The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-02-26

DRAINING AND THE CCsT OF DRAINING.
Mr.. Lamborn, of Chester county, Pa,
states that he has used chestnut boards for
drains thirty years, and believes they will
last indefinitely if kept wet. l think al
most any kind of wood will so last if so
treated. Ten years ago laid temporary
drain, and because l could get 10 greater
outfall it was sunk about Is inches only.
The drain was made Of one board only, say
10 inches wide, and inclined against the
side of the ditch. have just taken it up,
and find the heart of the boards, which
were pine, nearly as good as ever, and the
sap even yet not wholly rotten. Had this
drain been put down three feet believe it
would have lasted Indefinitely. 1t is sur
prising now effective drain is made in so
simple manner. Where the inclination
is considerable, say six inches in one
hundred feet, it operates perfectly. !
would have put down a triangular box Of
pine boards in place of Pinch tile had
they not been costlier. Five hundred Pinch
tile delivered cost me SIC. each, or Soc.
per rod while the cost of 6inch boards at
$40 per 900 feet would have been 5913c.
per rod-to which | should have to add the
cost of nails and the expense of making
the box. The time being midwinter, was
able to get the drain opened three feet deep,
the tile carefully laid, and the job finished,
at cost OF SOC. per rod. l doubt whether
large job of Undertaking three feet
deep could be done at less expense than
one dollar per rod, which, as figure it,
makes the cest of understanding about $50
per acre, if the drains arc sunk three feet
deep and are laid fifty feet apart. One Of
the most graphic and comprehensive state
ments az to the value of undertaking
read lately, think in the Country Gentle
man, and was to the effect that thorough
work of this kind was practically to re-
move the land so improved from degree
to degree and half further south.-Cu!-
tiuat0r.
Another writer for the Cu!tiva!or gives
the following advice:
Most farmers will on their own lands find
here and there spots where coarse grasses
have taken possession, and which are neg
lected by his cattle as long as there lie any
thing else for them to eat. On clay land
this is very common, and We are apt to
think that our land is too poor to grow q
good crop but judging others by my own,
do not hesitate to say that what we call
our poorest is in fact our best land, and to
prove it we have only to drain. have
tested this, and know it is so.
l am we'll satisfied that clay land, even
when considered reasonably dry, will be
materially benefited by thorough system
of underdrains and can point to field
where good crop was never known to
grew-not because it was q swamp, but be-
cause it was cold and sour-the clay sub
soil holding water like bowl. AS far as
undetermined last spring, have never
raised better crop Of corn; but was no;
able to drain the whole, and beyond the
influence of the drained part the crop was
hardly worth harvesting. | have made nc
figures to prove it, but it seems as il the
first crop would pay the expense in such
cases. My tile are on hand for early work
next (this) spring, and celebrated manu-.
facturer is getting up get of tools which
hope will materially assist in the operation
of the work. If they do, you may hear
from me again.-D., Oneida county, n. 7