UNDERDRAINING LAND. 109 



a large field of clay land, whether lying low or not, and 

 without regard to its condition as to wetness from springs, 

 may be more profitably treated by thorough drainage than by 

 any other sj'stem. The rule usually prescribed for this kind 

 of drainage is, tile laid not more than thirty- three feet apart, 

 and as nearly three feet deep as the nature of the ground and 

 the drop of the outlet will admit. Its cost, at prices of labor 

 since the war, is not far from $100 per acre. 



2. " Partial drainage " is such as only partly or imperfectly 

 secures the object aimed at, although it often does much good, 

 as when one drain is placed through the middle of a piece of 

 laud, leaving parts on either side that may be full of springs 

 — or where no sufiicient fall can be had to secure a proper 

 outlet. This kind is to be tolerated only when the exigencies 

 of the case permit of nothing better. 



3. "Sufficient drainage" may be described as that which 

 completely secures the object without any unnecessary ex- 

 pense. For example : a field of sandy loam, upon a subsoil 

 of gravel, would ordinarily be considered as sufficiently 

 drained by nature, and yet it may be kept too wet by a spring 

 of water in its higher part. To tap this spring, and draw its 

 water in the most direct line to the nearest available outlet, 

 would be sufficient. Sufficient drainage is the kind which 

 Mr. Gregory has applied, with admirable judgment and com- 

 plete success. 



As for the kind of tile to be used, the Committee are of 

 opinion that round tiles, with collars, are preferable to those 

 used by Mr. Gregory. " The first cost of these tiles is but 

 little more, and much less expense for labor and materials is 

 required to fix them in place and hold them in line. The 

 collars serve the double purpose of holding the joints immov- 

 ably in line and protecting them against the passage of sand 

 or other matter. These points are of the greatest importance 

 in work which is to be buried from sight, and which is 

 intended to endure for many years. 



D. F. Appleton, Chairman. 



