The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1861-02-20

h.,y. lcny since experienced the I'M
,.oriance Of draining 70 American
farms. AMI believe tha. thorough drain
inr. accompanied by deep blowing,
has been ami will BE- tie great means
II improving the farms Of this coun-
iry. In England, Scotland, and on
the continent Of Europe, these i'm.
,,royements have been carried out. and
have tar exceeded all expectation,
even the most sangnine, of the farm.
sr. and he has received good return
for his expenditure. In the agricul
tnral districts there, where drainage
was required il has been done. end
there are now but few farmers who
have not drained their lands.
The following is the method princl-
pally used in England; but with their
labor. price Of land. abundance Of
capital. and manv other considerations,
ia their favor, differing SO much from
Us that the adoption Of their method
Of drainage by our farmers in this
country. to their full extent, may BE-
considered as OF doubtful utility II
is doubtful. in the first place. whether
the generality Of farmers have the
capital to spare to carry this out thor
ouglly; and. in the second place, i
j. question whether there may not
lie some other mode Of drainage more
suitable to this country, and which
can be done at a much cheaper-rate.
The English farmer commcnc 9
with the main ditch or drain, which is
carried through the lower end Of the
field. and ii the field slope from end to
end uniformly. one Of these is found
sufficient; this drain is dug from three
TO four inches deeper than the small
drains. and gradually falling toward
the end, where it empties itself into a
brook, river or hedge ditch, as may
be convenient. The small drains arr
dug Just wide enough to admit two
and half or q four inch tile, which
ever Is needed. The former, unless
in very wet ground, will be found O
sufficient diamiter. The drains arr
then filled up, and will, we may say
last forever. The main ditch is most
w laid of six-inch tiles. and occasion
all. with double row. but this is onl,
when there 10 beyond an average Q
water flowing from the land.
Another method in use there is thu
following: When the small drains ar
dug ont, fill them about q foot or tel
inches with bushes we'll trodden down
and then place some wheat straw q
the top Of them, filling mp with tn
soil; this is not 80 lasting q way a
the former. though it answers while
lasts, and is much cheaper.
The following are two Of some eS
periments tried in this country:
Our first experiment was in a fel
If six acres; the surface was q dar
loan, then q heavy clay; we made III
ditch from eighteen to twenty four j.
ches wide at the top, slanting down
seven inches at the bottom. made Il
drain three feet deep, and filled 1t wit
stones gathered off the farm to Il
depth ofabout eighteen inches;we use
small stones in this instance, as Y
required the larger ones for buildin
purposes. We then placed some tuI
also few bushes, over the stones, ar
filled in with soil which was dug on
The main drain We laid with doub
row Of four and elk inch pipes.
Our second experiment was on
four acre field, the fall Of which "
on gradual slope, and the soil ella
We laid the main ditch through Il
lowest ground, and the small drai
parallel to it, ten yards apart; q
small drains were cut twenty ]
chcs deep at the bottom; the loose d
we removed with hoe, which left I
bottom smooth and level for the ii
The tiles were two and half inch
in diameter, with soles; after layil
the tiles, we threw in some clay, viii
we pressed down tight with wood
hammer. Where the small drains co
nccted with the main, we placed
stones over and under the tiles,
guard against any dirt getting in
them. We used for the main ditch |
inch horse shoe tiles. The entire c,
we found to be from thirty to tbir'
five cents per rod.
Az to the result, our land is neal
double in value TO what il was befo
and as productive as we can wish.