148 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



these tiles with equal compactness in every place. You will see 

 at once that if a tile rolls half an inch, it opens a seam, where the 

 sand and gravel will wash in. It is much better to hold tiles in 

 their true position by birch bark, or some other device. The 

 English laugh at us for that. They have collars made for the pur- 

 pose, so that there is no danger of their tiles getting out of place. 

 Birch bark is a very convenient substitute, and lasts a good while. 



The resolve was unanimously adopted. 



Mr. Gilbert of Greene. I feel anxious to understand this mat- 

 ter, as much of my farm needs underdraining. It seems to me it 

 would be very difficult to get the earth so firm underneath them 

 that the round tiles would not be more likely to roll than the flat- 

 bottomed oval ones. 



Col. Sweet. I think there would be no trouble in the direction 

 indicated. When you get the tiles covered, there is nothing to start 

 them. If 3^ou put on birch bark, as Mr. Perley recommends, there 

 will be no trouble. There is a work upon underdraining, by Geo. 

 E. Waring, of Rhode Island, published in New York, which can 

 be obtained easily, and which I would recommend to every man 

 who drains extensively, or even if he does but little, for whether 

 he does much or little, he should do it in tlie best manner. 



Prof. Peckham. That work is the text book at the Agricultural 

 College. The Draining Engineer of the Central Park, New York, 

 where they laid several miles of underdrains, recommends the 

 cylindrical tile, to the exclusion of all others. lie recommends 

 that they be laid with collars, as in England. This collar is a 

 short piece of tile, a size larger than that which makes up the 

 principal length of the drain, and holds the two ends firmly in 

 their place. 



Gov. Brown". I wish to say a few words in relation to the works 

 on this subject. Some fifteen years ago. Judge French of New 

 Ilampshire, — who is, by the way, one of the best farmers within 

 my knowledge ; a man who never cultivates an acre without mak- 

 ing a profit from it, — took a farm in the town of Exeter, N. 11., that 

 was on the edge of a sandy plain, but descending to the south, 

 until it came to what is called Exeter river. The land was so full 

 of water, that by digging four feet anywhere, you would come to 

 permanent water. And yet that land did not produce any grass. 

 I think I could have walked over an acre and not trod on a spear 

 of grass. He commenced draining that farm, and he did it so 

 thoroughly, with tiles, that in three 3'ears after he commenced, I 



