GRADING THE DITCHES IPOR TILE. 10/ 



curved forward and straight across the cutting-edge, is 

 used for this work, the round-pointed finishing spade 

 having been superseded by this. The workman should 

 thrust the blade into the earth a little quartering to the 

 direction of the line, and take up nearly all of the earth 

 cut loose on what is called the first spading. The round- 

 pointed shovel with the long handle should now be used 

 to throw out the loose earth. The grading line having 

 now been set up as previously described, the second 

 or finishing spading is taken out. The spade should 

 be thrust down to within about 2 inches of the bottom 

 of the ditch, and when about 4 feet in length has been 

 excavated, the cleaning scoop should be used to remove 

 the loose earth, and to cut a curved channel just large 

 enough to receive the tile, the workmen all the time 

 standing on the bench above the bottom. The grade 

 should be tested in the way heretofore described, and 

 should not be passed until the few feet prepared is a 

 perfect section of the continuous line as laid out. If 

 the ditch should be deeper than two spadings, as of 

 course it frequently is, enough of the top should be 

 taken off to permit the grade line to be reached by two 

 full spadings. In case of larger and deeper ditches the 

 top width must be increased and also the number of 

 spadings, but the process of taking the last one and 

 finishing the bottom is the same. 



The tile from 6 inches and smaller can be laid with 

 a tile-hook if the bottom has been properly prepared 

 (Fig. 26). They may be turned until the ends fit to- 

 gether and lie firmly in the channel, which has been 

 prepared for them by the scoop. When finished, this 

 line should have no crooks either in alignment or 



