How to Tile Drain. 97 



as some of our gravelly subsoils do, if there is much water run- 

 ning, you should clean out close up to the spader, and let the 

 water run off to keep the bottom as hard as possible to lay tiles 

 on. I have some subsoil that will fairly melt when loosened up 

 in water, which is so hard it is almost impossible to drive a spade 

 through it. 



Now, this suggests that to shove the spade through solid 

 clay, you need to throw all your weight on it several times. This 

 would be hard on your boot, particularly a rubber one, and that 

 is the kind I wear for such work. To remedy this I got the smith 

 to fit a thin piece of iron under the instep and ball of foot' of my 

 left boot (that is the one I spade with) , turning up on the sides a 

 little, with holes through to use a strap in, over top of boot, to 

 hold it in place. It fits back against heel, and that helps hold it. 

 With this on your boot, and the spade in with one edge out of 

 subsoil, as previously described, one can send it down through 

 pretty hard clay. I have got into spots where a pick had to be 

 used, but rarely. An expert can spade faster than he can pick 

 and shovel, nearly always, where a green hand would think a 

 spade could not be forced through. 



Quicksand is simply wet sand. I have little of this, but have 

 struck some places. Now, if you can once get the tiles in, they 

 will lay all right, as the land becomes settled. I have seen boards 

 used to lay tiles on in such places. I should be afraid of them. 

 And I find others in different parts of the State who have had 

 more experience have done, and advise, just as I did. I graded 

 through the place as well as I could and laid the tiles right on the 

 sand, keeping off of them, of course, and taking great care in 

 covering not to displace. I never used less than 3 -inch tiles 

 in such a place, 2 -inch would not lie solidly enough. 



In laying the tiles from the outlet up, of course, the water 

 flowing in drain will run through them. Unless it carries some 

 floating rubbish with it, I fear nothing from this. The sediment 

 in the water, with reasonable care, does no harm. It will settle 

 between the open joints. You must prevent floating rubbish from 

 getting in tiles, or frogs, etc., when you leave the ditch for a 

 while. I have always used for this purpose a twist of old dead 

 blue grass from the fence corner, putting it in end of tile, not so 

 tightly but that it will let water work through. The twist should 

 be doubled and the doubled end stuck in and the other ones bent 

 around outside, so it can not wash in itself. Lay a tile on one end 

 to hold it. All these little points seem very simple to an old 

 ditcher, but we all had to learn before we knew. I am indebted 

 for much that I know to a thoroughly good workman, who 

 learned the trade in England, and did some draining for me 

 before I moved on farm. He taught me how to use the spade, 

 and cut the ditch narrow to save labor make skill take place of 

 mere strength, and many other things. His name is John Winborn. 



