THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 291 



no little experience in underdraining, and read attentively all that 

 has been written on the subject, and then bring all the common 

 sense that is in his possession to bear on the subject. 



402. It is a consideration of very little consequence how rough 

 and uneven the sides of a drain are, providing the bottom is made 

 true. Therefore, when a drain is to be cut without the aid of a 

 regular Ditching Machine, in order to facilitate and economize 

 the expense of cutting it, if the soil is in sod, plow a furrow 

 where the drain is to be made, about six inches deep, and 

 then cut another furrow about six inches wide, very straight, 

 and throw it beyond the first furrow, either with the plow 

 or with manure hooks. Now drive back to the other end, 

 and plow the subsoil as deep as is convenient, by going twice 

 in the same place. Now shovel out the loose dirt, and plow 

 again. By hitching the team two or three feet further from the 

 plow, with a chain, than they are hitched for ordinary plowing, a 

 ditch can be plowed two feet deep with a common plow. A 

 strong double team and Michigan Sod Plow is much better than 

 a single team. After the dirt has been shovelled out, if the drain 

 is to be a small one, have a very long yoke for oxen, or long 

 whippletree or evener for horses, and loosen up the dirt with a 



FIG. 13 Of 



MILTON ALDEN'S DITCHING PLOW, AUBURN, N. y. 



Sub-Soil Plow, or with a Ditching Plow, shown at Fig. 130|, 

 which is a most efficient and superior tool, and can be obtained 

 of the inventor, Milton Alden, Auburn, N. Y.* When the ditch 



* Since this chapter on Draining was written, M. Alden, Auburn, N. Y. , has made a 

 great improvement in ditching plows. His improved plow is made with two standards and 

 two points. One standard is bolted to one side of the beam, as in the Fig. of the single 

 standard plow on this page, and the other standard is bolted to a block, which block is 



