The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-11-15


All roads except those on pure sand
can be materially improvH by tile
drainage. says Professor Ira o. Baker
Of the Illinois experiment station. This
10 the opinion Of many farmers in SOW
eral communities with whom the writ
er has conversed on this 'subject.. In
each community this is universally the
opinion Of the farmers who have had
the best success in draining their own
farms. The cost Of tile drainage is not
Ereat--says about 80 cents per rod, or
el6O per mile-and the improvement is
permanent, with no expense for main-
tenance, and the benefit Is immediate
and certain
Further. tile drainage is the very best
preparation for a gravel or n stone road.
Gravel or broken stone placed upon an
undrained foundation Is almost sure to
sink gradually, whatever it's thickness,
whereas thinner layer upon an under
drsined roadbed will give niuch better
service. Roads tiled without gravel
are better than roads graveled with
out tile"
The road should be underdraincd so
"a to keep the water level we'll below
the road surface. In most localities
this can be accomplished reasonably
well by laying line Of farm tile three
or three and one-half feet below the
read surface along one side OF the road
way. 1t Is sometimes claimed that
ho
the road.
Some tests recently made by the I'LL
nois experimental station (not yet pub
lished) seem to Indicate that one line
will give fairly good drainage under
the most adverse conditions The ex-
pertinent consisted In the drainage of
a piece Of land selected as the worst
that could he found In part Of the
state notorious as having n large area
OF hardpan which 1t was generally
considered could pOt be underdrained
because the soil held water like n
Jug" Lines Of tiles were placed two
and ons,half feet deep and so feet
apart. The water level a point mid
way between the lines Of tiles was
lowered Is inches. when at the
same time the water level in the un-
drained portion Of the field was only
six Inches below the surface. In this
case the surface Of the ground water
had a slope Of one foot In 25 feet.
but I'm a more porous soil the slope
would be much less, Therefore n sim
re line OF tile three or three and one
half feet deep. II Of adequate size. Will
give nearly perfect drama re; and q Sec
ono fne Will hot materially improve 1t.
Some writer's on good reads advocate
the use Of line Of tile under the mid
die gof the travelled portian and some
advocate line on each side OF the
wheelway. The object sought by these
tiles Is rapid drainage, and therefore It
Is. urged that they should be laid near
the surface. 1t Is doubt full whether
any water will reach the tile since the
road surface when wet Is Duddled by
the traffic. which prevents the water
percolating through the soil. and 1t Is
certain that In clay or 10: IN the drain
age thus obtained Is Of no practical
valne. More than ono farmer has tried
- drain his barnyard by laying tile
near the surface. always without appre-
ctable effect.
While line OF tile on one side OF the
read 10 usually sufficient, there Is often
p great difference as to the side on
which It should be laid. II one side
of the road is higher than the other,
the tile should be on the high side to
Intercept the ground water that Is
flowing down the slope under the sur
face.
The tile should be laid In the bottom
Of the side ditch below the frost line.
or course the tile should have a uni.
form grade and a sufficient fall and an
edequate outlet. The size Of the tile
sequired will depend upon the length
of the line and tho grade OF the ditch,
but local experience In farm drainage
10 likely to be better guide than any
eeneral statement that can be made
here. Farm drainage is almost certain
TO precede road drainage In any partlc-
ular locality.
The side ditches are to receive the
water from the surface Of the Travelled
way and should carry it rapidly and
entirely away from the roadside. They
ara useful also to Intercept and carry
on the water that would otherwise flow
erom the side hills upon the road. Or
0snafily they need not be deep and. II
possible. should have a brvad. fiaring
side toward the Travelled way TO pre-.
vent accident II a vehicle should be
crowded to the extreme side of the
roadway. The outside bank should be
nat enough to prevent caving. The
proper form Of ditch is easily made by
tie usual road machine or road grader.
The side ditch should have a free cut
20 into some stream 80 as to carry the
water entirely away from the road.
No good road can be obtained with side
aitehes that hoA"the water until II
eyapoFAtes, s, -
Mncb Alleged road work Is a positive
Aaulage Tor this reason. Piling up the