2O6 



FARM DEVELOPMENT 



stretched from station to station, 50, or even 100, or more, 

 feet apart, and placed at a given distance above the 

 desired grade, serves as a line from which to measure 

 down to the bottom of the ditch. The ends of the wire 

 can be placed at the same distance above the desired 

 grade and parallel to it. The depth for the ditch at each 

 point being known, the wire can be attached to each 

 stake high enough to make the wire a given distance 

 above the desired bottom of the ditch, say 7 feet. It 

 will be convenient to have it high enough to be out of 

 the way of throwing out the spadeful of earth. To find 

 the proper depth to make the ditch, an L-shaped meas- 



Figure 96. Grading frame used in leveling the bottom of tile ditches. 



uring rod may be used to measure down from the wire, 

 which may be placed at one side. By using stakes, as in 

 Figure 101, the wire can be stretched so tightly that 

 it will not sag. 



Laying tiles in the ditch. Where the material in the 

 bottom of the ditch is not too soft, laying by hand, as 

 shown at I, Figure 94, is the better way of placing the 

 tiles in position. When placed by hand the tiles can be 

 so turned and adjusted that the ends will be sufficiently 

 close together to prevent earth falling in between. Where 

 material under the bottom of the ditch is so soft that 

 treading on the tiles displaces them, it is necessary to 



