The citizen., 1916-04-06
Vocational Column
DRAIN WET LAND
Much Farm Land Should Be Drained
TO Secure Maximum crop Produce
tim Coil Conditiou I'm proved

wet swampy farm land which can
not be cultivated in its present con-
dition may be made productive.
There is also many a piece OF cul-
tivated land which is not producing
what IL could he made to do II II
were properly drained.
Lands that are too wet for the
most profitable production OF crops,
such as wet level land, low spots,
and the dry subsoils Of fiat areas on
the SUBMITS Of knolls, river and
creek bottoms, should be drained.
Even uplands may often be drained
with profit, especially hillsides sub
iect 10 erosion or inclined TO be
"spouty." Indeed. drainage Is profit
able wherever il is necessary TO the
fullest use Of the land. II Is not un-
common for lands too wet for culti-
walton TO produce, when drained, 90
TO 20 bushels Of corn or oats to the
acre. On much OF the drained land
the increase Of yield is from 25 to
100 per cent, and by the increased
yield and decreased cost Of cultiva-
tiCn the value Of the land Is often
doubled.
Drainage improves the physical
condition Of the soil by making II
more porous and friable. Thus stiff
soils are made more easy 10 work.
The roots Of plants are given a
greater feeding depth by the lower
ing Of the water level and hence
the ability Of crops 10 utilize mois-
ture is increased. Well-drained
soils also absorb more rainfall than
undrained soils. thus decreasing ero-
sion.
Drainage warns the soil. Heat
from the sun acts directly upon the
soil when excessive moisture Is re-
moved by drainage. Warming OF the
soil also causes the seed TO germi-
nate more readily, thereby giving a
better stand Of crops and causing
the plants TO grow more promptly.
Drained land can be plowed earlier
in the spring than undrained land.
Crops can be cultivated sooner after
rain, and II covered tile drains are
used instead OF open bitches
machinery can be used TO better ad-
vantage and the cost OF cultivation
decreased.
BY the open-ditch system much
valuable land is occupied, the drain
age is seldom thorough, and the
bitches become filled and have to be
cleaned out. Open bitches some
times occupy as much as 10 per cent
and frequently 3 per cent ofthe
area 10 be drained. Thus IL Is that
tile drains. while more expensive TO
install. are generally the most eco
nomical in the end.
You can buy good tile for sis per
thousand and up. depending on the
size OF the tile. But we would sug-
gest that IL Is very much cheaper
and better for the average farmer
to make his own tile. A simple
hand machine that can be operated
by two people can be bought for $40,
and with which 600 tiles can be
made in one day. 100 lbs. OF cement,
costing about 30 cents, will make
about 90 tiles 1 inches in diameter
and i2 inches long. Sand will not
cost the average farmer anything.
He usually has plenty on or near the
farm. With his machine, cement
and sand all he has TO do is TO mix
cement and sand one part cement To
three and one-half Of sand, mix
thoroughly and moisten just enough
20 make il stick together. Moist
en- them every day for a week
and occasionally after they are made
until you are ready TO use them.
This will cause them not TO break
and they will become harder. Any
farmer or number OF farmers can
with little effort and a small cost
make their own tile.
Where properly laid. there is lit
tie danger OF the tiles filling and
practically noe maintenance cost.
Because water runs faster through
tiles they can be much smaller than
the open ditch. The latter, how
ever. has an advantage in holding
more water after a rain. though,
perhaps, not carrying more. The
farmer is in a position TO judge for
himself when il is profitable TO use
liIa