Ladysmith news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-20

mdfSHy OF clay SOIL III WlSCOHSlu
would increase it's value one hundred
million dollars, according to the estl-
mates of Prof. A. r. WhitSon, soil
physicist of the University of Wiscon-
| tant, has been making an investiga-
| ton of the costs and benefits of land
drainage in various parts of the state.
In the 129 townships from which data
were taken, there are 132,191 acres of
land which are practically worthless
for agricultural purposes because Of
lack of drainage. This is over 1000
aSsres per township, at which rate
there are about 100000 acres of this
class of land in Wisconsin. There are
also at least 100000 acres of marshy
land which are only partially produc-
tive on account of too much surface
water to allow proper cultivation. In
addition there is also at least 2,000,-
000acres Of upland clay soil which will
require undertakings to allow it to
produce maximum crops.
The benefits derived from the use
of tile on marsh areas are illustrated
by the experience of Mr.. Carl Foil OF
Deerfield, who had fifteen acres OF
marsh, of which 70 per cent was prac-
tically useless. Cattle often became
mired in attempting to cross it, and
at no time of the year was it dry
enough to admit of blowing on at least
ten acres of the lowest portion.
The soil consists of black muck and
peat to a depth varying from five to
ten feet, underlaid by a gravel subsoil.
On about two acres the gravel lay
within three feet of the surface, and
here the underdrainage was sufficient
so that the land could be used for
pasture. After laying the tile in 1901
the first crop planted was corn, which
was injured by the spring frosts, but
finally ripened well. After the corn
had glazed, the crop on a typical
square rod was cut and weighed 1t
was found that the yield was at the
rate Of twentyfour tons and three hun
dred pounds of green fodder per acre.
The corn for the. entire fieldr, when
husked, averaged seventy-five bushels
per acre. The first crop was suffi-
cient to pay not only for the thing,
Nut also for the top dressing of ma
nure, and left the improvement a
clear profit. The following year the
yield of green fodder was seventeen
tons per acre, and the field was then
sown to rye and seeded to timothy and
red-tOp, which yielded last year three
tons of hay per acre. The results OF
this first experiment of thing were
so satisfactory that Mr.. Foil contin-
ued the work until, at present, he
has 100 acres tiled, all of which is
giving good satisfaction. Mr.. label, a
neighbor of Mr.. Foil, tiled twenty
acres of his farm. On One-half of this
the increased yield was 100 per cent,
and ON the other half so per cent
Mr. Nels Holman of Deerfield feels
that his experiment in tile draining a
marsh for pasture is highly success
full His land was similar to that OF
Mr.. Foil until 1908, when Mr.. Edward
Reichenbach, a Jefferson drainage en-
gineer and contractor Planned and
put in drainage system covering
forty acres. The land is becoming
more firm every year, and the grass
has begun to grow between the boys
where the water formerly stood con-
tinually. At least 10 per cent of the
money invested was realized from the
benefits of the tile in the first year.
Drainage on farms Of Joseph Winter
ling, of the Jefferson county asylum,
and Of ex-Gov. w. D. Hoard, which
were among those visited by Prof.
Whits0n, also gave good results.
Tests Show Good Results.
Of a total of about 500 acres of tiled
land investigated, 80 per cent yielded
one-half the money invested in tile in
increased crops each year. Ten per
cent of the land was used merely for
pasture, and the annual income from
the tile was perhaps 10 per cent Of
the amount invested. Only in one in
stance was tile found that did not
work successfully, and in that case
the cause was a defective outlet and
the backwater of the river, rather than
any fault of the tile itself.
Benefits of Open bitches.
The value of open bitches was also
investigated. Aside from removing
the surface water, open bitches re-
ceive seepage from the soil, and fur
nish an outlet for tile drainage. Al
though open bitches are common at
roadsides and are used with advan-
tage to remove the surface water
from cultivated fields, they are most
necessary in broad marshes. Upon
such areas they are the first step in
reclamation. In newly settled local
tiles where land is comparatively
cheap, the marsh lands are usually