DRAINAGE. 215 



the same as an ice house. The outside is sheeted, building 

 paper put on, and then sided. Tar paper is put on the stud- 

 ding inside, then sheeted with half-inch stuff and papered with 

 felt paper. I think lath and plaster would answer as well. 



DEAINAGE. 



Draining is in order at all times when other work is not 

 pressing. I have paid out some $400.00 for open drains cut 

 with a spade, and find them the most expensive of all, as they 

 soon fill, besides occupying too much room. The banks are 

 always a harbor for weeds, scattering their seeds broadcast 

 over the farm. My plan is, where an open ditch is needed, to 

 plow and scrape the same as if road making, spreading the dirt 

 well back and making a sloping bank that a load may readily 

 be hauled through, or the mowing machine run easily through. 

 Such a ditch is easily seeded with grass, where there is not too 

 much water. 



Of course there are places where a team can not be used, 

 then it is necessary to dig by hand until the soil is found firm 

 enough to admit a team. But by all means, use the team to clean 

 the old ditches where it is possible. I have scraped, where once 

 an old ditch had been dug and filled nearly full, eighty rods, 

 two feet deep, and twelve feet wide on top, spreading the dirt 

 well back from one to two rods, in two and one-half days. 

 This was in peaty soil; in hard ground it takes longer, but can 

 be done for about one-fourth the expense of hand digging. I 

 made an outlet this Fall, through hard clay from one to four 

 feet deep (average two and one-half), from sixteen to twenty- 

 five feet wide, spreading the dirt well back, so that a team can 

 be driven through, at an expense not exceeding forty cents per 

 rod. When once a man becomes used to it, he will spread the 

 dirt ready for the plow. I never use the second man, one can 

 do more than any team can stand. I have frequently found it 

 necessary to work at this only half a day at a time, especially 

 in hot weather. This work should begin as soon after harvest 

 as is practicable. Open ditches should be made only as outlets 

 for under-drains. 



