. Fhe osllet for the drains IS
in the northeast corner of the lot adjoining
lane that leads to pasture, where set
BALI hOgshead tub, and have had an abun,.
dance of water for my stuck until the l5ih
or goth of May 49, seS.r .-,.f..
Now tur The results 20 far as seen, and
the speeulationz Of some of my neighbors
upon the economy, of draining, expense.
&c.
commenced blowing the lot for a crop Of
corn about the 18th oi May, and found it the
dryest part of the lot. Owing to the fre-s
gatnt rains, it was not planted till ab Jut the
a6th. The cora came up 6nally,a with an
abundance Of weeds, and is as large as upon
the rest OF Lhe lot, where 1 have raised 90
bushels Of corn to the acre. After the heavy
rains that fell about the l2tn of June, the
water stood in puddles on portions Of tbs
undrained, while the drained part was
ronpa alively dry. Soon after the drains
was completed, one, Of my neighbors (who
by the by is one of our best iarmers) Gals
led, when the following conversation, in
substance, was held: AHtg Hilll1
s"AVhat has il cost you 20 do this jcb!"fay
"About 75 dollars.'' 10 .ub saBzL1as
Do you think you can afford itl My
neighbor B. and myselfhave been talkingit
over--you know we always count the cost
and we think you cannot. This would
hove bought ou quite piece of land"
"WelI, which had you rather, have your
money invested in what land you have or in.
more Iandl Here is beautiful lot close to
the barn where 1 can haul three loads Of
manure or cart three hoods Of hay where T.
could but two on many parts of the farm,
and where / calculated to raise sixty bush-
els OF corn to the acre instead of fifteen,
fifty bushels of oats instead Of fifteen, and
l expect to cut Two tons ol good hay TO the
acre instead of three quarters of ton Of
bulrushes and sour grass. 1t seems to me
that can afford it. AT all events, il it an
sw ers my expectations think ii better than
money at IL per cent; shall get pay for
the operation in five or six years, and shall
be sure Of dividend.n H 10000 sG-,'
In justice to my neigh Dor. let me say that
he has given il up since he has seen the ef-
feet of th e drains last spting. | have done
no job upon my farm thsi has pleased me SO
lauch, excep, building d barn, with cellar
which pays more than so per cenl. upon
costof CELLAR. -,s.s4 ) 81. 4 g., ,......A.
Now Tor The cost: DR., TO 6s days labor Of
digging ditch, S5I, TO % dnys' labor stoning
up, s IA; BOY 10 hand stones 81; filling ditch.
"a; use of tools, &c, 81. Y ou will see
that chorged but rs Gems per day for dig
ging; the men did chores morning and even
ing enough to pay their ,bourd. X GU win
see that nothing is charged for he uling stone,
which were scsttered over the faEm,, and
that the ditch was an excellent place 10 get
rid o! them "A. Day, in tho Homestead.