The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-10-31
FARM GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Farm Drainage,

Farm Drainage,
Under drains are always to be preferred
to open bitches, provided the drains are
large enough to convey all the surplus
water that will naturally collect in them.
Open bitches are always in the way of
cultivation and the harvesting of crops,
while there is a constant call for labor in
keeping them clean. In soft land the
sides of bitches may cave in and require
cleaning out every year. Under drains,
properly built, may remain perfect for
an indefinite period. What material to
use in constructing under-dra is an
important question. Many writers have
commended that tiles only are fit to be
used, while others believe that small
stones may often be used for this pur-
pose with advantage. In some localities
we believe stones will be found useful
and profitable. Many farmers have sur
plus stones that they seem to have no
other use for. Wet spots are sometimes
helped by having the surface raised to a
desirable level. In such cases it often
happens that portion of the filling may
as well be of stones as of more valua-
BILE material. In making under drains
for conveying running streams, it is
often advisable to lay the stones in
the form of a bridge with abut-
ments and covers, but where the
amount of water is very small
the stones will sometimes afford a sufli-
ciently open course when placed in with
out regard to a regular water course.
Water is constantly running through the
earth under our feet in natural channels
formed of cou1 ar nOorco rrro,,o1 Whom
making stone drains it should be remcm-
bered that the great danger lies in the
fine soil from above or at the sides of the
bitches. If this falls in and fills up the
spaces between the stones the drains NAV
be ruined. To prevent this care should
be taken to cover the stones with some
material that will remain in place. In
vcrtcd turfs. old hay or straw, shavings
from wood planning mills. leaves from the
forest and small brush are all useful for
covering the stones before hauling in the
soil. Tramping the filling hard is a good
practice, also filling the ditch above the
common level to prevent the first rain
from washing the loose earth into the
stones below.
Most beginners fail by making their
drains too shallow. If the filling be
stone, there should be at least twenty
inches of earth above the stones and
two feet would be still better. The
wider the bitches the deeper the cover
ing of earth should be, to prevent over
drying in time of drought 1t should
be remembered that it is the bottom of
the ditch that conveys the water. A
filling of two feet of stones is no better
than filling of one foot, so long as the
spaces at the bottom are free from OBJ
structiOn. The water which runs in
under-drains comes in mainly from the
bottom. The soil directly over the
drains may be made as impervious as
possible without injuring their drainage
capacity.
In digging drains it is usually better
to begin at the lower end and work up
hill, so that the water may flow away
below, but the filling should be begun
at the upper end, else heavy shower or
storm, occurring before the work is com
plctcd, may wash so much soil into the
drains as to entirely spoil them 1t NAV
save Il second handling of small stones
to have a drain constantly open for re-
ceiving any surplus, as they are picked
up from the fields, but unless the sides
Of the bitches arc very firm it is unsafe
to leave them any great length of time
especially in winter or when the frost is
likely 10 tear them to pieces.
In many localities the greatest need Of
improvement in farm operations is in the
direction of drainage. Thorough drain
age would warm the land, increase the
length of the season, in some years
double the crop, and frequently give all
the profit to be derived from cultiva-
ton. Thorough drainage of wet land
will ensure full crop every year.-Ncc
Eaglaad Farmer.