How to Tile Drain. 95 



I always use round tiles, or tiles with a round hole, and either 

 round or six-sided on outside. No others are used about here 

 now. When you come to a side drain, use a tile in the main with 

 a hole in it to let in the water from the lateral. Such are made 

 and sold here now. When I did my first draining, however, I 

 cut holes in the main tiles, or broke them out at one end. After 

 fitting the lateral properly, so that the water will run down, 

 partly, into main, cover joint entirely and carefully with pieces of 

 broken tiles or flat stones. There are generally enough poor, 

 cracked tiles, or those that get broken, to use for this purpose. 

 After making a good, tight job that will not be displaced by 

 filling, cover with a little fine clay. In ordinary draining there is 

 no need whatever of putting straw over tiles, or anything over 

 joints, that fit reasonably well. If you make a poor joint, open 

 quite a little on top, put a piece of broken tile over it. In going 

 through a sandy place, if you fear it will sift into joints, put a 

 piece of paper over. I first read of this in The American Agricul- 

 turist some twenty years ago, and found it just the thing. I took 

 an old book out, and a single leaf answered the purpose., I only 

 wanted something to hold the sand until earth became settled 

 about tiles. When tiles are ready to cover I take my spade and 

 put a little fine clay over two or three, and get down on them. 

 (By the way, I put a flat stone over upper end of lateral to keep 

 earth out.) Then, with a spade, I cut or shave down, first from 

 one side and then the other, fine clay subsoil, two or three inches 

 deep over the tiles, walking along and packing carefully, with my 

 feet one each side of tiles, shaving down ahead of me, as I walk. 

 This subsoil is the proper covering for tiles. You do not want 

 straw or surface soil to " let the water in." .You want to keep it 

 out all you can right on top. Let it work in gradually through 

 the soil, and from the under side. It will not carry sediment 

 then, as it will to flow right in from above. The tiles are solidly 

 placed in a groove, so walking on the^m, with a little subsoil on 

 them first, will not displace them, or should not; but be careful. 

 Of course, fine clay can be thrown in from the surface first, but 

 with me it is seldom fine, and I can get it in a hurry by shaving 

 down sides. My time, that of the boss, is worth more than that 

 of a man that can shovel, who may be trusted to do the rest of the 

 filling. I often have taken a horse, and tramped the clay down 

 before putting back the surface soil. It is pretty hard to keep 

 him in the narrow ditch. Some say, " Why, if you tramp it, 

 water will stand right over drain." Let it stand. I do not want it 

 to run straight down at first. After ground gets settled it is all right. 

 This is my way of draining for a small farmer, doing some 

 every spring and fall, perhaps. That is the class I am writing for. 

 Experts, or those draining on a large scale, may do better. Most 

 professionals dig the last cut with a long spade, just wide enough 

 at the bottom to fit the tiles, and then clean out as they go with a 



