Mexico weekly ledger., 1909-02-11
TILE DRAINAGE IN MIS-
SOURI-WILL 1T

OSSh' "a@@ ~
Editor of Ledger-Dear sir: Know
ing your columns are always open
to that which makes for progress or
tends TO the betterment of local con-
ditions. it is with faint hope you
may consider this, that l write the
following:
Cheap land in Audrain county is OF
the past and with it must go the old
time careless method of farming, as
this method would hardly pay the
interest on our farms at the present
price of land. 1t is true our farm
ers are keenly alive to the fact that
newer and better methods are re-
quired and are being adopted. But
the n great improvement that seem
to have been SO far overlooked is
that of un~derdrainage. Suggest this
to the average native Missourian and
he will tell you our flat prairie soils
can not be tile drained because of
the nature of the sub-soil. That our
ponds hold water like a jug and even
after a long vet season he can find
dry dirt within two feet of the sur
face and that Il has been tested at
Columbia Experiment Station and
found to be a failure. "Show me and
| will believe it,"
Admitting all OF the above so
called objections are true, we know
that they prove absolutely nothing. It
would be useless to mention the
Tact that the seemingly impervious
sub-soil would gradually di~sintegrate
under the action of the air passing
through it from the tile; which dis.
Indignation would gradually widen
till in a properly tiled field would
meet that from the next row Of tile.
TIL undertakings would be complete.
NO theoretical answer will do. Such
argument would be a waste of time.
Farmers from Eastern states NAV tell
him of wonderful results obtained fin
their native states but he gravely
shakes his head and declares our
sub-soil to be different. 1t is very
strange Audrain should be so behind
In this matter, as other cosnties in
Missouri have tried it and find tile
drainage to be a success One county,
particular / wish to cite as it has
a prairie sub-soil almost identicalIy
me same as Audrain's. The farmers
here made the same objections as b
own. And when a Mr.. Clark, I
near Greensb urg, began thing his p
arm he was looked upon as vision t
sry If not mon compos mentis. This 7
s a fiat prairie soil about like some &C
u u worst flat prairie land. That a
'iece OF work Showed" the people II
II that section and the more conser- G
'atiVe farmers began thing. Another n
PARTICULAR instance: Mr.. w. c. Mer. e.
lit, near Brock in Scotland county. j
'Wns a very flat piece of land. IL ID
vas cold and Doggy, with a hard RI
an" subsoil. In 1898 Mr.. Merritt
ommenced tiling and each year-as In
e was convinced-added to the area W
I undertakings till now he has a s.
eautiful farm thoroughly underdrain. W
q. In speaking of this work Mr.. L. m
/. Moore, of that county, SAYS: cone B,
'uid tell where the strings Of tile 10
been laid by looking al the corn. Of
eids. The corn over the tiles for JC
feet On each side was rank
heavy, but gradually grew less tn
xuriant farther down the drains. We
area drained seems to be wild
lng out each year" He also says; gr
lie drainage in Missouri is a sue. wi
IS and it has been a long time sine inl
had to answer the query, own at
work" They have e it work, fly
d that is all the argument a Mis-. a I
urian needs"
II would be a strange thing era
Iced. II tile drainage in a neigh. me
ring county with the same kind Of Isl
'soil VIII work. and would not wor got
Audrain. Every farmer knows at is
] pay" 1t is well worth q trial. the
will work. Yours trplv
w. w. McKfnnev I'll