The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1882-11-25
Land DRAINAGE In the West.

Draining land by the employment OF
tile placed several feet below tho sur.
fao Of tho ground has made but little
progress in the Western States until
within tho past few years. The great
advantages OF this method Of draining
damp soils were demonstrated in yari.
Gus parts Of Europe many years ago,
and the system there pursued was in
trofuccd into some Of tho Eastern
States. There was q greater necessity
for undertakings in tho West than in
The East, for the reasons that the sur.
lace OF the land is more nearly 10 .el and
Tho soils more retentive OF moisture. IL
Is also true IN respect 10 many portions
oil the West that tho rainfall Is very I'M
equally distributed during the year.
There Is n great excess during the early
Part OF tho season and deficiency dur.
NY u" ,latoGgN; systemayIe- and scien.
thH lane drainage WAS Acknowledged
but several reasons prevented rs adop.
on. Many farmers were in debt for
ihcir land or for improvements they
had made on Il. Others owed consider.
able for farming implements and stock.
Still Others were DESTROYS OF buying
more land In the vicinity OF their farms
whllo II was still comparatively cheap.
All these persons hesitated about bor.
rowing money 10 improve their places
.by laying drain.tile. A farmer who has
Just got out OF debt hesitates TO plunge
IN again. lilo realizes such a relief from
n great burden that he Is reluctant 10
assume q new mi Farmers who ara
land.hungry are reluctant 10 pay out "a
much money to drain a piece OF land "a
II viii cost To purchase another piece Of
Equal extent Besides. many farmers
nave neglected TO draiL their land for
want OF Information on the subject, and
on account Of a lack OF material within
easy reach.
The present Is u favorable time for
western farmers 10 consider tho pro.
priety OF draining their low lands.
Most OF them have money TO invest
some desire moro land. but they find Il
hard to obtain In tho vicinity Of their
Thoy can do no better than Ia
render tho land they have moro produc.
i've by means Of drainage. On many
farms there arc tracts that produce
nothing but coarse grass that Is Of m.
lilo value for stock. These low trasts
can be rendered the most productive
81 any on the farm by the iudiciou,
OF drnin.tile. Low land receive.
Tho wash OF that which | es above h
ana IN time becomes very rich in all
Inc elements Of plant food. By the
use OF drain-tilo tho AREA Of plownble
and can be greatly increased on A larve
proportion Of prairie farms. By The
anne mcan the productivcness OF much
and that can DO plowcd In favorable 4,
easons a be increased. In many
asses the yield OF nearly all the cult. J
ated crops raj be doubled BY the !
'doption OF a suitable drainage. II
armer wishes 10 raise more Than he
low does. and has the choice between l
moro land and draining what he
II Is better TO select the latte, :
our'e. By so doing no will save fcnc.
NJ and taxes lie win also save much
No morc blowing and cultlyat. G
ng, and but little moro labor In harvest. {
ig' I required TO produce a large Il
rop than q small one. Drainage In. !.
reases the quality as well rs the ouan. y
~ OF crops. IL also lengthens out The i
Jason In wich the land can be- worked
enables the farmer to pillow earlier In e
spring aud later in the fall II also y
nables him TO do better work with sny
nplomcnt he uses in the soil. II helms n
sure crops against bad seasons. i
However desirable underdrainam NAV 4
u should not be undertaken withon, v
nc consideration A farmer should q
arm before he commences operations n
Nv much tho improvements are Ia n
lie should ascertain whee he a.
obtain tile. tho cost NJ the mann. II,
ctory. aud the cost OF transportation. y
Q should also learn how to dig ditcbe. y
y The tile. and place the earth about Il
en- Dltching Il an art that reauirrs "
'nsiderable skill. MANY farmers have
heavily by attempting to under. O,
ain land with the aid of such know. y,
&c as they hare derived from a newS n,
per article or . circular sent out h.
mo tile factory. Unless a farmer /. VI
Hing TO spend considerable time In On
srning how 10 do the work propsr,v. oa
d TO purchase the necessary tools and Z,
Iplemcnts. he win find Il profitable tc
'ploy the services Of a surveyor to Law ca
! the wosk. aud 10 engage m esper,. n.
ced ditcher 10 perform Il Much can M
learned BY visiting some postlon Of
LLAMA OF Illinois. where much lana uo
: been drained. Excellent works I'm
IN drainage have been written. which W
= N detail nearly M the infnunn- ~
2 required 70 enable An Intelligent IA
n.sf y 10 ~ The work.-Cssesgs N