The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-10-04
The Drainage of Soil.

In the proper preparation or lands 1of
cropping in grain, one of the main require
mcnts lies in the matter of drainage. Many
farmers pay no attention to the SUBJECT
for they do rot consider that their soils re
0uire any other drainage than that which
is natural to the LAY of the land and yet
it is very hard to find a farm where the
natural inclination of the surface is such
that there would be no benefit whatever
from system of artificial drains on and
under the soil of the place.
Many farms require only surface drain
age-that is drainage system that pre-
vents excessive rainfalls from injuring the
lands. Lands that are naturally porous
| and that are kept deeply broken by thor
| ough blowing or by culture in grasses, re-
uuire but little artificial drainage unless
they are very steep. And yet the majority
of our southern upland farms have suffered
more from improper drainage, in wash
ings," than they have from the actual
wear and exhaustion incident to good farm
ing. The Importance of hillside bitches
terracing and superdrainage cannot be
over estimated.
A theory has been advanced that goes to
show that our land should be so prepared
that they will hold all the rainfall that
comes upon them, and that that fact is
the true secret in terracing. Doubtless the
theory is good so far as it relates to all
ordinary rainfalls. But"there are occasions
when the extraordinary event is to be ex-
pected and provided for, and hence the
necessity of being prepared with good sur
face drains or bitches that will protect the
lands below from the effects of washes.
Sometimes it is tho low level bottom
lands that require the most expensive sys-
TEN of drainage. A soil that is so flat
upon its face that the rainfall is slow of
disappearing is always the better of I'M
derdraining, and all lands that are natr
rally inclined to be wet and swampy should
be drained deeply if any kind of cultivation
of them is contemplated.
The best drainage is always that which
is covered-the underdrain. The under
drain has several advantages over the open
ditch. The latter on any farm is not only
unslghtiy, but it monopolizes valuable space
Ill field which can be utilized if it is kent
covered The open ditch is, moreover,
always hard to keep well opened up and
constantly clear of all Instructions and
pfdSh on the banks. The covered drain
once made properly will last many years.
All the great farms of the old world and
many in the new are drained with earthen
cheap and effectual method of understanding
which may be put into operation on nearly
ali our southern farms is made by using
small poles and pine brush. The ditch
should be dug deep-at least twenty inches
or two feet. Fill this to the depth Of six
or eight inches with small, round polls,
taking care not to have the big ends of the
timbers on top Of each other Then put
over this a good covering of fine brush and
then fill in with the excayated earth. An
underdrain made III this way of any ordi-
nary timber found on our southern farms
Will last ten or fifteen years, ii not
longer in many places, and the increase in
the crops cultivated over the soil will soon
pay for the expense. 1t is always best to
have the mouths OF the drain constructed
with the best of the material to be had
OF heart timber or of stone. This will pre-
vent the early decay or the filing I'D and
choking of the ditch at the mouth or at its
lower end. It is also essential that the
ditch should be of such original depth that
IN hllIng IN with the poles and the pine
brush and straw, there will never be any
Danger of disturbing OF iniuring these in
the subsequent plowings. III. V. M