The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-05-01
HOUSEHOLD AND FARM.
DOES TILE-DRAINAGE PAY?
An Essay by w. I. Chamberlain, of summit
County, Ono.
From the Chicago Tribune.

perlence Of the writer in the management of
an old clay farm, such rs constitute the great
er portion of the Western Reserve dairy re-
glOn. The essay WAS written the past summer,
and read in an open Grange meeting, where
many of those present were familiar with the
facts narrated. The lessons will apply to the
majority of clay farms elsewhere, and the es-
say ought to he read in the hundreds of Grange
and Farmers Club meetings.
take ii that tins question means, VIII 1t
pay for us here now, with our climate, soil,
cost of farms, price of labor and titles and
market for farm produce? 1t is serious
question for us, for many Of us have found, by
costly experiment, that farming, rs hitherto
pursued, does not pay, l mean that exclusive
dairy farming, as generally pursued in this re
glon, does not pay. do not need TO argue
that point before tins audience. Many OF yoH
have lust drawn your pay at the cheese factor
les tor July milk nj only four cents per gallon
of ten pounds, or less than cent quart; and
it needs but little arithmetic, pot to mention
algebra to figure at such rate the net income
OF farm of fifty acres with permanent pastures
and meadows devoted exclusively to keeping
cows whose milk shall be made up or sold at
The factory Rs,her, should say, it needs the
aid of algebra TO compute the net income, for
algebra discusses minus quantities. by net
income mean the income after allowing IN
terest on the cost of farms interest repairs and
wear of tools implements and buildings loss
of stock from disease and age, wages and board
of the farmer and his family and hired help.
Most or Us know rs dead certainty that on
a farm of average size and fertility thus used,
it is almost impossible to come out square at
the end of the wear The following, then, be,
come TO Us vital questions:
/. Is any other kind of farming possible on
our stiff clay farms?"
9 If so will any other kind a farming pay
better?
3. viii mderdraiuing fit our clat soil for
more profitable farming
For wears we have been told that this clay
land was not made to be titled; that it Is not
cagabe of general cultivation or rotation of
crops Is this true. If SO, can it in any way
be made fit for raising gram, fruit and veSe.
tables? Let us see. My own opinion, based
on considerable observation and experience, Is
that our clay soil Can be made more product
I've and profitable than At present simply iy
! iudlciOus cultivation ana careful sarlug and
proper application of ma~Orc, bui ''".t 'niy
by understanding rs a basis Tor and Il. '.'u.cC.
ton with the above treatment can 1t Dr made
to compete with the better class OF sandy and
loamy soils for general crops, and especially
for wheat potatoes and fruit; and that with
out understanding there will be frequent par
u
crops These questions can, however, only be
determined by actual observation and expert
ments therefore, make no apology for Il
free mention of what have seen and done on
my own farm and elsewhere bearing on this
general question: Does Tle-Drainage Pay"
EXAMPLES IN WESTERN NEW YORK.
Two wears ago .his month | visited some
farms near Geneva, n. Y, lying on the border
of Geneva Lake That OF Robert J. Swan con
tains 800 acres, and is OF a stiff clay similar to
my own. Ten years ago he bought the farm
Not rod of it was then nledrained, and it
was somewhat run down. HIS flrst wheat
crop yielded HIM only five bushels per acre.
200 bushels from 40 acres. This, as may be
supposed, disguised him, and he determined
to tle-drain the land after the example of his
father-in-law and neighbor John Johnston,
who is called the father of tile.dralning in this
country Having capital he completed the
task in about two years, draining the whole
except woodland, at cost of $22 per acre the
drains 21% feet deep and :'3 feet apart. When
| was there he had Just thrashed his wheat
and saw the huge bins of it,-2,200 bushels
of the finest looking grain ever saw, from 80
acres of land or A bushels per acre. His 9th
er crops were of like excellence, for | went all
over the farm and saw them,-COrn, oats, pOta-
toes, apples and other fruit, and second crop
clOver,-this last was being cut for seed, sixty
acres of it, and bid fair to yield SD per acre
at the price of seed then, in addition to the i'm
mcnse first crop of hay that had been taken off
the same ground six weeks before. This al
most magical transformation of that large farm
had been produced, not by large outlay for ar
,ificlal manures, Jm Simply by HHderdr0tntHg
as a basis for proper tillage and proper roa
ton Of crops, plOwing under clover a. manure,
and the feeding OF hay and stalks to sheep and
cattle on the place, and the working Of straw,
refuse COrnstalkS, etc, into manure to be used
on the land
John Johnston does not work his own farm
now, beng IA very old man, though hale and
hearty yet Many years ago, when he com
menCed to undCrdraln he had to import all his
tile from England none being then made in
this country. He soon astOnishcd all by ms
immense crops of wheat and other grain and
fruit from his drained land, and from the sue
cess 1t had there tiledrainng has spread over
all the United States. The farm is now rented.
mostly for term 0t years, to nurscrymen for
raising young fruit trees, at cash rent of SIP
per acre annually, or s per cent on $50 per
acre but the land was bought nj less than $50
per acre and was undcrdralnCd at an average
expense of $50 per acre. On these farms, then,
tile draiHdge has certainty pd5d
EXPERIENCE IN NORTHERN ONO.
My own first experience in buying crock.
cry" was thirteen years ago, when | laid tile
drains through Ia few swacs where brooks
were seen after heavy rains, and the land was
too wet to pillow until after the rest of the ground
was dry enough. Large.sized tile were used
here, so that lateral drains could be run into
them if ever the rest of the land Should be
drained they became soonest fit to pillow in
spring or after heavy rains and the most fer
tile portions of the field.
ia be contiiWed)
BIIstering OF PANT and NarnIsh.