4 ENGINEERING FOR LAND DRAINAGE. 



from data. One collects material; the other builds 

 from the material collected. In making his surveys 

 the engineer should aim to secure sufficient information 

 to properly design the work, yet not so much that the 

 labor and expense involved in securing it would not be 

 justifiable from a strictly business point of view. 



The drainage engineer deals with corporations, com- 

 missioners, and private individuals as their professional 

 expert and counsellor. He should make his employ- 

 er's case his own, and use his best energies to solve 

 the difficulties which arise, having due regard to sound 

 practice and enduring results. He should put himself 

 in harmony with the work and constantly keep in mind 

 the specific object which he is expected finally to reach. 



He should be proficient in the art of clearly repre- 

 senting his data and plans by creditable drawings and 

 concise language. His statements should be divested 

 of all unnecessary technicalities in order that they may 

 be plain to the common reader. This does not, of 

 course, imply that his knowledge or experience should 

 be meager, but that, out of the abundance of his in- 

 formation, he should select that part which will bear 

 upon the case in hand, and so express it that it will be 

 available to others. 



With truth it may be said that greater proficiency is 

 needed in the practice of drainage engineering than at 

 present exists. The work has not been systematiz.ed 

 as has other professional work, nor investigated with 

 that thoroughness which its importance demands. 

 Much trouble arises both from incompetence of en- 

 gineers and over-competence- — if the expression may 

 be allowed — of their employers. As before intimated, 



