The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-03-06
UNDRRDRAINISG: IT'S VALUE TO AGRIcUL-
TURR.-BY A. d. sLocUM OF WHEAT

LAND.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen;-You
will not look to me for n lengthy and
scientific treatise on the value or ben
efits Of undertaking, and il, in the
course of my remarks, you should fail
to gather any thing new or interesting
you will give me large share OF indul-
gence while give you some of my exper-
ence on the subject of undertaking.
Very fortunate is the man who has a
farm OF that character and soil which
secures adequate natural underdIain-
age, but il is q well-understood fact
that large portion of the lands known
as timber lands in this country are
rich in the elements of fertility and
productiveness, but are highly suscep-
tible Of improvement by judicious
system Of undertakings. My practice
is to dig my bitches two and one-half
feet deep, fifteen inches wide at the
top, trenching about six inches of the
bottom with tile; spade to get the size
OF the tile used. BY this method with
proper tools you will get an even grade
and a firm bed for the tile, (Which
should be cylinder tile,) they can not
much more lasting drain than when
they are laid without trenching.
have one lot of five acres that was
underdrained five years ago last spring,
that had never been plowed, and had
yielded a very indifferent quality OF
! pasture. put in about sixty rods of
drain and have since raised plowed
crops on the field; two crops Of corn.
one of wheat, one of barley and one Of
grass, and have not failed OF a remun-
erative yield in either instance. The
corn crops yielded over one hundred
bushels to the acres. One year ago this
fall / tiled five acres, putting one hun
dred rods of tile in the field, which had
lain to pasture since being cleared; a
large portion Of the ground produced
largely of the scedges, interspersed
with blue flag. plowed and planted
TO corn last spring about the first of
June; the field yielded seventy bushels
to the acre of nice, sound corn, aud
this fall, was one of the dryest fields on
my place, and is a very light aud tilla-
BILE soil, rich in all the elements OF fer
tility and productiveness, and in every
instance where undertaking has been
properly done on my farm have found
Il satisfactory and richly-paying in
yestment.
have used stone for undertaking
considerably in an early day, when il
was difficult to get tile; they did well
for few years. but soon become chok-
ed, and / was obliged 10 put tile in
their place, and have long since ceased
TO use them or regard them as suita-
BILE material for underdrains, but re-
gard tile as the most suitable and econ
omical material for permanent and last
ing underdrains.
Some might think that land drainage
might be accomplished by open drains
much more cheaply and equally rs
thoroughly as by tile drains, but when
you try the open drains, it will be found
that they will not accomplish the de-
sired purpose as thoroughly as the tile,
aside from the great waste of land, and
the inconvenience of working around
the open ditch. For the comparative
benefits and cost Of the two kinds OF
drain, would refer you for facts and
figures to Mr.. Ingersols lecture on farm
drainage, as reported by the State
Board of Agriculture in reports OF 1870,
as the figures very nearly agree with
estimates Of my own.
Before closing let me mention some
Of the immediate benefits OF under
draining. II is very effectual means
OF pulveIizing the soil, causing il to be
much lighter TO work and therefore
more easily and thoroughly fitted as a
receptacle for the seed Of the expected
crop; and il properly drained time is
gained by the fields drying of after Q
heavy rain, 80 that ID will do to work
IL prevents surface-washing and allow,
the water TO filter through the soil and
carry with il the dissolved substance,
of the manure, which is thereby depos
tied through the soil in a convenient
form 10 be taken up by the rootlets o.
the crop az they reach out in search o.
proper food. IL lengthens the season
for cultivation and maturing the crop
and ten days, many times, would serve
to mature aud perfect the corn crop
aud thereby add materially TO it's valu'
for all practical purposes. In field
sown TO winter crops 1t prevents freez
ing out in spring. Drained land cal
he got on To in spring much earlier an,
more conveniently than that which !
undrsined. IL will pay TO drain lan'
for the increased comfort aud conven
fence in working. IL by draining W
can increase the yield OF our fields il !
benefit. and In as much as We ar
proximate TO making two spears q
grass grow where but one grew before
IL is public gain; for IL IN said that b
who causes two spears Of grass 10 gro
where but one grow before. has nc
lived in vain. Therefore. We need non
Of us live in vain.