Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-08-29

crop rotation Will undoubtedly keep
the soil in better condition, capable
of absorbing large amount of wa
ter and not so easily washed as a
field that is continuously in cultiva-
ton. Cultivating up and down the
slopes is a bad thing. and should be
avoided when possible, especially
when laying the corn by.
Sometimes there are small bitches
on the hillsides that wash out badly
but do not usually need any tile. In
such places as the land is plowed up
strips of sod are left to prevent
washing out. If the land is already
plowed blue grass sod set in will
prevent further trouble 1t is one
of the problems to prevent big
bitches from washing Corn stalks,
brush, straw and manure have been
used for this purpose and found
wanting. In bitches and draws
they serve their purpose for year
or two by collecting and holding the
soil washed from higher ground
In the course of time the material
rots, big storm carries out the fill,
together with the soil cultivated, and
the ditch is washed out deeper and
wider than before. | have seen
bitches in fields filled with stalks
and plowed over and covered with
dirt. This being washed out the
next spring the process is repeated
several times until it can no longer
be done, as all the black soil is
washed away and the clay shows.
II is now less productive and diff,
ficult to use machinery Nearly all
of these draws have a high water
level. The soil being already moist
with deep water from higher levels
cannot absorb the surface water
when it rains, which then runs off
with destructive force. The bitches if
left to themselves are annually cav
ing down, getting wider and deeper,
encroaching farther and farther up
the slopes, carrying the rich soil in
to the rivers.
We have resorted to a method
that puts stop to it by using tile
and blue grass sod. The tile solves
the difficulty that is always en-
countered in theuse of straw, etc.
making the land dry and capable Of
absorbing water. The use of tile
alone will solve the problem, but
as it requires such large tile to
carry the storm water in times OF
d big flood, the blue grass sod is
used in connection WI h it, A
depression that can be crossed
with any kind of machinery is left
in grass, the width depending upon
the amount of water. The tile carry
water to their capacity. The sur
plus runs over the grass. In this
way the draw never gets any deep
er, but usually gets higher each
year from the soil that lodges in the
grass. It's usually advised to lay
the tile on each side of the ditch. If
the slough is wide one and the
ditch is not very deep it is the best
way We have one that has line
Of six-inch tile on one side and line
OF five-inch on the other. with
branches running up the hillsides,
and it works very satisfactorily. The
ditch that was about two feet and a
half deep was plowed in and filled
half full 1t now has grass strip
about a rod wide. The sides have a
gentle slope and the strip is easily
crossed with any kind Of machinery
In another case ditch about
twenty feet wide and six feet deep
in blue grass pasture was desired
filled to make corntield. A line
of tile we're put in the bottom us
ually a little to one aide Of the cen
ter and about two feet deep. The
tile were covered with a foot of dirt
and then hedge brush tramped in
as tightly as possible, then large
amount of brush put in the main
ditch. The banks were plowed
down raising the center of the ditch
and equalizing the conformity. On
top Of all strips of blue grass sod
three inches thick were laid in by
hand to keep the center from wash
ing out. In all ordinary times the
tile keeps the land dry and will
carry away any ordinary rain. the
blue grass being only Of use in
times of big storms.
1t is well TO have few catcl
basins to enable the surface water
to reach the tile quicker They a.t
made out of sewer pipe and a graf
ing used to keep out the trash
Some make the mistake of laying
their large tile to shallow. The,
should be in not less than four o
five feet to give the best results.
| This seems to be tie only solution
of the ditch problem that is endur
ing. After the first expense, whicl
is rather large, little attention will
keep it in repair. About the onl.
thing that needs to be done is to re
sod the whirlpools that sometime
get started.-Homestead.
rne Old Time Duccnnecr.
MI. Masctelds book. ION the Span
lsh Main," presents the old time but
cancer in less abhorrcnt light tha