552 IO^YA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



Present conditions in America are merely an incident in the develop- 

 ment of a new agricultural region. Now that the period of settlement 

 and exploitation of the soil is passed, we are under the necessity of de- 

 veloping systems of farming suited to the individual soils in order to de- 

 velop their highest efficiency and to make the most of their fertility. Where 

 the last has been impaired, the systems must be adjusted to obtain the 

 restoration of the highest possible productivity under economic limita- 

 tions, while keeping in view the best uses of the soil when the fertility 

 has again reached its maximum. In this readjustment we shall have to 

 draw on the results of scientific investigation and on the experience of 

 older nations. Many of our own farmers have successfully met these great 

 problems, and their experience now becomes a source of valuable informa- 

 tion to others. Fortunately our people are intelligent and aggressive, and 

 there is every reason to believe that they are capable of meeting the 

 emergency which now confronts us. 



FARM TILE DRAINAGE. 

 BY DANIEL W. STOOKEY. 



(Address delivered before Linn County Farmers' Institute.) 



In these days of high priced land and high prices of farm products 

 owners cannot afford to let wet land lie idle. Many keep their wet land in 

 wild grass and think they are doing well enough. This method of farming 

 is about as shiftless as that told of the southern negro cotton grower. The 

 credit system prevails in the southern states. The free Negro rents a 

 piece of ground. The merchant takes a lien on the crop and trusts the 

 darkey for his living while he makes his crop. When the cotton is ripe 

 the darkey asks his creditor saying, "Boss, how much I owes you?" The 

 merchant looks over the charges which he has made as large as his con- 

 science will permit and tells the Negro, so many bales of cotton. The Ne- 

 gro picks and brings in the required amount and balances the account. If 

 there is more cotton in the field he leaves it there as he has paid his debt 

 and does not need it. He feels that he has done well enough. 



The wet land is the richest on the farm and if tiled will raise the best 

 crops. The first crop often pays all the cost of tiling. Two or three crops 

 always pay it all. That is, tile drainage pays from 33 and 50 to 100 per 

 cent on the cost of the first year and repeat every year afterwards without 

 additional expense. Do we realize what this means? Capitalists seem 

 satisfied with investments in bank deposits, mortgage loans, stocks and 

 bonds that pay from two to eight per cent per annum. The farmer hesi- 

 tates and has hesitated for over twenty years, to my personal knowledge 

 and sorrow, to invest in tile drainage that will surely pay from 33 to 100 

 per cent. Why does he hesitate? Because he has not the cash necessary 

 and is afraid of debt and a mortgage, or is busy building a big red barn 

 or because he is trying to get rich hy selling cream from cows that he ex- 

 pects to give him lots of rich, sweet cream from coarse sour grass grown 

 on slough pastures, or because he hopes that next season will be dry and 

 give him a good crop. He takes his chances and gambles on the weather 



