Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-02-01
TALKING ABOUT DRAINAGE.
Sussex County Farmers Discuss
Practical Subjects.

dEOHGETOWN, JHu. S4.-- L NC Regular
meeting Of the Farmers Institute of
Sussex county was held in the sheriff's
office here, yesterday afternoon. Presi-
dent Paynter Frame presided and there
was good attendance.
The report of the finance committee
showed a cash balance of $618.90 on
hand.
The report of the committee on drain
age was called for. President Frame
said that by proper drainage our marsh
lands can DO made tillablc and will pro-
duce the best of wheat and corn. In
the drainage Of the very low lands the
bitches should be wide as well as deep.
In digging them deep the springs are
drawn down, making the land more
fertile. If the ditch is deep enough can
draw from the low lands by tiling but
the expense would be considerable.
There ought to be systemntical drainage
throughout the county. This could best
be done If topographic survey were
made which ought to he done by the
general government. bitches generally
are not dug deep enough TO drain our
lands.
Charles Jones, u practical surveyor,
read paper, in which no said in part
| The necessity for good drainage is so
obvious to the most casual observer in
passing through a greater portion of our
| country that no argument is needed to
| prove that fact. In my experience in
working over many Of our present
bitches am constrained TO believe that
majority of our ditch commissioners
think water runs on the lines between
farms instead of down hill. | recall in
my experience now ditch recently cut
OH two sides of nearly an equilateral
triangle to meet that line between farm
requirement when the proper direction
was across the third line, just one-half
the distance and giving the ditch its
natural fall and outlet. BY digging it
properly one-half the work and ex-
pense would have been saved.
Much has been said in favor of a
typographical survey of Sussex county,
the idea being to map out the natural
features of the county which affect the
drainage and show the location of the
hills, valleys and basins, their altitude
above the sea level and such general in
formation as will serve as guide to es-
tablishing the grade lines for the leveling
of all the present bitches or new ones
cut in the future. That such a map
would be of great benefit is unquestion-
ably true and while we hope this
survey will ultimately be made 1t seems
upon casual thought that much in the
way of improvement can be done with
out it as we can ascertain great many
facts about the topography of the county
from our present maps.
Afact that is not generally known is
that the water that falls upon one side
of the court house roof in Georgetown
finds its way to Indian river ON the east,
and that falling on the other side finds
its way into the Nanticoke on the west.
Would it not be better, in view of the
examples and blunders shown of mis-
applied labor, whereby hundreds of dol.
without receiving the benefit sought fol
, to put little more first cost when
bitches are laid out and have them moi
only surveyed, but leyeled, and ascer'
tain by rough pencil plotting and com
parison of grade lines the most direct
and best route required for the section
to be drained, coupled with the almost
absolute assurance that with an ex'
tended line of properly graded bitches
cut TO depth that the correct knowl
edge Of the grade between the head and
the outlet enables the work to be done
thereby making possible vast system
of surface bitches and field under.drain
with good outlets. When this is don,
, we shall begin to realize complete
drainage.
, j. Alexander Fulton was called upor
+ to make some remarks and replied tina
though it was matter he had had nc
i personal experience in, yet he had list
: ened and read and has some idea
/ about drainage. The ditching of SUSSEX
! county costs much and the taxpayer
have it to pay. Two years ago, he said
a there was bill before the Legis
lature asking for an apprcpria
ton of $4,000 looking towar'
/ the making OF a typographical sur
v vey. 1t passed the House, also tn
!. Senate, by vote of 8 to 4. The latte
n body considered its action and it was re
ferred to committee where it died. TIL
bill was not satisfactory as it was q join
resolution. If legislation is attempte,
the bill should be guarded SO the none
u cannot be misapplied.
Theodore Townsend, editor of tn
u Milford Chronicle, said he thought tn
s expenditure in bitches in this county
u too large for the benefit the people ar
J. getting from it. What is wanted
9 main bitches or drains leading to Tn
natural waterways throughout tn
county. With these we could go {
Q work cutting smaller bitches INTEL
y gently. BY having levels laid could 6
- straight to the point, get shorter cut Q
much less expense. Until we hay
l. same system of this kind the none
IT will be wasted. By spending littl
% more at first much will be saved in th
end.
9 A paper by DIR. Neale of Delawal
q College Experimental Station, was rea
ii by Mr.. Townsend by request ON g.
Typographical Survey" and one 0
d "Soil, Improvement Caused by Vertics
Drainage"
Q, J.J. Rosa, member Of the Ken
" Institute, was asked to make few II
marks, and replied that in his own C,
perience both in this State and in Ne
-, York, his former home, that all Ian
- that needs draining is doubly inhance
70 in value and all contingent land theret
=, Sussex county is worse off than Kel
~ in this matter. If you commence RICH
&c put the bitches at the proper place fro
y the start, though the cost will be create
le perhaps than if it were not done prope
~ the result will be all that is desired
~ this matter of drainage the State shoul
~ take the initiative.
!: r. S. johnson read lengthy pap'
W on the subject. A. D. Davis, Robe
~ Houston and Mr.. Pepper also took pa
~ in the discussion.
" On motion of A. ID. Davis commi
"a "a tee, consisting OF President Paynt,
III Erama Sanretnrv & IT Massinlr an