IO2 Our Farming. 



out, except, perhaps, in case of very large fields, with very slight 

 fall, where the greatest accuracy is needed. 



I have not found any need of having silt basins on my place. 

 There is fall enough, I think, to always carry all sediment out of 

 any length drain I have. On level land and some soils these are 

 thought necessary. They are simply little wells, into which the 

 tiles empty, and then the w r ater flows out on the other side into 

 another line. The silt settles in well and can be cleaned out. 

 They are usually built about two feet deeper than the tiles are 

 laid those I have seen. By the way, do not get the impression 

 that I have done any very large amount of tile draining. Writing 

 so much about it, you might be led to think that I had done a 

 great deal. I have not, but have had to do a little of most every 

 kind on my farm. 



The water goes into the tile drain through the joints practi- 

 cally. You will hear some object to glazed tiles, saying water 

 cannot get through them. I have never been able to lay a 

 drain so tightly that water did not get in all right. I lay them just 

 as tight as I can . I have heard men say they laid the tiles one-eighth 

 of an inch apart so the water could get in. One manufacturer told 

 me last winter his tiles were so well made that if one laid them in 

 a straight drain and tightly as they could they would swell so 

 tight no water would ever get in. Well, he thinks so, but I don't 

 believe he ever laid many tiles. I prefer glazed tiles, because I 

 know they are hard enough. The. softer or brick tiles are gener- 

 ally all right when properly burned. I \vould not lay any of them 

 without striking them together, where their color leads me to 

 doubt their being hard enough. If they ring clear and sharp they 

 are good. If they give out a dull, dead sound, throw them away. 

 You can also detect a cracked tile by the sound when handling. 

 You cannot be too careful to avoid getting any into your drains, 

 but sound, hard burned ones. If you will use cracked or doubt- 

 ful ones, let it be at upper end of drains. Where a little piece is 

 broken out, I use them at upper end, and cover hole with piece of 

 broken tile. 



As to the depth tiles should be laid there is great difference 

 of opinion. I find men who declare water will not go down in 

 their subsoil to tiles three feet deep ; that they might as well throw 

 the tiles away. They are probably right as they manage, but I 

 should expect, if I kept all stock off land and clovered in rotation, 

 that drains of that depth would be all right in time. Shallow 

 drains will, undoubtedly, show good results quicker, on certain 

 soils, but I should have no fear but what I could drain deeper any 

 soil that was fit for cultivation. But circumstances do alter cases 

 very greatly, and, perhaps, you had better be governed by local 

 opinion until you have actual experience of your own. I would 

 not lay down any cast-iron rules. And still I can show you some 

 of the meanest, toughest blue clay in Ohio, drained three feet deep 



