Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-30
THE HOME GARDEN FOR
PLEASURE AND PROFIT
Methods of Drainage
By JOHN BARTRAM

TT IS the subsoll that is responsible for
8, i the need for drainage. If the soil is
underlaid by sand or gravel at n depth OF
from one to three or four feet, nature
has provided the drain. You will have
to experiment TO see IL you have natural
drainage. Don't trust TO the fact that
your ground does not ordinarily hold
water"
Dig down into the substratum-eight
inches to a foot will be enough-and see
what is there. No matter how poor"
as the gardeners say, it appears, IL II Is
yellow and sandy, you can consider your
self free from the drainage problem. But
more likely than not, you will discover
clay. This is virtually impervious to
water. It means wetness in the top soil
In which your crops OF vegetables or fiow-
ers root and whence they derive their
nourishment Most plants, except celery.
resent overplus Of moisture They
will peak and pine, and, II the surplus is
too great simply die in any case, the
crops viii be late, because planting will
have to be deferred well UP TO June, and
growth will be slow and uncertain. Some
times the clay bed Is not very deep; lit
tie digging will discover this: but usually
II ID. particularly IL you are afflicted with
a blue or dark gray subsoil.
There are several ways TO open the
under soil for profitable cultivation. First
II the subsoil is not too deep extra heavy
plowing with subsoil plow will cut into
the third substratum.
Second. The subsoiI may be dynamited
with one of the several good farm pow
following the explicit directions which
come with the powders. But in an age Of
safety first IL Is really worth while to take
out q little insurance against an explosion
After all garden full OF green things
will not be OF much interest TO your re-
A..
orous soul and afraid even to show my
patriotism by holding a lighted firecracker
In my hand on Independence Day. 1 have
an abhorrence 10 say nothing OF lively
fear, OF firearms. My policy for having
the Bartram Garden blown" as the pro-
fessionals call II, cost $40, for very good
Job too. This covered charges at five-foot
intervals on the patch Of approximately so
by 1ao feet.
They furnish their own ammunition and
batteries for setting on the charges, which
Is far safer than doing the job at home
with long fuses. Be sure the holes for
the charges are deeply enough dug. The
dynamiting Is not only good for subsoi-
lng-I wish l had had 1t done years before
ana I would have saved lots OF money in
the purchase OF sand at $50 per ton
but Il releases all kinds Of rich plant
food latent in the earth.
II the garden is small Il may be
trenched This Is done simply by re-
moving the top soil from a strip OF
ground. breaking up the subsoil and COW
erlas with the top earth from the pre-
cedlne strip.
IA the case OF a large garden tile drain
aEa solves the problem. The expense
1or = garden u 100 feet By 100 feet would
nas hs more than $50 70 $40 The job
ca be done with home labor and the cost
esaace1. Use round drain tile with col
aafs II should be placed from three 70
ItH Zee. deep. Ihe tiles should run IN
s. t1e matched lines AZ Intervals 3f 20
t41 feet apart. Il placed al q s-foot
Forty o. SO feet apart IS sufieient
M 4-fact depth. Two and ! haif-iuch
@t11a zif - for small areas ihe tiles
Ila Iatezaie with ths rafuFai de-
- n4 fz > Eefs afeaa1I pilel.
<ss & s. = IS zel g aafa