162 



LAND DRAINAGE 



tance of the farm from the station and the condition or 

 quality of the roads. 



The cost of digging the ditch, laying the tile, and filling 

 the ditch is subject to considerable variation due to the 

 nature of the soil and the cost of labor. Elliot estimates 

 that where : (1) the earth is readily spaded and no pick 

 or bar is required in the digging, and (2) the wages for 

 good diggers is 25 cents an hour and for expert ditchers 

 is 35 cents an hour (the last representing half the labor 

 required and including superintendence), the cost of 

 digging the ditch, laying the tile, and blinding will approxi- 

 mate the figures shown in the table below : 



TABLE XVII 



APPROXIMATE COST TO A ROD OF DIGGING DITCH, LAYING TILE, 

 AND BLINDING UNDER CONDITIONS NAMED ABOVE 



When the ground is so hard as to require a considerable 

 use of the pick or bar, the cost may reach double that in- 

 dicated in the table. 



The filling of a 3-foot ditch will cost three cents a rod 

 when a team and plow or scraper are used, or six cents a 

 rod when performed by hand labor. The cost of filling 



