TILE DKAINAGE 133 



and then pour in some more water. Do not lay a tile until 

 the water runs to suit you. I believe friend Terry speaks of 

 drawing water to the field in barrels when it happens there 

 is none ready to test the drain with. While I write I am 

 looking at a spot out of the window where our drains have 

 never worked quite satisfactorily. I told the men who were 

 digging the ditch not to lay any tiles until I got around. 

 Well, the work in the office was quite urgent at the time, and 

 I did not get around as soon as I expected to. They were so 

 sure they were doing it right, they put in the tiles and cover- 

 ed them up. I scolded, and talked about digging them out 

 again. But I let it go ; and we have had a wet place there 

 long after the rest of the field is dry. This has happened at 

 every heavy rain since the ditch was made. 



This brings us to the matter of poor help. The idea that 

 " any fool can dig " is a big blunder. Friend Chamberlain is 

 exactly right about it. There are only a few people among 

 my acquaintances who can dig well with profit. I remember 

 once upon a time a " tramp " came along and wanted a 

 breakfast. I gave him his breakfast first, and he was to dig 

 until we were satisfied he had paid for it. Well, my impres- 

 sion is that his breakfast would not have been paid for at 

 the present time, had we kept him still digging. He could 

 not do any thing about the ditch without making more trou- 

 ble than he was worth. Strength is a grand thing in digging 

 ditches ; but without brains it amounts to little. In the first 

 place, you want a man who is willing to be taught. For sev- 

 eral years I had in my employ an old Englishman. He was 

 a splendid man for most kinds of work ; but when laying 

 tiles he would insist on having the bottom wide enough so he 

 could shovel the dirt out with a common barn shovel. Then 

 he would trim down the sides until they were smooth and 

 true. His ditch was very handsome, and would have been 

 just the thing if he were going to lay tiles a foot square. 

 But it is a great blunder to dig such a big trench for round 

 tiles only 2i or 3 inches in diameter. I had to give him up. 



