Land Drainage in New York 1663 



the best clay tile. They should be carefully made of a rich mix- 

 ture. A sand a little loamy improves the quality if the mixing is 

 thorough, as it reduces the amount of pore space. Whether they 

 can be made at prices to compete with clay tile depends on the size 

 made and the local situation in labor and materials for the two 

 kinds of tile. 



Only sound tile giving a true ring should be put in the ground. 

 The ends should be reasonably square and smooth so that a good 

 joint can be made. This is most important when laving tile in 

 soil of a quicksand nature. Here special precautions against clog- 

 ging is necessary. 



PROTECTION OF JOINTS 



The upper half of the joint should either be very close or should 

 be covered with a strip of tar paper or burlap or a handful of thick 

 cement mortar. This will force the water to enter from the under 

 side of the joint. In heavy clay soil a very close joint is not de- 

 sirable and openings up to an eighth of an inch are permissible, 

 especially if the upper part of the joint is protected, as indicated 

 above. Collars and bell-shaped ends like sewer tile are not neces- 

 sary, although the latter may be serviceable in soil inclined to af- 

 ford a soft bottom on which the tile rest. Such construction will 

 protect the alignment. 



ARRANGEMENT OF DRAINS 



The arrangement of the drains will, of course, always depend 

 upon the structure of the soil and the slope of the land which de- 

 termine the direction of movement of the water. The aim should 

 be to intercept the flow of the water and remove it from the land 

 by the shortest practicable course. 



Oh flat land the drains must generally be arranged in more or 

 less parallel lines at such intervals as will accommodate the soil. 

 Their purpose is to remove the water derived from rainfall upon 

 that area. In clay land they may be from forty to sixty feet apart 

 for the common field crops. On sandy soil that is moderately 

 porous they may be from eighty to one hundred and fifty feet 

 apart. For intensive cultivation, as in growing truck crops, a 

 greater frequency may be justified. Where the surface is undu- 

 lating and where there are strata more porous than others so that 



