106 TILE DRAINAGE 



dirt as well as when first laid, but, of course, rotten, and of 

 no account when disturbed. 



This idea of using paper is not original with me. I had it 

 from Col. Waring, in an article of his published (not in his 

 book) in (I think) the American Agriculturist, years after his 

 book was issued. But the use of buildinq-pafer is an idea of 

 my own. I buy it by the roll, expressly for this purpose. 



ESTABLISHING GRADE. 



. On this point the same letter says : 



Another point, which I think to be very essential, is to get 

 the bottom of the ditch of a true and uniform grade, espe- 

 cially where there is but a slight fall For this purpose we 

 use a light, strong linen line stretched directly over and at a 

 certain height above the proposed bottom of the ditch (7 feet 

 is a convenient height); then with a light wooden rod 7 

 feet long the workman can cut down so the rod will just set 

 under the line. By using the rod at frequent intervals, a 

 careful workman can, with absolute certainty, make a true 

 and even grade. The line must be supported at intervals of 

 about 60 feet. 



This letter is valuable because written out of actual, suc- 

 cessful experience. The line he recommends is used instead of 

 the "boning -rods," mentioned before in this little book, 

 and recommended by Waring and others. 



QUICKSAND POCKETS. 



I have, in a few places, struck small quicksand pockets 

 just where the tile should lie. To prevent the tiles from 

 sinking out of true I have laid strips of board, 1x4 or 1x6 

 inches, and of the necessary length, right on the quicksand 

 at the proper grade, and laid the tiles on these, and covered 

 with clay, w r ith strips of tin or of heavy paper, over the 

 joints. Tarred or oiled building-paper would be best. The 

 work has been successful. Others who have had longer 

 strips of quicksand have reported success by the same 

 means. 



SILT-BASINS, ^MAN-HOLES," ETC. 



I have never found these necessary for my soil, with my 

 excellent fall. The Storrs & Harrison Co. (nurseries) Paines- 

 ville, O., have tiled large areas of very level land near Lake 



