The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-03-05
UNDERGROUND Draining.

Some months ago | thought to write
YOU few words upon DRAINING, with
the view to give hint in regard to
cheap mode that might be of use to
those who could not incur the expense
of more costly one. Getting my
right hand stove up" two or three
months ago. which accident disabled
me from writing, the thought was fore
zone and the subject passed out of mind
Perhaps the purpose would have re-
manned forever unfulliled but for an
article in Your issue of Jan 18th head
cd How Draining can be done with
out Cost" by y. w Cheevcr of Massa-
chusetts will first premise that being
a physician, in active practice, | hire
all my draining done, and not being
present to oversee, l must say that
mine has not been done without cost,
not by good deal.
But this is not to the subject. Twas,
perhaps, the first one in this town to
put in blind drain. | had my ditch
dug, and then laid two poles in the bot
tom with space between; upon these
| put pine slab rounding side down
and thea filled it with earth. That was
done ten Or twelve wears ago and it
works like charm yet. The rounding
side of the slab fits admirably between
the two round poles and keeps them
apart.
In constructing a railroad across my
place last year, the drain was cut across
and there were no evidences of rot, and
| cannot see why it may not continue
perfect for fifty years.
The next batch of ditching | had
done / had chestnut planks sawed one
and a-half inches thick one-half seven
and the other half eight and a-ha!f
inches in width. These were spiked
together eaves-trough fashion, ani
inverted in the bottom of the ditch, and
cobble-stone thrown in each side to tue
level of the ridge and earth filled ill.,
The stone were for two purposes-t"
prevent spreading from the weight of
lie earth above, and should the boards
ever rot, they, with the packed earth,
would still continue an open drain
The third batch of draining had made
with cohble stone. Mr.. Chcevcr's NAV
he success, but mine was almost a
total failure presume much depends
upon the stone. Mine were watcr-worn
eobblc-stonc brought down from the
Allegheny hills by rapid stream, and
were more or less round-what we call
here cubhle-stone 1t was laid by a
'ro'cssed d tcher from Ireland, but it is
failure. From what cause | do not
know. Probably the stones, at some
point, have fallen together and blocked
he channel. But if | knew this to he
he case it is provoking, as no one can
tell where the obstruction is, and to
commence at the lower end and take il
Up until found, is more expensive than
he first laying. Like Mr.. Cheever |
nave never used tile because they were
aot to he had AT any point near me.
On the whole | prefer the poles and
>labs. So far they have proved per-
Get success, and are the cheapest of
he three. They may fail the next gen
ration, but that does not much con-
ern me now They in the next gener-
,tion may have more money, and it will
re no harder for them to toll than for
ne. Pcrmanencv is desirable OF course.
ut if man cannot secure that, better
han nothing is to drain land for our
.wn lfetime
There is not one farmer in ten that
as any idea how large proportion of
i'rming lands, especially in the eastern
tates, are largely benefited by draining
o. c. GIBBS, NJ. D., in tie Ger. Telegraph.