The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-07-17
FARM TOPICS.
The Question of Tile Drainage Prac.
ticaIly Notwithstanding as
an Occupation.
How to Train Fruit Trees---Keepins
Summer Butter.
THE COST OF TILE DRAINAGE.

summer butter.
THE COST OF TILE DRAINAGE.
Many farmers in sections of the
country in which not much has been
done in tile drainage, are deferred from
making any experiments inthis improve
ment by exaggerated ideas of the cost.
What is known as thorough drainage
putting in lines Of tile at intervals of
from twenty to forty feet over the
whole surfaces costly work, but
this not necessary in most western soils.
While it would be foolish to do this
kind of drainage in regions of low
priced lands, vet even little drainage
will often do great good. The writer
has recently had 100 acres of prairie
land drained in central Eastern Illinois,
putting in l,047 rods Of tile (about
three and one-fourth miles) at an aver
age depth OF a little over three feet-the
tile varying from three to seven inches
in size. The total cost was less than
$3.50, or IS per acre. The rental of
the land was at once advanced over 80
per cent. More drains could be put
on the land with good results, but not
one farm in fifty in the portion Of the
State in which it lies has had as much
thing done on it in proportion TO size.
The land had several ponds of COED
size, and a number of acres of
slough, unfit for cultivation. Now
there is not an acre of the 100 not tit
for tillage. Larger tile would have
been used for the leading main drain,
had not the outlet been an eight-inch
tile previously laid by the owner of the
adjoining tract. As it is, all the lines
from over 100 acres of land are brought
to this sevcn-inch main. In times Of
very wet wether this is over taxed; but
in ordinary times it does the work re-
CURED of it.
1t may be helpful to those IN
accustomed to the work to know that
the price paid for digging the ditch,
laying the tile and partly filing the
ditch, was 10 cents per foot in depth,
per rod, up to three feet, with l2l cents
per foot for any excess over three feet.
The price Of tile varies considerably,
but is now lower than we have before
known it. Many manufacturers make
nothing less than three-inch tile. The
prices for these varies from $40 to $l5
per 1000 feet; for fOur-inch from $l5
TO $50; for fye-inch from S25 to $50.
Larger sizes have greater variation in
price. These prices are for tile de-
lvered at the factory. In some cases
there is no increase of price when the
tile are sold from distributing points
TO which they have been sent by rail;
but as the freight charges are neccs-
sarily heavy, the distance from the
factory has much to do with the cost
of the tile. There are over twenty
factories in the county in which the
farm spoken Of lies-fye within ~
many miles
Had there been little money to spar,
Tor this work, the drainage alread'
done might have been distributed owe
series OF years, each part done wei
repaying its cost, 1t would clearl
have been most necessary to put in In
main drain, through the chief 'slourh,
and running a branch to the two prime
pal ponds. The mistake which man
beginners would make in such ca
would have been the use of two sma
tile for this main. The seven-inch Ii
will carry more than would a line
six-inch tile.
Keeping in mind probable futu
drainage and using sizes of tile wi
reference to this, there need be !
hesitation in commencing the wor
even if comparatively little can
done in any one year. As we have b
fore said, it sometimes happens that
most profitable preliminary to the wo
Of tile drainage is the strengthening
deepening of the natural channe
through which the surface water b
made its way In the case of the du
sluggish and extremely crooked stream
on many prairie farms, straightenir
the channel will 50 greatly increase L
tall and diminish the resistance tn
the surface water will be readi
carried off where before il stood {
hours or even days. In other cas-,
the most important work will be t
drainage of ponds. There are 90
many tracts of land much necdi
drainage, but without well-dehn
natural channels, and requiring a c.
siderable number Of lines of tile
secure al all satisfactory results;
such arc the exceptions and not
rule - Breeders GQ&ette.
FARMING FOR PLEASURE.