The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-07-14

The club met mt the residence of w. ID
Ice, July 9Th. Prcscnt--Mr. Ball, President
Mr.. Silver, Secretary, and Mcssrs w. ID
Lee, Glasgow, Willis, Moorcs, james Lee
Munnikhuyscn, Archer, Webster, S. NJ. Lee
Janney and Gorrell.
The question discussed was, Does it pay
TO underdrain land? If so, what is the
cheapest and best material?
Mr.. S. M. Lee said he drained principally
with good, heavy stone, laid lGngthwise, ant
capped across. lie then puts IL or Ia inch.
es of stone on top of that. The drains should
he placed low enough not to he affected by
frost or roots. Thorough drainage is n thor.
ough drainage of all lands, high or low Some
persons contend that deep drains are more
economical than shallow ones others think
that where the soil is tenacious land suffers
by wet before the deep drain can take il Off
One four-foot drain will draw water from a
larger space than two two-foOt drains. In
the matter of economy great deal depends
upon the material ut hand. Tile is the best
thing that can be used but in the decp sys.
ten you will require small stone between tho
drain and plOw depth. In draining springy
ground you must go deep enough to reach
the hard pan. Thirty-1ive years ago he cut
n ditch from spring, 3 feet deep and 2 OF
q feet wide, hauling stone and dumping
them in. 1t is running now rs well rs when
first put in.
Mr.. Archer thought that in draining il is
not only necessary to draw off the main
stream, but you will often find leakage
around it, which must also he brought into
the drain.
Mr.. Moorcs -Dlching certainly phys re
markably well. Located as he is nc would
use stone; but if he had none on the
place would not haul it any distance
but would use tile For n tile ditch &
inches wide and 90 inches deep is enough
lie bitches Il great deal of white ook
oak land when it is dry, and finds that the
more bitches he puts in the better You can
trace the course ola ditch through corn
field, by the better appearance of the corn
A ditch 90 inches wide is sufficient. The
depth is most important. 1t is of great bcne.
fit after the ditch is filled to within IA inches
of the top to break the top layer with ham.
mcr. In ordinary bitches he merely dumps
the stone in; but if he were tapping spring
would lay the stone. Many bitches arc
spoiled by water flooding at their outlet and
stopping them up with mud. 1t is better 10
scour open drains every year, and thus pre-
vent the filling up at the mouth of drains
employing into them. White oak soil needs
air, and therefore it pays to ditch it.
Mr.. Munnikhuyscn said bitches could he
made by simply digging and filling in with
stone. On his place there is u swamp which
had been bridged many years ago at a Ger.
tain spot, by dumping in stones, which sank,
Now you can pillow over that spot, while
above and below ii is too wet
Mr.. Webster said Mr. Moorcs had express.
ed his views Unless it was n spring head.
he would dump stone in the ditch. lie does
not approve Of shallow bitches. In some
places there may be number of springs, and
you must get deep enough to strike tic low
est one 1t is necessary to fill bitches up
well, to prevent them washing As to the
width of ditch you must be governed by the
fall of the land. If there is good fall, "a
feet at top, foot at bottom and p feet deep
will do
Mr. Ball asked if any member had had any
experience in digging holes and filling with
stone Mr.. Moorcs said he had pursued such
plan with good effect.
Mr.. Webster continued, saying he thought
ditcling would pay largely as an Investment,
but it would not pay to borrow capital to
do it.
Messrs. Willis and JAS Lee had no expert.
encen ditching.