The Atlanta constitution., 1900-11-12
TERRACING FARM LANDS
BY r. j. Redding.

BY X. j. Reddlng.
-rh.. season Of tho year is close at hand
when ti, work OF terracinC must be done.
60 ,nr farmer has dccidca to adopt this
m.tboi ~ preserving his undulating soils
from the destructive effects of heavy RAIN
fails Th.. terrace lines muse be run aud
the terrace banks must bc formed before
tho winter and spring plowius is begun.
Therefor 20 Is proposed to give a few
p.a.u instructions Tor the benefit Of such
farmers aS have no kn"wledee "f tine
wurb i-enr either experience or pbscrva-
ti.u.
~ tho first place. it is well 20 under
stand what tcrracing is intended to a--
compiish. The common idea is .hat th"
~'-t-m Is to be- adopted for the sole put-
pose 90 preventing the soil from beirs
wa~lei AWAY. Ifdced. this is ,hc princ.-
pIi siud most important service thai the
t..rr.tgr j. intended g. perform. Bat the
Incidental pugnose Is 10 conserve cor savcl
tile water ~ thc early rains tor t.ic use
80 tile. crou- during the growing season.
iu s4tSe t1s latter rains should fail
short some believe that this last object
Is. ihe principal if not the essential one.
A. any rate the one practically nclud"s
the uther. ii the terrace does IT'S work
properly.
A Dead Level.
IA essential i1ca IN terracing g. the To-
cltIon ~ the Hines ou perfect level ana
u-t ou a grade. however small. But there
may u,. s"me conditions which Will just.-
q giving q little fan ou tho sides ot tho
d.Id. -s AS to make sure ~ getting the
uitsr uu; of the field by the nearest
r,..ts 10 the woods. or 90 "a public road
>it, ditch. Hhcu IL cannot be otherwise
controlled.
Th ;L-ure of tho terrace system is 20
prevent th. iainwater from accommodating
iu aH. uas p.a,r iu such volume aud with
such .or,r as to vs. '~h the land into rul-
lies rs f.rciuE fhr water as a. tails TO re-
malH aud soak iutp the sot'- II ram
should Fan more rapidly than the soil can
tak. ia fn. u VIII collect in th" furrows
u~ cultivated rows. and il finally comp"ii-
,.I tn spread itself. it viii ,o so in .
broad thn sheet. flowing over and down
ta th,. next terrace below.
Deep Flowing.
It Is evident then. that deep ami thor
surh ulowiue. laying the burrows parallel
ta site terrace lines and throwing "a"
frr~ryw Slices down the hiil. is practically
sl-. an essential feature of the business.
Ti.. deeper the SOL b. broken and tht
more thoroughly a. is disiuteErated' the
m,-. rain water IL will hold aud tho
t.u.-..r ia will Dc, before thr water Will
f
t,.ll.4i st th, laws 30 gravity e. Tow To- the
lowest point which is at right angles 30
th.. terrace. lines. : would stress the im-
f,sriaur.. 81 docp and thorough ploWing.
ufrnaas which tie most accurately con-
-rrrirf..f t,rrsc.-,Nc.pt ou a naturally
deem aua ogen soll-will not do what Is
expected oi a.
Leveling Instrument.
N.yr Is n Tho t,-rraciug or iev"liuC IN
sfrururut. I uuh-Sitstiugiy say. and the
remark IS based on an experience OF many
years that any INSTRUMENT that must
b. moved amt adjusted every twelve or
nft.su f..t Will prov, snare and
,i.-Iu~tan- unless used with very great
,.lr.. aul .N u then the accuracy of the
results wIf o.. VERY doubtful The old
Fashioned rafi,r lrt-i Is the poorest. th"
I.a-t r,lsbl. of au that ] have seen.
it w.U dn very WeH for running grad"
dit.h,~ boat lsi t.r running dead level
lines
Tfa l.v,'in- instrument should be- of
surf contradiction that 10 may Do" aCcu-
rlt.IF l,A.l-d "a One suot and then by
si-gif.u- ag d irvciug siam held 10y au
assistant tl,- operator can lpcate points
atoms ire lius uf l,vJ as clos, together
90 ar far apart as De- may S'c proper
without moving mis- Instrument until the
FffG aH tIr NHIa" ni iff trNl~tani rs 700
tir ta So. distinctly. Their" a~- several
zunI ANA cheap implements either of
which ie mounted ou "a staU. or i tripod
,Vh.eh IS much hetteri. with lcvc,ius
screws Tor adjusting and which are sold
at 81 f-.,. within the reach of even a
.a..-bare- farmer. say s. These low
rrir,-I Instruments although fairly ef-
fertlvs. Zee th, hands 40 even au unsk.ll,d
o., rir.r. are hy uu means so satisfactory
.s- oue thrt can ho hlt at from Sls 20 So
Th.. chtan-r instrument mas mo- telescope
aud .ts range is Therefore, quite limited.
especially "u e. cloudy. iarSish day. The
higher prir--i instrument has telescope
lenses. nsZuifviug about ten times and
enabling tn, operator to Sec the stan very
much farther than with the unailcd eye.
and o. do much more in "a dag. More
over. they are more accurately ami scicn-
tiI.aHy constructed
n If bc borne ~ mind that the most
essential requisite OF terrace making Is
flat tle lines bc run ou an exact level
tir Importance of a perfect lcvelng In
s:rum9It viii lee at once recognized.
With each Instrument is supplied a lev
cling staff with a target which is NOV
abie Hp and down. and the star is grad
uat.d iu feet and inches thetter feet.
teutis and hundrcdthsl. With a good
teioscor.. lcveling instrument these feet
aad inch marks and figures may be read
1al 10 lsg feet away. which will he found
v-rz- convenient in running grade bitches.
To Lag Of the Terraces.
Set the ley ling instrument at The high
NS