GRADING THE DITCHES FOR TILE. IIS 



the loose earth continues to settle for a year after the 

 ditches have been filled prevents grass from taking 

 quick and permanent root. For this reason it is prefer- 

 able to cultivate newly drained land for two years fol- 

 lowing drainage. The filling should be done when the 

 waste banks are not wet, in which case the earth will 

 not roll m easily, and will also stick to the tools. 

 Where it is necessary to fill by hand work, a strong 

 potato-hook or hoe with tines instead of blade will be 

 found valuable. With it the earth can be pulled in 

 more rapidly and with greater ease than with any other 

 tool, especially if the earth is in a sticky condition. 



Marking Out Tile Ditches with the Plough. 



The method of opening ditches with a plough is prac- 

 tised by many and is applicable on land having an ex- 

 cess of fall, so that careful alignment and close grading 

 are not necessary to the successful operation of the 

 completed drains. It may be remarked in this con- 

 nection that while the accurate and painstaking work 

 outlined on these pages is always necessary in drain- 

 ing level land, it is not so important on land which 

 has ample natural fall. On some land requiring drain- 

 age the drains can scarcely be laid in such a way as 

 not to accomplish the end sought, especially if water is 

 present when they are laid. Drains laid on lines 

 marked out and partially opened by the plough will 

 lack straightness of both line and grade, but this will 

 not destroy their efficiency where there is a fall of 6 

 inches to 30 inches per 100 feet. A system of laterals 

 with heavy grade frequently discharges into a main 



