The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1915-03-19

ii1o - oiiC aiiiohS lit MOST important
things the farmers of this reservation ought
to CONSIDER. Land should be drained for
several good reescns, some of which are as
follows: Where the water is allowed to
stand in the fields in early spring it is TOO
often the case that this land does not dry off
soon enough to enable the farmer to get it
plowed SO he cali sow the seed at the proper
time. After the land is once sowed to the
Spring crops on this wet erea, the summer
cultivation is greately hindered by heavy
summer rains, and where this water can not
be quickly removed. it not only retards the
summer cultivation but in most cases tie
crops are severely damaged if rot entirely
lost. This is the case on low tracts of land
where the water is not taken away at the
proper time. Another reason is, where
the soil is full Of water it remains cold and
and the proper cultivation of the warm air
can not take place which is very important
TO the proper groth Of the plants.
Some soils too wet to grow crops are not
always coveted with water, this is the case
where the water is only few inches or
4 < q
more below the surface. The hight of
which the water raises in the ground is call
ed the water table. If this water table is
cfl.y few inches OF more below the surface
and crops planted on this land can not root
down only to the water, then in the latter
part OF the season when the dry weather be-
gins these shallow rooted plants will suffer
from draught, thus you can see that wet
farm land is not only hinderence in gett-
ing the Spring crops in at the right time and
poor cultivation results, but they are also
seriously handicapped in the latter part of
the season.
There are several kinds of drainage systems
used i'll draining farm lands, the surface sy-
stem and the underground drainage The
surface system is used where large qualities
Of surface water is to be removed from a
large tract Of land, while the underground
or title drainage system is used where the
ground is not covered with water continuous
ly. The latter system is one in which I
think can be used to good advantage on the
farm lands Of this reservation, because as a
rule there is not great deal of wtaer to be
at any one time but what tile
drain will accomplish the desired results
The next step in putting in a drainage
system is the locating Of the ditch and de-
the proper grde, Tie main
ditch must be so located and supplied with
the proper sized tile to carry the.water from
the land it drains itself besides taking care
Of the water from the lateralS or other small
Ter bitches emptying into this main ditch.
The grade of the ditch is one Of the most
Important considerations. Unless the tile
is laid on an even grade silt OF fine loan
will gather into the low places and clog the
ditch To do this work successfully it is
necessary TO lay out the ditch with survey
or's level. By use of this instrument we
are able 10 establish the ditch on the proper
grade which is absolutely necessary to in
sure the desire results.
After we hrve once located tie ditch and
gotten the grades and levels established we
are then ready to begin digging the ditch
a good time to do this work is in late Fall
before freezing or in early Spring after tire
frost is out of the ground, as stiff clay soil
will be more easily worksd while wet than
il otherwise would at more dryer pait ct
the season. In late Fall or early Spring there
is usually plenty of water that will come in
TO the ditch to aid in determining the grade
Of the ditch, as the workmen can by notsc-
ing the flow of the water. where small high
Races are in the bottom of the ditch to be
leyeIed off to make smooth surface on which
to lay the tile. In digging the tranch it is
necessary TO be equipped with the proper
ditcning spades and filing tools which can
be bought at any good hardware store IT
small cost.
After we have decided upon the amount
of water to be removed from the land we can
determine the size and kind OF tile tobe used
to accomplish our purpose. The tile to be
used should be well burned until they are OF
a cherry red as the hardness of the tile de-
ter,nine their suryiceability. Unless tile are
burned hard they will not stand up under