SOIL IMPROVEMENT 167 



Drainage. The first problem in soil build- 

 ing on cotton farms is to check erosion on the 

 hill land and drain the swamp land. On 

 hill lands broad bed terraces are recommended. 

 On bottom and wet lands, tile drainage, or 

 some other effective method of ridding the 

 soil of surplus water should be adopted. Be- 

 fore any ditching, terracing or tiling is done, 

 all gullies and rough places should be filled 

 up and the land put in fair condition. This 

 will make the work much easier and more 

 effective. 



Before permanent terraces are built, grow 

 one or two heavy crops of peas, or some other 

 green crop which can be plowed un- 

 der to add humus to the soil. This will 

 help to take care of part of the surplus 

 water. 



Broad embankment terraces of a width of 

 fifteen feet, with a gradual fall of from four to 

 six inches per one hundred feet, will 

 carry the surplus water away gradually, 

 allowing much of it to be taken up by 

 the soil. These wide terraces will permit 

 the growing of crops on all the land. 

 When cultivated crops are planted, lay 



