M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-11-29

Experlmenlslm Drnilmge,

We nave long since experienced
the importance Of draining tu Ameri.
can farms, and believe that through
draining, accompanied by deep plow
ing. has'hecn and will he the great
means Of improving the farms OF this
country IL England, Scotland, and
on the continent of Europe, these im'
provement5 have been carried oat,
and have tar exceeded all expectation,
even the mOSt sangulue, olthc IHrmer;
aud he has received good return for
his expenditure. In tic agricultural
districts there, where drainage was
required, it has been done, and there
are now but lew farmers who have
not drained their lands.
The ioliowingis the method princi'
palIy used in Englend; but with their
lat ". price Of land, abundance Of cupi-
tai T.nd many other considerations in
their favor, differing 81 much from us
that the adoption at their method oi
drainage by our farmers in this conn
try, to their .uii extent, may be con
sidercd rs of doubtful utility. 1t is
doubtful, in the first place, whether
tho generality OF farmers have the
capital to Spare to carry this out thor
oughiy, aud, in the second place, it is
a QUESTION Wheth r there my not BE-
some other mode Of drainage more
suitable to this country, and which
can be done at much cheaper rate.
The English farmer commences
with thamain ditch or drain, which is
carried through the lower end Of the
field, and if the field slopes from end
to eud uniformly, one OF these is found
sufficient; this drain is dug from three
to four inches deeper than the small
drains, and gradually falling towards
the end, where it cinpties itself into a
brook. river or hedge ditch, as may be
convenient. The small dcains are
dug lust wide enough to admit two
and q halt ur 'our inch tile, whichever
is needed. The t0rmrr, unless in very
wet ground, will be found oil sufficient
diameter The drains are then filled
up, aud will, we may say, last forever.
The main ditch is mostly Land OF SIX
inch tiles, and occasionally wuh a
double row, but this is only when
there is beyond an average OF water
flowing from the land.
Another method in use there, is the
following: when the small drains are
dug out ill them about foot or ten
inches with bushes well trodden down,
and then place some wheat straw on
the top OF them, filing up with the
sui; this is not so lastnga way AZ the
former, though it answers while il
lasts, and is much cheaper.
The following are two OF some ex
pcJimcnts tried in this country:
First Erperjment--Ou first expert
mcnt was field oi six acres; the sur
a.c Nasa dark loom, then heavy
ebay; we made the ditch from eighteel
TO FNrnty.Iour inches wide at the top
slantiug down ~ seven inches at thl
hotlom; made the drain three leet, auC
flied it with stones gathered Of IN,
farm to the depth Of about eightcel
inches; We used small stones in thl
instance rs We required the large
ones lor building purposes. We theI
placed sulur tlrI, also few bushca
over the stones, and filled with sol
which VAS dug ont. The main druI
We laid with u double row of lOur an,
six inch pipes.
SecOnd Erpe,imcat-Our seeou,
experiment WAS on Tour acre field
the fall uf which was Oh gradua
slope, and the soil clay. We laid tn
main ditch through the lowest ground
and the SmaII drains aralel to it, tcI
yards apart; the small drains were Gu
twenty-five inches deep dt the bottom
the loose dirt We removed with hoe
which lett The bottom smooth and lev
c for the tile.
The tiles we're two and a half inch
es IN diameter with soles; after layin
the tiles, we threw III some clay
which We pressed down tight with
wooden rammer. Where the sma
drains CONNECTED with the main. "
placed fiat stones over and under tn
tiles to guard against any dirt gettini
into them. We used ior the mai
ditch six inch horse shoe tiles. Til
entire cost we found to be from thirt
to thirty five cents per rod.
AS 10 the result, our land is nearl
double in value to what it was betOr,
and as productive as we can wish.
We find the latter, (althUugh Ii
tie more expensive at tirst,) TO 5e til
best plan Tor the farmer, and in t!
end tie cheapest. We often he,
farmers say, "As soon as get son
spare money, l'shaN commence drai
irg;" but We know no better way
get spare cash, than TO drain the Ian
Ten loads Of manure we use on drai
ed land, is as good as three tunes th