The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-04-12

OF removing an excess Oh "atsi -
tho soil and is necessary for the
.oaor cultivation of nearly all the
crops now grown as FOOD Tor hhail aho
beast.
II has been practical perhaps as long
rs itself although III q
crude way, but now IN this pfosressi4o
age new and improved methods are
being adopted and it IS OF these l
would try and EXPLAIN more pdillto-
larlv the drainage.
7 it is now nearly one nun
bred wears ago since tile drainage "a1
first used in Scotland and [ am proud
to say that my grandfather was per
haps the first to adopt IT. He saw INTO
the principles how it would affect plant
life. AS you all know plants, such as
are grown for agricultural
cannot live in water, Except perhaps
rice). Just as soon as the plant roots
get too much water they VIII
die. Before tile drainage there was
rock. brush and pole drains TO take
the place Of open bitches out al nay
had to give way to the round tile
now in use.
Drainage is the first act Of the Tar
u7er and unless he starts out with
thoroughly drained land his success
on that stage OF life will likely be
short and fun Of trouble
II order to get tile drainage we
ffltlS1 IiTSJ Sct klt NS60a !
FOR the large tile leaders, and the flat
level lands of the Atlantic aboar
will begin to nave a system Of canals
constructed in order to get proper
outfalls for tile drainage, so We must
first deal with the canal question.
The new Drainage Act passed by the
LEGISLATURE of North Carolina III 1903
will now enable landed proprietora
at least in North Carolina to have
canals dug so this will pave the way
TO tile drainage ard | am sure in q
few years it will be generally adopted
by all Intelligent farmers It has only
to be tried to be believed in.
| will now say 2 few words about
the new Drainage Act, although l
believe it has been most ably dis
ctrssed throughout the State by MI.
w. O. Wright, the Cuite.l States ex-
pert drainage engineer, but a good
story twice told and some few facts
ADDED. Will not, l hope, prove a!liss.
Whilst the old drainage law pre- vided
TO q certain extent for the cutting OF
mutual canals and bitches, where sev-
eral drained into a natural waterway,
It did not provide for canals
otherwise, and often there was trouble
as to the assessments. rhG new act
provides for a district 30 De formed
where desired, and when formed an
engineer and viewers are appointed
TO make a thorough preliminary sur
Fey, and to report to the our as TO
whether Il thorough drainage scheme
is practicable. II report is favorable
then a complete survey is ordered, es-
Inmates made, commissioners appoint
ed to form a corporation, bids received
for executing the work, and lastly
bonds sold to cover the whole ex-
pense. h and embraced in ire
district are classified by the engineer
and viewers and each proprietor IS
taxed according to the benefits he re-
ceiVes, but should % in the dis
trlct be able to prove that he receives
nc benefit, then he viii be exeInp,
from taxation. 1t cannot be to the IN
tereSt Of h engineer or viewers &c
give anything but a true and honest
award. The engineer has his reputa
ton TO live upon and he above at
others would be most careful. They
Will take the greatest care not to make
an award, that might be upset bv a
Jury OF twelve men in the Superio,
Court, the last resort in eases of dis.
pute as to benefits received. 4 men
ton the above as there has been 6
good deal Of talk amongst farmers
that they will not get fair play"
hlle n new act was got up more
particularly to drain swamp lands anf
waste grounds. still. although keeping
that III view, l think we should frs
turn our attention to the lands now il
cultivation, for it is to them we LOOT
tor our daily bread. BY drainine
and improving them first we viii pu
ourselves III a better position to *
ahead With the waste OIL swamp lands
IN order to form a drainage ~Cistric
the first and great thing is to com
b1ne and be as one. bring up no dis
turbine element such as marty feeling
bury the hatchet and act as a cor
DOration.
| am sorry to say that there is no
enough union amongst farmers. AL
other trades or occupations hav,
unions except farmers more is tht
pity: for if the farmers would com
bine and act as one, they wouid b,
the greatest power in the world. Wha
would the meat packers. tanfar(
OH Co, and other large combines bs