Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-09-03

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why wet ground is always cold is, that
the evaporation that Is always going on
reduces the temperature, as evaporation
can only be carried on by the loss Of, or
at the expense Of heat. Water will
evaporate at any temperature between
the freezing and boiling points, being
much less in winter than in summer.
In England, the amount of the rainfall
that is evaporated is abount "a per cent.
between April and October, and SO per
cent. between October and April, owing
TO the comparative dampness ofour Gil
mate the amount is greater in this coun-
try. 1t is safe to say that the average
amount ofevaporation here is at least
so per cent. There is then Is or 20
inches Of water disposed of by evapor-
alton, small per cent. is used in sus-
tanning animal and vegetable life, leav-
ing perhaps 16 inches to be disposed of
by artificial means.
WHAT IS TO BE GAINED BY UNDER
DRAINING?
The surface OF the water in the
soil is lowered, and as a result the tenn
perature of the soil is raised. The roots
of cereals and grasses may penetrate as
far as to the surface ofthe water, but
no further. Plants draw their nourish-
ment to a great extent from the soil,
for that reason the deeper the drainage
the more soil and plant food is accessi-
Bile.
The admission of air into the soil
warns it earlier in the spring, and
keeps it warmlater in the fall, so that
the season is heightened by about two
weeks. The warmth of the soil greatly
assists the growth of vegetation during
the summer. An excess of cold water
in the soil is the cause of the greatest
proportion of short crops. Strange as
it may seem, thorough drainage prevents
the bad effects of droughts, the ground
being loose and porous never bakes,
and plant roots are free to run down to
moist ground, while plants growing on
stiff undrained clays cannot penetrate
them and when all moisture is exhaust
ed above them the plant suffers.
DEPTH OF DRAINS.
They should be deep enough to allow
the soil to be warmed below the roots of
crops, and also below the possibility of
their being frozen. In this Henry
county, they are liable to freeze at a
depth of three feet, and therefore
they should be laid deeper than that.
Four feet has been found shallow
enough for thorough drainage, land is the
depth generally conceded to be neces-
sary in England. Many millions of
dollars were spent in that country in
experiments with shallow drains. If
we are wise we will profit by their ex-
perience. 1t will cost but little more
to drain field feet deep, than it will
to do the same work with drains 2 feet
deep. The increased number of drains
necessary will nearly make up for the
additional expense ofthe deeper drains,
to which you may add the additional
expense caused by their freezing when
full of water. tN,
THE MATERIAL USED.
They should be constructed of mate
rial which will admit water at all points.
The porous drain tile now in use answers
every purpose when well burned.
The form of the tile is also an impor-
tant matter, experience has shown that
round or oval tile is the best, as the wa
ter is con oncentrated in the bottom, and
the velocity increased, and clogging
prevented. ........
The size of the tile should be proper
toned to the work it has to do. Larger
tile are used in most cases than are nec-
essary. In England tile of one inch,
and one and half inches bore are used
for short laterals. with large tile for
long laterals and sub mains. It is
waste ofmoney to use larger tile than are
needed to carry off the water in time
to prevent injury to the crops.
ENGINEERING.
Before spending any money in drain
age, it will be well to devise a plan, if
possible, comprehensive enough to in
clude your whole farm, and then con-
struct your drains as far as you go each
year, in strict accordance with that
plan. If your farm can be convent
ly divided into several drainage
districts, than devise plan for each
district.
Before proceeding any further, it will
be good economy to employ compe-
tent and experienced civil engineer to
examine the tract or tracts to be drained
and ascertain the most practicable
outlet, and the amount of fall that may
be available. He should then mark out
the mains with stakes not more than so
feet apart, numbering them from the
outlet, which should be marked zero or
0. He should then make an accurate
profile of the line, showing its undula-
tions, and the amount of cutting neces-
sary at each stake, to give the bottom of
| the drain q perfect grade. He should