THE IRKIGATION AGE. 



215 



fertile land. The first attempts in underdrainage were 

 made for the purpose of reclaiming the low places or 

 natural degressions, and, though successful in every 

 way, demonstrated that in the loose soil of that island 

 tiles of small size should be used with great caution. 

 When a level field of considerable size was thoroughly 

 drained, laterals of 4-inch tile were used, but ponds 

 and swales were drained by single lines of such size as 

 former experience might dictate. 



There are some features of this drainage which 

 are of peculiar interest to those unfamiliar with out- 

 lets which discharge into tide water. By the rise of 

 the tide, which is between five and six feet, all the low 

 land at the upper end of the creeks was daily sub- 

 merged and could be drained only during low tide. To 

 reclaim such land the tide water must be shut off and 

 provision made to drain away the excess of rainfall. A 

 bank is thrown across the upper end of the creek and 

 the low land above filled and the main drain laid, from 

 which laterals reach out into all accessible depressions. 

 At the outlet is placed an automatic gate which closes 

 during the rise of the tide and opens as the water re- 

 cedes and permits the accumulated drainage and soil 

 water of the land to flow out. The gate consists of an 

 iron pipe six feet long, having the outlet end cut slop- 

 ing at an angle of about 60 degrees with the bottom 

 line of the pipe. The flap or swinging gate hinged 

 on the upper outside diameter of the pipe hangs sus- 

 pended against the end. There are several outlets on 

 Mr. Hinson's drainage works, and he has adopted a 

 wooden gate which is made of plank 1.5 inches thick, 

 which, being lighter than iron, permits the outward flow 

 of drainage water more readily as the tide recedes. To 

 make the gate fit closely a groove is cut around the 

 periphery at the end of the pipe and a rubber washer 

 inserted. The wooden gate shuts against the rubber 

 and effectually excludes the sea water, and has been 

 found to be the most satisfactory gate thus far tried. 



Another peculiarity met with here is the surface 

 inlet, which may be found at every point of distinctive 



SEA-ISLAND COTTON FIELD OF LAST YEAR WITH GARDEN 

 PEAS GROWING IN THE ROWS. 



surface depression. This is a square box extending 

 from one foot above the surface of the ground to the 

 drain, screened at the top, or in some cases, at the 

 side. The utility of these inlets arises from the fact 

 that the tile drains can discharge at their full capacity 

 only during low tide. Heavy showers frequently occur 

 which fill the depressions very rapidly, and at times 



when the discharge of the drains is obstructed by tide 

 water. When they are in condition to discharge the 

 water coming to them, they must do so with the great- 

 est possible rapidity; and this is accomplished by the aid 

 of the open surface inlet. It has also been found well 

 to take a further precaution for this purpose by laying 

 lateral drains 25 or 30 feet apart through the basins 

 which gather surface water most rapidly. While the 

 soil seems friable, there are localities which retain water 

 with great tenacity. Mr. Hinson has observed that his 

 drains operate more freely and effectually three or 

 more years after they have been laid. 



The grade upon which he usually lays his drains 

 is five inches to 100 feet. The lines are leveled with 

 an instrument in a preliminary way and the grades 

 from point to point computed, but the bottom of the 

 ditch is tested by the use of a board and spirt level. 

 A board ten feet long has a cleat one-half inch thick 

 across the end which is kept at the downstream end 

 and the surface of the board maintained in a level po- 

 sition as determined by a common spirit level. When 

 constructed in this way the ditch has a grade of five 

 inches per 100 feet. For inexperienced workmen he 

 has found this method of preparing the bottom of a 

 ditch the most practical one. It should be added that 

 it has been found usually necessary to lay the tile upon 

 boards on account of the unstable condition of the 

 ground which is often encountered. 



A drive over the fields with Mr. Hinson is pleas- 

 ant and profitable to any one interested in advanced 

 soil culture. A glance into the surface inlets, which 

 in some instances consist of sewer pipe placed vertically, 

 is rewarded by a sight of clear soil water coursing 

 through the underdrains on its way to the sea outlet. 

 The fields are well cared for. Mr. Hinson has 500 

 acres which he has drained with greater or less thor- 

 oughness. His first tile were shipped from New Jer- 

 sey at large expense. Later a tile factory was built in 

 South Carolina which has supplied him in recent years, 

 and today is the only one in the State. He estimates 

 that he has fully doubled his production by drainage, 

 and no more earnest advocate of underdrainage can 

 be found than this southern gentleman. He does not 

 see how any agriculturist can afford to neglect so im- 

 portant an improvement if his lands suffer from over- 

 saturation from any cause. Concerning the method of 

 best promoting this practice among farmers, he said: 

 "If I can persuade one man in a neighborhood to drain 

 one acre I have presented the most forcible and effectual 

 argument upon the value of drainage." What the South 

 needs is a larger number of object lessons of this kind. 



Of the methods of culture and management of 

 these lands much might be said, but at present it must 

 be given only a passing notice. The maintenance of 

 the'fertility of the land is one of the leading problems 

 in this State. This expense may be regarded almost as 

 a fixed charge. The purchase of commercial fertilizers, 

 the rotation of crops, and the use of green crops which 

 may be plowed under are an annual expense which 

 must be charged against each field. Mr. Hinson has 

 'a field of 50 acres in asparagus which he has planted 

 and cared for at great expense until now, the third 

 year, he expects to obtain his first cutting. One field 

 of garden peas attracted the writer's attention by the 

 novel plan of bushing employed. The peas are planted 

 in the rows of last year's cotton field, which furnish 

 strong, widely-spreading bushes which the vines will 

 later completely envelop. 



