Ladysmith news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-06
DRAINING OF MARSH LAND.

tin on the Subject.
Marshy land in the vicinity of Deer
field, Dane county, has been drained
under direction of the horticulture de-
partment of the university, and the
results accomplished have been sur
prising. There are two kinds OF
land, which require drainage; first
land which is wet and marshy be-
cause it is too fiat to allow surface
drainage; and, second, land which has
sufficient slope but which on account
Of the large amount Of vegetable mat
ter and humus does not have good
underdrainage.
According to statistics compiled at
the university there are over 1,OO0
acres of marshy land in every town
ship, at which rate there are about
100000 acres in the entire state.
Then there is at least 100000 acres
Of marshy land which is only partially
productive on account of too much
surface water to allow proper cultiva-
ton. In addition to this there are at
least 100000 acres of upland clay
soil which will require underdralnage
to allow it to produce maximum crops.
The university authorities belleVe
that the thorough drainage of this
100000 acres would increase this
land in value $1G0,O0O,0O0.
The experiments which have been
carried on near Deerfeld have been OF
the most successful nature. The eX-
perience of Carl Foil of Deertield, IL
Illustrates the benefits to be derived
from the use of tile on marsh areas.
Mr.. Foil had about fifteen acres or
marsh. 70 per cent of which was prac-
tically useless. Cattle often became
mired in an attempt to cross it. AT
no time of the year was it dry enough
to admit of blowing on at least ten
acres of the lowest portion, and, IN
deed blowing would be useless when
grass was growing in tufts and Dogs
upon which water stood almost con-
tinually. The soil consists OF black
muck and peat to depth varying
from five to ten feet, underlaid by a
gravelly subsoil. On about two acres
the gravel lay within three feet OF the
surface, and here the underdrainage
was sufficient that the land could be
used for pasture After laying the
tile in 1901, the first crop planted was
corn. The first crop was sufficient to
pay for the thing as well as the top
dressing of manure, while the i'm
provement was clear profit.
The results of this first experiment
in thing were so satisfactory that Foil
has continued the work until, at pres
ent, he has tiled 100 acres, all OF which
gives good satisfaction except one
field Of about ten acres, where the
outlet is faulty.
A drainage system includes both
mains and laterals. The laterals are
usually three or four inches in diam
eter and discharge into a main, whose
size depends upon the number and
Ter 9Th of laterals entering it. Laterals
Iudy ulSCHd1 sc 1ACO SuOhAAS'AA0 "AAAO-
finally discharge into the single large
hlain. The unGerdrainage from forty
acre field may thus be discharged
through a single outlet.
In general, it may be said, that II
there is a considerable amount or
sand in the soil, 100, or even $50, feet
is not too great an interval between
the laterals Upon the average black
muck soil, so or 70 feet is reasona-
Bile interval Experiments show that
1aterals 40 feet apart, even in clay, are
as good as if they were more frequent.
The presence of layer of sand or
gravel below clay generally aids in
removing subsoil water by tile drain
age Where there is such a layer OF
sand or gravel within six feet of the
surface, the tile may be laid Is to 100
feet apart, but, of course, it's size must
be increased propOrtionately
A bulletin dealing with the land
drainage, prepared by A. r. Whitson
and E. R. Jones Of the university, has
been issued by the agricultural expert
ment station Of the university and is
being Clstriouted.-W.