560 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



should be removed through the soil rather than over it, a work remain- 

 ing in an experimental stage, except as regards a better understanding of 

 its application to various soils, and for the purpose of demonstrating 

 the scientific changes which occur from practical work along this line. 

 The growth of land drainage for agricultural purposes has been governed 

 largely by the environment of the farmer. While he had sufficient land 

 that was naturally dry and required only the ordinary and primitive 

 methods of cultivation, there was no occasion for adding to his arable 

 estate those lands that required more than the ordinary outlay of time 

 and money. That time is past. Now every progressive farmer looks 

 upon every unimproved acre of land as an item upon his expense account, 

 for does he not pay taxes upon it in common with his most productive 

 land? Eoes it not cost him as much to cultivate as does the adjoining 

 field of rich loam? Is it not a blot upon an otherwise fair rural picture, 

 to say nothing of the financial features which with the farmer and busi- 

 ness man are more weighty? While this is true of the small farmer who 

 delights in high grade and artistic farming, there are large tracts of 

 fertile land lacking only suitable drainage to fit them for the most profit- 

 able cultivation. 



The enterprising farmer, be his interests large or small, will find an 

 ample field for the exercise of such knowledge as he may choose to acquire 

 in the theory and practice of land drainage, nor should he fail to avail 

 himself of all opportunities presented for mastering this useful subject. 

 The fact that our national government and our state experiment stations 

 are devoting much attention to such subjects as "Moisture and Crop Dis- 

 tribution," etc., indicates that these subjects and their bearing upon 

 land drainage are worthy of the most careful study by progressive and 

 ])ractical men. In discussion of topics pertaining to general farming, fruit 

 growing or stock raising, as given in the agricultural papers or at the 

 session of farmers' institutes, the subject of soil drainage takes a promi- 

 nent place and the value of such an improvement of the soils is empha- 

 sized, and its advantage enlarged upon by all farmers. 



Like every other operation in which the management of the soil is 

 concerned, there is a right send a wrong way; there may be a good way 

 and a better way, but there is only one "best way. Some soil requires no 

 artificial drainage, some a little, and some a great deal in order to yield 

 the best results. Good judgment and some knowledge are required to 

 adapt the method of improvement to the land to be treated. The land 

 owner should perform the work well, without unnecessary cost. He 

 should know how the work should be done, or be able to employ someone 

 with sufficient skill and professional honesty to do the work for him. There 

 is no mystery connected with the theory and practice of land drainage, as 

 some would have you believe, neither is an instinct born in men which 

 will relieve them from the necessity of acquiring knowledge of this work 

 in the old way. Drainage practice must be adapted to the needs of each 

 tract of land to be improved. In other words, each farm and in many 

 cases each field presents a special problem in drainage. The land owner 

 must not think that a method which has proved efficient in one locality 

 will necessarily be the best in another, or that when he has successfully 



