The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1906-10-11

\SuO EuO VI d IRAN 10 0SSn FTOtTUQ-
ing from the Ground. Through
This Passes the Air from Which
Moisture Is Absorbed by the Soii.)
parts on his farm and flows to the
different outlets. The section is so
elevated that though it is ten miles
from the heart of Indianapolis, one
can see the tall buildings and the
state house dome. TIL land, possibly
at n time, just after the forests had
been cut off of the elevated section,
might have been very productive, but
it has washed in recent decades and
left only a thin clay soil over a clay
shale. Long ago most of the fertility
was carried into the lower lands by
improper farming, and to-day a great
deal of the country around the Rocker
farm has been left to underbrush.
In talking with a representative of
the Indianapolis News, Mr.. Rocker
said:
when I bought the farm there
were a few tile drains under it-ordi-
nary three and four.inch tiles laid 10
inches to two feet under the surface.
A half-inch of water set most every
thing swimming, kept the bitches run
ming full, and contributed to the lakes
which had formed on the tableland be-
cause there was no outlet from them.
II began to run some more tile
bitches, and in doing so it occurred to
me that perhaps the bitches we're
like bottles in some respects. You
fill a bottle with water and turn it up
side down. What is the result? Does
the water run out? No-only as air
seeps in. AS the air gets into the bot
tie and the bubbles come to the top,
the water gurgles out. If one would
wish the water to run out freely he
mould make a hole in the bottle to
admit the air.
Gust so, I reasoned, with the tile
drains. They were to an extent air.
tight and ran back from the outlet to
a dead wall. It occurred to me that
the other end Of the tile should be
brought to the surface and left open
80 the air could get into the drains.
I did this, and put some blocks of
wood over the tiles, which I brought
up well above the surface of the
ground. The pine blocks were laid, so
as not to shut out the air.
II left them there for some time,
and one day as l was passing n Of
them I went over and lifted it up.
It was very dry weather and very hot.
I was amazed to find that the block Of
wood was as wet Is though it had
been soaked in a creek. I thought
some local condition might be respon-
sible for it, so I went to the other
tiles and examined the blocks over
them. All were the same-soaked. I
threw the blocks away and began to
study. I went to the outlet and found
that a current of air was flowing into
the tile as Enthusiastically and stead.
fly as the water flowed out of them
following wet weather.
4 began to experiment, and have
brought forth what I and the agricult.
ural department call atmospheric IT.
Notwithstanding the soil by air.
l have taken up all the old tile drains
and have laid larger ones, running
from four to. twelve inches-and have
placed them at a depth of not less
than five feet in any place. and from
that to nine feet under the surface Of
the ground. - ss
What is the result? Well, there II
u.s." and he motioned to the field on
his sO-acre farm. my corn crop last
year ran 88 bushels to the acre, and
though this crop was planted on juno
is this year-after some Of my neigh
bors had cultivated their fields twice
1t is a perfect stand and / belieye
that it will run 100 bushels to the
acre. l have cut my 25-acre field Of
alfalfa twice, and 1t is blooming a
third time now'-later he walked into
the field, and it came high above his
knees. MY oats crop last year ran
81 bushels to the acre, and this years
crop. which I will cut nAxt week, IL