Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-05-04
Drainage.
George e. Simmons. Professor Of Agronomy,
at Farmers' Week.)


George e. Simmons. Professor Of Agronomy,
at Farmers Week9
A. When to drain. Land drainage ID
the removal Of the surplus water from
the soil and the surface Of the soil with
sufficient rapidity and efficiency to fit the
land for the successful production Of use
full crops. This surplus water may be
from periodic excessive rainfall, from
seepage of water from higher land, or
from springs.
The Indications Of need for drainage
are the growth of plants known as water
loving plants, wet condition OF land In
early summer, absence of useful field
plants, and the condition Of sourress In
the soil.
b. Effect of drainage. The effect
upon the land following the application
of thorough system is quite apparent
In the results that follow. Surplus water
is removed thus preventing evaporation
from the surface. Evaporation from the
surface counteracts the effect Of tho
suns rays in warming up the soil, the
result being that the seeds in the soil
will not have sufficient heat to germinate
early In the season and that plants In the
ground will not start to grow until the
growing season Is far along.
Surplus water also fills the pore space
10 the soil thus cutting off the supply Of
air to the roots. Drainage removes this
surplus allowing the needed air to get to
the roots and to the organisms In the
soil. The freeing Of the soil from the
acid laden stagnant water improves
the sanitary condition of the soil and al
lows the growth Of plants that are affect
ed in a detrimental way BY acid soil.
C. Kinds and Relative Efficiency OF
Drains. The first classification of drains
would be: Surface and underground
drains. Surface drains are usually more
easily constructed and will take care Of
a greater volume of water at the least
first cost; but while the first cost is less
the cost of maintenance Is greater than
the better forms of underground drains.
Weeds usually grow along the open
ditch and the space left without being
planted ia wasted and besides the slope
of the field causes an undue loss Of time
in cultivating the fields In small irregu-
lar areas.
Ouu6EkEOuuu uAoiuo oko ou0aiNhoVo
according to the material used to con-
duct the water away through the ditches.
Three poles laid so as to leave an open
space between them and buried beneath
the surface have been used for temporary
drains.
Stones thrown loosely into q ditch or
laid so as to form an open conduit few
inches across, after being covered, form
a more permanent and more efficient
drain. The best underground drainage
material when all things are considered
is the land tile. Laud tiles are hard
burned clay tubes ordinarily one foot In
length varying 10 diameter from to 20
inches. The most common tiles used on
fhe farm are from to s inches in dia-
meter. The water enters at the joints
between the tiles and is carried along by
gravity. The fall may vary from one
inch to any number of inches In one
hundred feet. Six inches In one hundred
feet carries away the water very nicely.
The depth of the drain tile is impor-
tant. 1t need not be below frost line If
It has sufficient fall because water from
the soil above is caught by freezing thus
off the supply Of water before
the water in the drain becomes frozen.
The water is in this way allowed to drain
away leaving the tile clear. 1t should
be below reach of the plow and under
ordinary soil conditions two and one-half
feet deep is desirable. Under ordinary
conditions four inch tile for laterals
and from six to eight inches for mains
should serve the purpose. Four inch
tiles sell F. o. B. Brewer, Maine, at
about twenty-five dollars per thousand
feet, this being the usual price. The
cost of digging and filling ranges with
the soil conditions, the time of year and
the depth and width dug.