906 
joints tightly. Keep true to grade and in 
a straight line or use easy curves. 
Covering 
As soon as it is inspected, blind tile. 
The ditch may be filled with a plow, using 
long double tree where no crop is grow- 
ing. Plow may be used to open ditch 
where it will not interfere with crops or 
surveyor’s stakes. 
Drainage of Farmyards, Buildings and 
Road—Septie Tank 
Road Drainage 
Drainage is the foundation of good road 
construction. The surface must be 
crowned. Use frequent culverts and pas- 
sages to fields and avoid letting the water 
accumulate so that it has much erosive 
power. Use “water breaks” on hills to 
throw water to side of road. Keep the 
surface smooth and with a 1 to 20 slope 
to the exact peak of the road, not round- 
ed. Side ditches should have flaring 
sides, 1 to 18 slope on side of hills. Pro- 
tect the side of the ditch from erosion 
by paving the bottom with stone or brick. 
Sub-Drainage 
A good road must be thoroughly 
drained, and artificial drainage should be 
provided in low, wet places. Get rid of 
the water in the foundation of the road 
before frost. Three-inch tile with a fall 
of 3-10ths of a foot per 100 feet—cross 
drains. 
Barnyards, Buildings, Ete. 
There should be a ditch around the 
farmyard to shut out any water that 
might run in from the outside. Have the 
feed floor slope gradually to a catch basin 
and carry the water below. Water from 
caves should also be collected and car- 
ried to a catch basin. This basin should 
be large enough to check the water and 
allow the silt to settle. The inlet must 
be protected by wire grateing. Drain 
around all basements. 
Septic Tank 
Waste from farmhouse and from the 
other buildings can best be handled by 
means of a sanitary septic tank. A 
tank 8x5x6%4 feet is large enough for a 
farm or for 10 or 11 persons. 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
The liquid as it passes out is free from 
disease germs, and it percolates away 
from tile to soil. 
In close ground it may be well to put 
a load of gravel along in the trench be- 
fore laying the tile. The capacity re- 
quired per person is about four cubic 
feet. The tank need not be more than 
20 feet from the house. Sewage contains 
about two parts per thousand solids. One 
of those two parts is mineral matter, the 
other organic matter. The mineral mat- 
ter will not dissolve or decompose, and 
so a manhole is provided at the top for 
cleaning out about once a year. The 
liquid leaving the tank should be almost 
odorless, bul in order for this to be so 
there must be no strong currents in the 
tank. The inlet should have but a mod- 
erate fall, one inch per rod. In cleaning 
out, do not remove the scum, as this 
contains the ferments, causing decom- 
position of the sewage. 
Materials for the Septic Tank 
Gravel, 2% yards; sand, 4% cubic yard; 
cement, 34% bbls.; lumber for form: tile 
at outlet, 50 feet; vitrified brick, 60; 
sewer tiles; labor. 
The cost complete is $30 to $85. 
Special Drainage Problems 
Muck Lands 
These lands part with their moisture 
easily and may become too dry. They set- 
tle when drained. Open ditches four feet 
deep and 200 feet apart, or tile drains 
150 feet apart will in general be about 
right. Because those soils part with their 
moisture readily they may be drained 
very successfully. Frequently cranberry 
marshes will not need to be thoroughly 
drained, but drained part of the year. 
Drains to Prevent Erosion 
This is frequently a special problem. 
On hill sides use open ditches of moder- 
ate fall, or underground tile lines. Plow 
the ground so as to have terraces run- 
ning around the mound and check the 
run-off, 
Salt Marshes 
These are problems that need special 
attention. To drain salt marshes dyke 
the tides out and then collect the water 
