130 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



surface in the form of springs. Most of the prairie lands are of the latter character, and 

 wherever such subsoil exists, the land will not only be improved by tile drainage, but it may 

 be said that such drainage is absolutely essential to its proper development and culture. To 

 question the .necessity of the process is little less absurd than it would be to ask whether it 

 would be improved by plowing, instead of making hills for corn in the prairie-grass with a 



hoe or spade. All lands require drainage which at any season contain too much water, 



that is, which hold at any time of the year more moisture than is good for the crops, and 

 causes them to suffer, either by freezing out in winter, or having their roots in water during 

 the growing season.&quot; 



Drainage has been appropriately defined as &quot; the art of rendering land not only so free 

 from moisture that no superfluous water shall remain on it, but that no water shall remain 

 long enough to injure or retard the healthy growth of such plants as are required for the 

 sustenance of man or beast.&quot; There are some plants, such as rice and cranberries, which 

 require a wet soil, but most of those which are useful to man are drowned by being over 

 flowed for a short time, and are injured by any stagnant water about their roots. 



We would recommend that in all cases of drainage, it be well done, as the most care 

 ful and permanent work of this kind will be the cheapest in the end, and the best-paying in 

 return for the capital invested, while work of this kind carelessly and indiferently performed 

 will prove very expensive eventually, as it will probably fail to accomplish the end sought, 

 and will have to be done over in a short time to be of any practical benefit. The best 

 method is to establish a plan for complete system of drainage for the farm, and when this is once 

 done, the work can be accomplished from time to time as opportunity affords, with but little 

 or no interruption to the regular routine of farm labor. It can often be accomplished in 

 those seasons when there is little else to do upon the farm, hence at less expense than other 

 wise. There is no part of farm labor where previous calculation and careful, systematic 

 work pays better than in under-draining. Many farmers have but little to occupy them 

 during the late autumn and winter months, and could devote the time to such work then 

 with no interruption to the other farm work, and with less expense. 



Tile Draining. This is the best method of draining known, being the most effectual 

 and satisfactory in all respects. No person should undertake the task of draining with the 

 expectation of success without first fully informing himself with respect to all the important 

 details, as it is a work which requires much scientific skill and careful planning in order to 

 reach the best results. And, as we have previously recommended, we would advise that the 

 plan be a complete one for the farm, which plan can be gradually carried out from time to 

 time as the farmer feels able to accomplish, either in expense of money or labor. 



Determining the Outlet. One of the most important steps in drainage is to decide 

 upon a place, or the places of outlet. This must, of course, be enough lower than any portion 

 of the lands that are to be drained by it, to admit of sufficient fall for the passage of water 

 from the heads of the most distant tributaries; yet it must at the same time be high enough 

 above the level of whatever it empties into to prevent the danger of its being overflowed, 

 and the drainage-water dammed back in the pipes. In all cases where the inequalities of tho 

 surface are not sufficient to render it obvious that every field on the farm that it is desirable 

 to drain can be drained into the mains without difficulty, the most important point to deter 

 mine is the lowest level at which the outlet can be located so as to secure a free and constant 

 outflow. For instance, the level of every other point must be high enough above the outlet 

 to secure a grade in the tiles of at least 2i to 3 inches per 100 feet, though from 6 inches to 

 12 is better, if practicable. Some writers claim that they have known drainage to prove a 

 complete success where the grade is from one to one and a half inches per 100 feet, but we 

 should fear to risk the cost and labor of constructing drains on that principle. The grade 



