Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-02-03

PIG IN-CovEisiNG TIE TILE DITCH.
allow the water 10 filter down out OF
reach instead OF retaining IT for fu-
ture use. rs do the clay soils.
The farmer cannot influence the
amount OF rainfall, OF course. After
the rain has fallen. however. il be-
longs TO hiIl to do with rs he sees tit.
The way L. handles il from this time
on determines TO large extent the
size OF the crop he will harvest when
fall comes
The iirs. problem Is 20 get rid of the
surplus ground water quickly. and the
second is 70 waste as little of tie cap
Hilary water as possible. An oACcavor
should be made 20 lower the water
table 10 three or four feet below the
surface rs soon as possible after each
rain. Ii this can be accomplished I'm
two or three days the growth Of the
crop will bc interfered with very lit
tie. y few soils are so well drained
naturally that little artificial drainage
IS necessary. On almost any farm
there are hills and ridges where the
natural drainage Is sufficient The
hollows between these elevations. how
ever, and all the Hat fields will yield
much larger crops IL tiled.
The distance a line OF tile VIII draw
IS I'm sandy soils often as Jar rs leo
feet on each side. while In heavy clay
soils II may not be more than sixteen
feet. This distance is also aHcc.cd 10y
the depth OF the tile. The deeper they
are placed the farther they will draw.
Tile are usually placed Mt an average
depth OF about three feet though I'm
many instances four would be better.
The extra cost OF digging the ditch a
foOt deeper is something OF an objec-
ton. but is balanced 10y the fact that
the lines OF tile do not need 10 be as
close together. Deep tile are not as
easily dispI1ced 10y freezing. and n
deeper feeding ground for the roots Is
provided.
\ mistake made more frequently
than that OF not putting the drains in
deep enough Is that Of using too small
tile. The character Of the soil. the fall
and the amount of surface drained are
the factors which largely determine
the proper size TO use. Almost every
book or bulletin OF tile drainage gives
tables for figuring the size OF tile re-
Quired under various conditions. II
there is any doubt IL always pays To
get size too large rather than n size
too small. even if the cost is littlc
more
II is usually better TO let the Job of
tiling TO Il contractor rather than to at
tempt TO do 1t yourself There are re
liable Tiers in almost every locality
who can be depended upon to lay the
tile TO grade and do 4 first class Job In
every particular. Only the hard burn
ed tile should be used. These will last
for lifetime or longer if properly put
in. When tile go within fifteen or
twenty feet of trees the joints should
be cemented. Otherwise the tree roots
will find their way through the Joints
and ill up the drains to such an extent
that the flow of water will be cut Of
The most important part OF drain
age system is the outlet. The tile
should empty into stream If possible.
Water should not be allowed to stand
over the mouth of the outlet if il can
he avoided, as this checks the current
and causes the drain to partly I'll ND
with silt, thus reducing its capacity
just that much.
With thorough system of tile drain
age in good working order the problem
Of getting rid of surplus water is
solved. Thing also helps to solve the
problem of lack of water The roots
go down so much deeper in tiled
soil that they are In position to with.
stand drought better than If they
were foot or two farther above the
water table. Removing the surplus
water by drainage also hastens the
warming of the soil In the spring.