Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1860-10-26

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tsu.z~~ss Expsr msnts in UrainasciE rzr
We hAse long since exlefieneed the, jmpor.
tance OF drainage to AmeFicsn farms and bs-
llieve that Thorough dEaining, accompanied by
deep plowing, bas and win be the great rnseas
Of improving the farms Of this couutry. Ia
England, Scotland and on the Continent of
Europe, these improvements have been carried
out, and have far exceeded the most. sanguine
expectations of the farmer and be has recsiy-
Cd a good return for his expenditures. In the
agricultural districts where drainage was re-
/ qnired, it has been done and there. are NV
bnl few farmers that have not drained their
land ~ $50 a99 1T
The agricultural press there has been flied
! with essays and experiments on DRAINAGE and
at the present time the majority il not all the
farmers are well posted on that subject but on
the other hand, we have in this country xery
few, if any, books or practical essays deyoied
to drainage, or how it should be practiced by
our farmers.,. Occasionally, in agricultural
papers, We may fnd some few remarks on The
subject, but they are very few and very unsar,
isfactory. sei g 2
The following Is the method principally b used
in England but with their labor, price price of
land, abundance of capital and many other
considerations III their favor, differing So much
from US that the adoption q theif method OF
drainage by our farmers in this country, To-
their full extent may be considered Of doab,.
ful utility. 1t is doubtful, in the first place,
whether the generality Of farmers have the
capital to spare 70 carry this out thoroughly,
and, in the second pfsce, it Is a question whcth-
er there may not be some other mode ofdraia-
age more suitable to this country add Which
can be done at much cheaper rate, -
The English farmer commences with the
main ditch or drain which Is carried through
The lowest part Of the field, and if the field
slopes uniformly from end to end, one Of these
is found sufficient this drain is dug from three
To four inches deeper than the small dtaiins,
and gradually falling to the end where it ernpt-
les itself into brook, river or hedge-diteG, as-
may be convenient. The small drains are dig
just wide enough to admit two and one-haIf
or four inch tile, whichever is needed. The
former, unless in very wet grounds, is mostly
found of sufficient diameter. The drains are
then filed up and will we may say, last fof-
ever. The main ditch is mostly laid with six
inch tiles, and occasionally with double row,
but this is only when there is beyond an aver
age Of water running from the land. :,
Another method in use there IS the follow
ing; When the small drains are dug ortt,-iII
them about ten inches or foot with bushes
well trodden down, and then place some What
straw. on the top of them, filling up with the
soil this is not 80 lasting way as the former,
though it answers while it lasts and is much
cheaper. f4se1 : ?. i.sg s,-, s7t
r1 The following are two of some experiments
tried in this country .s .4e ursit ,,5s
FIRST Experiment. Our first experiment was
ina field OF six acres, the surface soil was d
dark loam, then heavy clay, we, made the
ditch from eighteen to twenty-four inches wide
at the top, slantiug down to seven inches at
the bottom we made the drains three feet
AID 6lled 10 With small stones gathered of the
firm to the depth Of abou: eighteen inches
used small stones IN this ifistauce as we re-
quircd the larger ones for building purppsess
We then placed some turf, also few bushes.
over the stones and filled in with soil which
was dug oul.- The main drain we laid with =
double row Of four and six inch pipes. .ra,s >
.. Second EIperimet.--Our second experi-
ment was on a. field Of four acres, the fan Of
which was on a gradual slope and the soil clay;
We laid the main ditch through the lowest
grounds, and the small drains. parallel to- it,
ten yards apart !; the small drains we cut
twenty-five inches deep with common spades.
gradually slanting from the top to about six
inches Mt the the bottom the loose dirt we're
Moved with hoe, which left the bottom level.
aud clean for the tile The tiles we're two ana
one-haf INCHES in diameter with soies after
laying the tiles we threw in some clay, which
we pressed down tight with wooden rammer;
where the small drains couBested With The
main we placed fat stones over aud under the
tics, to guard against any dirt getting into
them. We used for the main ditch six-incl'
horseshoe tiles the entire cost fEe found 70 be
from thirty to tbirty-fye cents per rod. s,s9 =,
As to the result our land is nearly double in
value to what il was before, and as productive
a. we eau. wish. ..s5.. ~. s.f
We hnd the latter. (Glthough more expeD-
sivc AT irst} to be the best plan for the farmer.
and in the end cheapest.
We often hear farmers say, "ss soon as l get
some spare money shall commehce dr6iHing."
but we know Of no better way 10 get spare
cash than to drain the land. Ten loads of
f..anure we used on drained land, isa good
as three times the quantity on wet land. III.
& 4. West, New Haven.-Homessaad.