Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-12
Weekly Bureau of In
formation for All Who
Till the Soil or Are In
terested In Making Home,
THE SOIL-SAVING DAM
ADDS TO FERTILE ACRES

Large bitches having moderate rate
of fan may lie e-onumically tillcd by
the use of soil saving dam when
the ditch is long OF the fall rapid.
several dams may hc required fo- one
ditch.
Locating the pam--The lowest par;
of the ditch on tho field or farm is
usually the best pace to build the
FIRST dam. II may often DC 50 located
that the field fence or line fence may
ho built on it
Kind and Position q. Tilc-Usc hard
burned sewer tile under The dam. Lay
tho tito III a shallow trench. having a
straight course sac a uniform fail. in
the ditch bolt, ~. Eun tho tile from
a good outlet below the dam TO twenty
or thirty fec; abov. the dam. Usc an
elbow or a I joint for the inlet and
set Upon this one ur more upright
lengths OF tile support these b. thrcr
or more posts. rack clay around the
joints Tho ,hjcct az locating I'll" inlet
so far above the dam is 10 remove il
from the trash which acCumulatcs at
the dam. Protect the inlet further by
a circle OF woven wire fencing five or
six fee; in diameter. set on additional
tile as the ditch ills always keeping
tho inlet below the top of the dam.
lamp covering Of earth tirmly
around tho line OF tile TO make il
water tight and to protect IL until the
tile from washing out by cncasins
with stone or concrete. If this is too
expensive. use a long wooden box a
long section of steel culvert pipe.
Cover the outlet with "a screen or trap
to keep out rats and rabbits.
Constructing the Dam.--Makc the
dam OF earth .r concrete. Use which
ever is cheaper Where gravel is
abundant and concrete construction
cheap concrete dams arc possible. In
many sections earth is much heapcr
and is quite satisfactory. When earth
is used the dam need not be built to
the full height at FIRST but may Re
raised as the ditch fills and time is
found for the work. Build the dam
full width at the start 10 avoid the eN-
pensc of hand shovelinE to increase
the width later. Keep the middle Of
tho dam highest SO that any over
flow caused by heavy rains viii pass
around tho ends rather than over the
middle. Make >arth dams about six
feet wide on top when completed. with
slope enough OH the sides to stand up
we'll oats or other small grain sown
thickly at ends OF dam. where over
flows are likely to cut, viii give a
quick cover to hold the soil.
Thing the Fill-lt is frequently de-
sirablc TO drain the M. This may
be done by using I JOINT instead Of
an elbow al the inlet aboN" the dam
and continuing the tile as Ear up the
ditch as desired. Ordinary drain tile
may be used for this and usually "A
smaller size will suffice. Prepare the
ditch bottom for this extension by
digging shallow trench having a
uniform fall and Il straight course or
long easy curves. DO not attempt TO
lay tile around short curves. Cover
the tile deep enough to protect them
from injury. preferably two feet or
r1,,o I'm, ~ tI.'l
extension may be continued up the
ditch under as many dams "a may u,
constructed. Use Il joint and up
right inlet above each u.-l. I.ti.
drains may be laid from
tended to drain spouty places on the
sloDes at the ditch head.
Size OF Ill.
luired Will vary with the amour: OF
land drained. the s;ccpncss OF tho
slopes. the porosity Of the soil a nd the
amount OF storage room above the dam.
With a run-otf area OF iorty ,t.r.S a..
cultivated land having rcrtle siooos :,
dam affordinE an acre or moe Of s,or-
age room three or four feet deep should
be reasonably well prote ted by a tile
ton inches in diameter. Whore the tile
line Is short and its cost relatively
small. !; is well 10 use tile Of ample
80 W ''''' 4pl'S INES ~! tlle
laid. the lower parts oi the system
should be OF ample sizo and tho size
gradually reduced up Tho ditch 10 los
son the cNpcns" ~ small bitches and
drainasc, iaterals iour-inch tiles are
usually laid.
What 1t VIII .Cos,.-rhc cos, vii,
vary An estimate IF the cos, OF tho
dam may ho--mat!j by calculating the
number Of cubic yards Of earth to he
moved and allowing i to - cents nor
cubic yard. Ten cents a cubic yard is
a fair average. The cost Of the ,ilc
viii vary with the amount used. the
size Of the lie and the cost of hauling
from factory or railroad. The labor
and tile c"nstt,ut" tho principal cos,
\ few dollars must be added fo, clear
ing the ditch and protecting the Quite,
and inlet II the mn is tiled. add the
cost Of tile and labor for this The
cost OF maintenance is very small II
the dam IS properly constructed
Maintaining the Fill.-if the fills are
tile drained they are usually easily
held and may be farmcd as par, Of the
field. II Difficult, 70 hold for any rca
son they may Toe Kept seeded TO grass.