6 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



continued plowing to the same depth or when the moisture content 

 of the subsoil causes puddling in the bottom of the furrow. In all 

 such cases the normal circulation of water through the soil and sub- 

 soil is disturbed and the soil is wet and cold during the early part 

 of the season, becoming baked and hard during the later months of 

 summer. It would be difficult to remedy this condition without the 

 improvement in the conditions of underdrainage which may best be 

 accomplished by the use of tile. 



The surface configuration of the type is such as to afford sufficient 

 grade for the tile systems and outlets are not difficult of location. 

 The chief difficulties to be encountered lie in the high initial cost of 

 the tile and of the labor for ditch digging and covering. The uni- 

 versal presence of a large amount of stone in the subsoil, the presence 

 of rock ledges at shallow depths and the distance of the farms from 

 points where tile may be obtained cheaply, all tend to make drainage 

 operations expensive. Yet, upon the majority of farms, this im- 

 provement is the first essential step toward increased profits. Tile 

 drainage should be undertaken, at least upon a small scale, upon 

 three-fourths of the farms containing areas of this soil. 



Drainage should be started by laying lines along the natural de- 

 pressions to carry away excess moisture which accumulates in the 

 spring and retards the tillage of the field. In many instances a field 

 of 20 or 30 acres may be greatly improved by a few rods of tile drain 

 along some swale or run-off channel which divides the field and inter- 

 feres with timely cultivation and planting. As the benefits of such 

 drainage are realized laterals may be extended into the body of the 

 field. In all cases careful surveys should be made to establish grades 

 and to arrange the lines of tile to drain the largest area with the 

 least expenditure for tile and labor. Provision should usually be 

 made for the extension of the system as its benefits are proved. Tile 

 of less than 3 inches internal diameter should not usually be laid. 

 The depth of tiling, while dependent upon local conditions, shouM 

 not be less than 2 feet. The cost per acre will, of course, depend upon 

 the conditions of the particular field to be drained. Experience in 

 other areas and with other types of soil show that fairly good drain- 

 age may be secured at a cost ranging from $10 to $20 an acre. 



This seems to be a large item of expense for the improvement of a 

 soil having an acreage value no higher than the average of the 

 Volusia silt loam, but it must be remembered that without adequate 

 drainage many of the other required improvements upon the type 

 can not be made at all and the majority of them are only fully effi- 

 cient after drainage has been attended to. Drainage is, therefore, 

 fundamental to the profitable occupation of the Volusia silt loam and 

 the agricultural efficiency of this soil is chiefly dependent upon this 

 improvement. 



