The Red Cloud chief., 1889-02-01

waited this must be so narrow that sps-
cial tools will be required and tho word
viii Be very slow. or tho whole ditch
must be widened. Tho business Of
drainage has gradually got into the
hands Of the manufacturers Of tho drain
tiles in the Western States. and a. tho
greater part of tho money spent goes
into their hands, il is obviously desir-
able 70 them to increase tho cost Of the
work as much as possible. 1t 10 not
strange, therefore. that farmers are
recommended TO put1their drains down
four feet, Notwithstanding the doubled
expense, on the ground that the crops
grown upon land 70 drained will be in
creased fully fifty per cent. This is an
instance. suppOsing the claim TO DO
we'll founded and the alleged increase
certain. OF a result that may be bene-
fetal, but which is by no means expedi-
cnt. for the increased cost will scarcely
be repaid by the enlarged product. and
in truth. this enlarged product will in
many cases be illusory. There are
very rare cases in which ~four.f0ot
drains arc necessary. Such deep
drainage has been declared a failure in
England. where the land requires to
DO drained much moro than Is needed
in our drier climate. and where the
evaporation from the soil Is very
slight
More is claimed for the drainage OF
land than is reasonable or certain.
The warming Of the soil by tho en-
trance OF air into it through the drains
is one OF these very questionable
claims. Very little air ever passes
into the soil in this way. and it has
never been observed that any current
OF air is ever apparent passing in or
out Of the drains. The writer has
made many trials TO discover this
alleged circulation Of air in drains.
but without ever detecting the slightest
movement. A flame or smoke made
in the OutlOts has never shown the
slightest indication Of any current at
any time of the day or night in any
season. No doubt when the soil is
filled with water after a heavy rain.
and this water flows of through the
drains, air will gradually enter the in
terstices of the soil, and occupy the
vacant spaces. and. as far as this may
60. the effect will be to raise the tenn
p~erature Of the soil in the summer. but
it will have a contrary effect in tho
winter, when the soil is warmer than
the air. This aeration. however. is Of
very little account, for the roots do
not absorb the air. o do they. as far
as is known. take in any carbOnic acid
from the air. and if they take up any
carbon in this way at all the soil al
ways has a larger supply Of it derived
from the decay Of organic matter than
it a ever obtain from the air.
Unless in exceptional cases drains
need not be made deeper than three
feet. 1t is true that four-foOt drains
may be placed further apart than three
foot drains and dry the soil equally
we'll. but for all purposes the depth OF
three feet is ample. The distance be-
tween the drains depends wholly upon
the character OF the land. II it is low
and receives a large quantity OF water
from adjacent higher ground and the
soil is OF clay the drains may be needed
at sixty-six feet apart, otherwise one
hundred feet will not be too much. In
such cases as this much benefit may
result from cutting a drain at the
head. acrOss the land on the level, TO
cut of the inflow from the higher
ground. and leading this water OF
through the laterals TO the main drain
at the foot. Indeed, the writer has
known n in which a large tract Of
very wet land at the foot of nm extern
Dive slope has been wholly drained by
one main drain at the foot Of the slope.
was dug to a depth Of seven
feet. where water enough was met
with to fill n ten-inch pipe and run .
small mill. An instance of this kind
necessary it is to thoroughly
study the nature Of the land and test
its condition by explorations by pits
Or boring before spending q large
amount OF money in digging a number
Of bitches and burying a costly guam
tity Of pipes. according to a theoretical
plan Of thorough drainage laid out in
ignorance of the real necessities
the case, and copied from a book or |
other publication. IN. 7. Times
Chocolate Cookies. Ono and oue- |
half cups Of sugar. one cup grated
a cup butter. one scant
teaspoon soda. two eggs. Mix quite
It'll. When baked drop teaspoon OF