The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-09-22
HOW TO BEGIN TO DRAIN

TO iD0 OUSoIVcul III OfU0f to Succool
we'll:
1. Secure a good outlet for IL.
water to flow off freely. "e
2. Lay the main drains from tbroo
to four feet deep-the latter dantI
is better than the less, but we can't
always get the outlet to beoin -
deep. If the fall is sufficient, We cao
save it, and soon have the necessar,,
depth.
3. We should use a size Of t1o
large enough to remove the surpIns
water so as to have the surface readr,
for the pillow in twenty-four honrs
after a rainfall. [ have ge neraIlv
determined the sizes Of tile about ss
follows: [ look over the land and
estimate about how many acres of
the surface will run the water Of q
rainfall to the point where | am
going to make my outlet. If the
estimate is that the water of ten
acres is to 60 through my outlet,
take half the number of acres as the
size in inches for the inside diameter
of my tile, which would be tive-inch
tile at the outlet, and smaller sizes
in proportion as the line Of tile ad.
vances, depending upon how the
water is received. But if the fall is
as much as an inch to the rod. and
the work well done, then | would
use a four-inch tile at the outlet,
and a third of the way up the drain
drop off to three's, and near the
head Of the drain use two's if
could get them. But we must make
allowance for imperfect work, and
it is we'll to have the tile large
enough. There are more mistakes
from the use Of tile too small than
of tile too large.
4. In laying out the line of the
drain / make it as straight as I can
to secure the most direct flow of the
water. Then I stretch a line of two
or three rods in length at the side of
the intended ditch, and begin the
work with a 16-inch ditching spade
at the outlet and work back, going
the spades depth, throwing the dirt
on one side. The width of the ditch
at the top should not ordinarily be
more than ten inches, growing mar
rover as we 60 down. | use the
Chambard adjustable scoop to re-
move the loose dirt that fai to stick
to the ditching spade. work back
the length of the line the first spade,
then go forward and commence
another spade Of depth, and carry
that back the length Of the line, and.
then the last spade I work down
deep enough to make the grade,
leveling the bottom with my adjust
able scoop. sa
5. The leveling of the bottom to
receive the tile is the important part
of the work. If there is water in
the bottom Of the ditch, I make the
bottom so uniform in the fall that
the water will flow regularly all the
completed. The ditch at the
bottom should be just wide enough
to receive the size of tile to be laid,
then the tile will be supported by
the side and not easily moved when
the first dirt is thrown on.
In this way [ work out the drain
a lines length at the time until l
have gone over sufficient space to
make it necessary to lay the tile,
unless there is quicksand, when l
lay the tile as [ 60.
6. In laying the tile, commence at
the outlet; lay the first joints OF
hard-burnt tile, so they will not be
injured by the frost. [ lay a few
cobble stones as large is my head
around the mouth of the tile, to
hold it firmly and protect it from
the tramping of stock. AS soon as
| get two or three joints laid l stand
on them and lay the next JOINT,
placing the tile as closely end TO
end as [ can, and as perfectly in line
as possible, to have the water way
inside free from shoulders, also haV-
the grade regular. When | have
advanced five or six feet, [ have a
long-handled shovel Cor the adjust
able scoop will do) and fill in some
clay on the tile, pressing it down
firmly with my foot, watching care
fully that the tile are not displaced
Having covered the tile in this way,
[ fill the balance of the ditch with a
pillow or scraper.
When the days work is done ana
the ditch is not finished, [ put In d
board at the upper end to prevenl