St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1921-03-05
AGOOD FARMER
CAN'T AFFORD
UNFRAMED
LANDS
Saving in Commercial Fer
tilizers Will Pay the
Cost of Drainage.
THERE SHOULD BE -
DRAINAGE DISTRICTS
Cost Will Not Commence at
Once and Extends Over
Many Years Hence
lBy A. E. Briggs)

s While there is necessary differ
ence between management Of farm
in the hill lands OF this parish and
on the flats in the southern port on,
both have in common the equal ne
cessity for drainage. However, to
effect proper drainage is a less diff
cult problem in the northern th1n
in the southern part of the parish.
Nevertheless, to establish good sys-
tenn OF drainage in the hill lands re-
uuires study and expert handling.
Prof. BarrOWs advises that tile
drainage in this section is probably
not sufficiently more effective to JUS
tify it's adoption instead OF open or
ditch drains. But l would suggest
that this is matter which should
probably be determined to fit the
conditions on each farm by drain
age engineer. This, emphasizes the
fact that it would be greatly to the
advantage of the farmers Of this
parish to employ an expert drainage
engineer to study the conditions APP
plyingy to every farm in the parish
and to lay out "a system Of drainage
which will provide the chief means
mentioned by Prof. Barrows for in
creasing the fertility of the soil SC
that commercial fertilizers need not
in the future to~be purchased in great
quantities as in the past. In short,
it will pay the farmers i'll every part
Of this parish to spend money tor
drainage. 1t will cost less than COM
merclal fertilizers.
AS to the employment Of a drain
age engineer, the Louisiana law pro-
yides for the Board of State En-
gineers to do the most important
preliminary part Of the work at cost,
the expense to be advanced by the
land owners and to be reimbursed
to them out Of any funds realized
from the sale of drainage bonds.
This is matter which should be
taken up at the earliset practicable
moment by the farmers, and they
can obtain the assistance Of the busl-
ness men of the parish.
But the first step to take is to
have the Police Jury (under the
present law) establish drainage dis
tricts over the entire parish, so that
there need be no duplication OF the
work or duplication OF costs at any
place and also to enable each local'-
ty to determine for itse-f the methct
Of drainage therein and not to De
iburdened with the cost OF drainage
for any other locality. The estab-
lishment Of a considerable number
of drainage districts, all at the same
time, is in my opinion the most
efficient and entirely just plan to pre-
vent any locality or any person from
having to pay for drainage he does
not get. Everyone should pay in ex-
act proportion to his benefits. But
cooperation Of all the farmers ana
land owners in the parish is neces-
.sary at the start. So the first thing
to do is to get the Police Jury to
establish the drainage districts. A
fair plan has already been worked
out, not with the idea that it is per-
feet and can't be changed, but as
basis for discussion and to provide a
starting point. That will be re-
submitted at any time 1t becomes
apparent that there is a universal
interest and demand for it.
In each Drainage District after It's
organization by the Police Jury
Drainage Commissioners for the
most part residing in the District
should be appointed to approve
drainage project for that district TO
be submitted to the voers. And be-
fore submitting the project to vote