Farm Drainaije. 375 



This can be huiit or put in as often as desired, and, it is 

 claimed, will obviate all risk of the tile clogging from silt. 

 But I think a properly laid drain, in any ordinary soil, 

 where there is sufficient fall to give a current, will last longer 

 than its maker, without silt basins. 



The only stoppage I ever have had has occurred at junc- 

 tions — i. e., where the lateral has met a main, and the join- 

 ing has not been as good as it should have been. 



We always make a junction by ]>reaking one tile of the 

 main and one of the lateral, so that they will fit like the 

 point of a crotch harrow. As it is rather a difficult job to 

 break them so as to make a perfect joint, it is well to place 

 some sort of a covering over all such joints. I have used a 

 Hat stone ; again I have used a covering of old litter or 

 straw, or leaves, anything of the kind which can be handily 

 procured. 



All writers on the subject recommend employing an 

 engineer to lay out the drains, and have an accurate map of 

 the same drawn on paper for future reference. If, at any 

 time, any portion of the drains are to be opened for any 

 cause, the map is consulted, and, by finding the exact rela- 

 tive location on the map to some important points desig- 

 nated on both map and Held, like a tree or large stone, it is 

 at once found, without digging at random, at a depth of 

 three feet, for the tiles. But my experience has been that 

 where a net work of drains has been laid and the tield 

 seeded to grass, w^e could stand at any point on the field 

 where the eye could see the whole length of the drains, and 

 trace them as readily as you could furrows plowed in the 

 sward — the grass being taller and looking greener ; and, 



