The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-05-25
Benefits of Farm Drainage.

The writer spent some time last winter
in looking up the matter of tile drain
age, and inasmuch rs tile manufactury
is now nm assured tact in Mankato, il
might not seem amiss to set forth few
OF the many reasons why il will be OF
great benefit to all this section of cOun.
try.
In the first place much greater pro-
port ion of our lands than rs generally
supposed will be much improved by a
proper system of drainage.
The developments of the last few
years have shown cOnclusively that
many soils supposed dry enough, are
greatly benefited by being under
drained. So well established has this
become in what might he called the
! Central West, that tile manufactures
are almost as numerous rs school houses
in many parts of the rural districts. Ii
is said that there are 800 Tile man.
utacturers in the five States OF Michi-
gan Ohio, Indiana, illinoise and Iowa.
! In regard to the wetter soils I: will
he conceded without question that
great benefits are derived from wise
system of drainage, if the swales aid
intervals which the farmer must pillow
if he would keep the boundaries of his
cultivated fields reasonably straight
were prnperly drained and instead of the
fugitive, sickly stalk with very little
grain. which is now the rule on such
lands, there would bc the best stalk and
head and oi course the best yield Of the
whole field.
Another consideration Of prime i'm.
portancc in tins country of compar-
ativcly short seasons, especially in the
Spring is the great advantage in the
matter Of time which undertakings will
give. Every farmers experience will
corroborate tins fact, that much valu
able time is LOST in the Spring waiting
for the wctter lands To dry. Now if 10y
u proper system of drainage these wet
ter soils can he put in II suitable con-
dition Ia cultivate rs soon rs those that
are naturally drier farm work will not
only he FASTENED, and the crop on these
portions of the farmers land will have
the same chance for al early start, II
consideration OF incalculable value as to
crop results.
COST OF DRAINING.
The new method of draining has so
largely cheapcned the cost, that farmers
can well afford to drain their wet, sOggy
lands. 1t is not much like the tedious
and expensive. process Of years ago
when every soil counted up into the
dollars.
4 gentleman i'm Indiana, who has had
large experience in the business, wrote
me last winter that ~ good man will
put in from 10 to L. rods of average
size tile in Il day in ordinary ground. :"
Now il We make very liberal allow
ance tor ineXpenence and estimate 3
rods per day put in-wages and board.
$500 per day-the cost, including tile
and laying, will he about 2 7-lO cents
per foot or say one hundred and forty
three $1,000 dollars for one mile of tile
drainage. just think Of it. A mile Of
drainage for less than a farmer gets for
a PAIR of well fed steers or moderate
load of pork. We say put in the drain
tile. make the sour, cold, wet lands dry
and sweet and don't depend on the hills
and knobs altogether for crops, give the
interval lands which have received tile
wash of these same hills and knobs for
centuries chance, and you will find a
rich return IN golden grain and Iuxu
rious grassy soil.
IN REGARD TO TOOLS.
Tools. such as drain spades, tile
cleaners, &c, are now made, specially
prepared and adapted to the work of
laying the drain tile. II our farmer
friends will call on Mcssrs. Ransom 4
Alberger at their mandatory and take
look ut the tools now used for ditch.
ing and laying the tile, they can see
why it can be put down SO rapidly.
We hope the farmers will make an
investigation of the drainage matter.
What we want here now is to make one
acre produce what two has heretofore
done, thus doubling the capacity Of
every mans farm without increasing his
acreage.
This Blue Earth county was famous
region in the early settlement Of the State
and the farmers can add to its ancient
fame by making wise use of the best
processes of improved culture, among
which tile drainage is one of the most
important. j. n. HALL.