Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-01-03
Farm Drainage.
THE WATER TABLE.

Q
table. This "tuble" rises with the
rains and falls in times of drought.
The rain which falls upon the surface
OF the soil settles through the ground
until IL rea hes the water table, and
the latter rises with the additional
liquid. The primary function Of a
drain is, therefore, to lower the water
table whenever it is too high for the
best development of the growing
crops.
This leads Us to a consideration of
the practical aud important question
of how tie soil water enters a tile
drain. 1t Is common belief that II
water passes IN a direct line from the
surface Of the soil, 10 the drain, in
much tue Same way that liquid sinks
IN funnel. In truth, the water de.
scends straight through the earth and
raises the water table, and the water
.Iows away in the drain so soon as
The table is raised up TO the bottom
pf the drain.
Tbis whole matter may be very
Ncll illustrated with a cask Of earth
placed ON end with the bung open.
First, let the caIlh, up to the level of
lie bnng, be thoroughly saturated
~ith some colored liquid; then hll
ihe cask 'ull of earth and pour on
lear water. This water will pass
slowly down until it meets the satur.
'ted soil, or, in other words, the va.
ter table, aud some of the colored
Iqrld will rise and fJw out of the
bang. In this way il is seen that the
coil water below the level Of the drain
- changed hy every important rain
Iall. After the water stops flowing
from The cask bung, 1t would be found
IN examination that the surface of
saturated soil is not level, it being
highest larthest from the outlet. In
The same say in 4 frld, the land is
most deeply drained nearest the tiles.
The line Of saturation between any
two drains Is curve with its highest
point midway Of The drains. The
~ater.table here may he several inch
IS above the fDor of the tiles even
Shcn the drains are nearly dry
From what has heen stated it is plain
th7t the soil waters the drain, under
ordinary circumstances, mainly from
'he bottom. We will strengthen the
ibove statement with n quotation
from one Of tue best informed per.
sons on the subject of drainaee
The water in the soil rises until The
water tables cuts the line OF the tiles.
'aking in at the joints, when It be.
gins To run Off through The drains
lf the water table rises until IL reach
- the top of the tiles. the drain will
hen run full, and the wafer will con
tinue TO run of by the drain until
Tie Water.tahle falls sgain 10 its bot
'om." Let rain fall.'with the con.
nitions last stated, and the water.
table gradually rises and the water
ho~s in through the bottom of the
tiles.
The quotation of Professor Miles
cmhodies a thought which comes next
Tor our consideration. The water
leaks In " through the joints of The
tiIes. II is generally supposed that
tie water enters through the |
pores in the tiles. IL may pass In 10 |
some extent in this way, hut onh |
very slowly. The ends OF The tiles
do not come close together, and
through these joints the most OF the
water finds entrance 70 the drains. lfl
The condiii' \ OF things we're reve,s.
rd, and a common Tile drain vas
used 10 CONDUCT water away from
some place through dry soil, IL would
Oe found 70 leak largely At every
joint IL the Joints vere united With
cement the iiles would loso little ~
lne water conducted through them.
The amount Of water thaE hAada y