Huntsville gazette., 1883-09-22
Underdraining.

Some portion of almost every farm
would be improved by understanding,
but to decide what particular fields will
pay to underdrain requires more than
ordinary intelligence, and no doubt mis-
takes are made by draining land that is
not improved by it, and in not draining
land that would be greatly improved
by it.
The idea has been very general that
nearly all soils are improved by under
draining, but this is mistake Some
soils are not only not improved, but are
actually injured. We remember of see
ing drains laid on the side of hill, the
owner being a strong believer in under
draining, claimed that because the soil
was of a mixture of clay it would be
greatly improved by Undertaking, but
a few years proved his mistake, the
grass being so much less over and near
the drains as to show very plainly where
they were laid; after few years the
drains were taken up, and the land went
back to its former good condition. This,
no doubt, was a rare instance, but it
proved that there are localities where
even clay soils are not improved by un-
uClul
To underdrain land we'll is quite ex-
pensive; therefore, to make it paving
operation it must be great improve
ment, and the crops grown must be
large as well as valuable. 1t is doubt
full if there are many fields that it will
pay to underdrain for the purpose of
growing Indian corn or small grains,
but for orchards, small fruits or garden
vegetables, there are large tracts that it
will no doubt pay to underdrain. For
grass. when only profits are sought for,
most of land can be drained with open
bitches to the best advantage; it is true
these are unsightly and do not drain the
land as WELL or leave it in so good con-
dition as underdrains; but the difference
in the value of the crop is not so great
on most lands as the difference in the
cost of draining. Many farmers are so
situated that they can open bitches in
leisure hours without feeling it; but
when they have to pay out money for
tiles it is drag on many that becomes
permanent one if the operation does
not pay.
Thrifty farmers of large means should
not hesitate to underdrain more or less
every year, until they have UNDER
drained all of their land that they are
satisfied will be improved by it. Their
surplus money had better be thus in
vested than in buying fancy stocks for
speculative purposes; but the farmer
whose property is encumbered by a
heavy debt should introduce only such
improvements as he feels well satisfied
will bring better interest on the out
lay than he is paying for borrowed
money.
There is no better season for draining
land than during the three months COM
mencing with September; the farmer is
not so busy as in the spring, and the
weather is not so hot as in the summer;
in the winter the ground usually being
frozen. the work can not be done.
On land that is free from stone much
of the digging can be done with horses
or oxen even with a common plow, but
with pillow made for the purpose of dig
ging tile bitches. large part Of the
work may be done in this way; but on
land that has occasionally small rock
in it, the work must be done principally
by hard labor, which very much IN
creases the expense, yet strong ener-
getic man will dig from eight to six
teen rods per day, according to the
depth of the ditch and character of the
soil, providing it be plowed out by turn
ing furrow each side, which can easily
be done, even where there are some
rocks. A considerable portion of the
work of filing the trench can be done
with plow, but hand labor should be
used until the tile is fairly covered,
that none of it may become displaced
AasseeaA2stss HaAehs'1aH.