The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-06-22
FARM And HOME.
Deem underdraininu.

peep Un0eFdfaininQ.
The fact that il is difficult 10 eeono-
mize is most clearly shown by the COM
mon attempts at removing an excess
of water from the soil. The first drain-
ing is usually an open surface furrow,
which, though it costs little to make,
bears off in the water it carries the
most valuable parts of the soil. Be-
sides, the open drain does not last.
However we'll protected its sides crum-
BILE down by the frosts and floods of
winter, and the drain quickly becomes
filled up SO as to be nearly useless. II
the expense of keeping al open drain
in good working condition be consider
ed, it will be found much greater than
the interest upon thorough system of
understanding that will never need re-
pair.
When undertaking is at last at
tempted, the desire to do everything
in the easiest way often defeats true
economy. Stone and tile drains are
laid not more than foot and a half Or
two feet below the surface. Deep
enough not to be disturbed by the plow
is often thought to be all that is need
ed. Frosts go much deeper than plcws,
and in the northern states no drain is
safe # not sunk to depth of two and
a half or even three feet, for frosts
penetrate the soil more deeply after
undertaking than before. 1t is,
however, surface water that pours into
drains which does most damage, and if
the drain be shallow, surface water
will speedily work channel down to
it, washing dirt in and soon spelling
the drain.
Deep draining is to great extent
safeguard against this. AS the drain
becomes older, the soil on either side
becomes more porous and the water
courses in it find their way to the tile.
We have dug drains sometimes when
the surface soil would be apparently
dry, but at depth of three feet vein
would be struck that would bubble
with fresh, clear water, making the
outlet of the drain like spring OF
water more than half tho year. A
thallow drain would not have helped
such places materially, as it is not
likely that the vein would have worked
up foot higher to reach the outlet
made for it.
A very deep drain does not need so
large tile. More water flows through
1t, but it is continuous, not a sudden
and spasmolic flow. Unless surface
water flows in somewhere, a three
inch main will carry the water from a
hundred rods of ditch from what nat
urally soaks through the ground when
laid deeply, It is best to prevent
damage by mice, rats, skunks, and
above all musk rats, not to make
drains any larger than is necessary
All of these animals arc glad to find a
burrow ready made for them, and
If 1t is at times partly dry it is all the
better fitted for their use. The small
tile does not give the larger of these
animals any chance to work, and it is
also more apt to be flooded with water
and for a long time during the year.
Thorough flushing, such as is possible
with small drains, washes out many
distractions, provided the fall Is good
and the outlet is kept clear, as it al
ways should be. Without an outlet
there can be no permanent drain. The
worse case OF poor outlet is where the
drain isrun out near the surface of the
ground, and even here the water can
not get away, but Hills up half or more
Of the tile. Frost soon heaves this
about, choking the outlet and throw
ing all the water coming down from
above back on itself. In this way the
drain fills the land with water, making
the worst kind Of morass, until in time
the whole drain is spoiled. American
CultiyatOr.