DRAINING GENERALLY. 73 



to supervise the work. One point only do I insist on 

 that is, draining into a main rather than an open 

 ditch or brook; for it is difficult in this or any- 

 harsher climate to prevent the crumbling of your 

 outlet tile by frost. Below the Potomac or the Ar- 

 kansas, this may not be apprehended ; and there it 

 may be best to have your drains separately discharge 

 from a roadside bank or into an open ditch, as they 

 will thus inhale more air, and so help (in Summer) 

 to warm and moisten the soil above them ; but in our 

 climate I believe it better to let your drains discharge 

 into a covered main or mains as aforesaid, than into 

 an open ditch or brook. 



Tile and labor are dear with us ; I presume labor 

 will remain so. But, in our old States, there are 

 often laborers lacking employment in November and 

 the Winter months ; and it is the wisest and truest 

 charity to proffer them pay for work. Some will re- 

 ject it unless the price be exorbitant ; but there are 

 scores of the deserving poor in almost every rural 

 county, who would rather earn a dollar per day than 

 hang around the grog-shops waiting for Spring. Get 

 your tiles when you can, or do not get them at all, but 

 let it be widely known that you have work for those 

 who will do it for the wages you can afford, and you 

 will soon have somebody to earn your money. Hav- 

 ing staked out your drains, set these to work at dig- 

 ging them, even though you should not be able to 

 tile them for a year. Cut your outlet deep, and your 

 land will profit by a year of open drains. 



