OPEN DRAINS. 1 6$ 



Waste Banks and Berm. 



The waste banks from the large ditches often be- 

 come a serious inconvenience in the cultivation of fields, 

 and where the work is done by the steam-dredge their 

 reduction to suitable proportions for farming purposes 

 is a matter which will require time as well as labor. 

 The earth is deposited in a wet and plastic condition, 

 and if it contains no sand or gravel becomes exceed- 

 ingly hard and tough when dry or partially dry. It 

 resists all efforts that may be made to spread or smooth 

 the irregular heaps. Nothing but exposure to the 

 weather will so disintegrate the mass that it can be 

 graded or scraped back from the ditch. A due regard 

 for economy will dictate that the work of reducing the 

 waste banks shall be done gradually, as the action of 

 sun and rain and frost may open and pulverize the sur- 

 face. The waste banks also form a dike or barrier on 

 each side of the ditch, which prevents the water of 

 drainage depressions along the course from entering 

 the ditch. Breaks or openings should be left during 

 construction at those depressions which may subse- 

 quently be required to perfect lateral surface drainage. 

 It is always preferable to keep a strip of land lO feet 

 wide on each side of the ditch seeded to grass, as this 

 will secure the banks by reason of the turf and also 

 prevent the surface run-ofT along the edge of the ditch 

 from carrying loose earth into it. 



The width of berm or clear space between the edge 

 of the ditch and the waste bank is important. The 

 weight of the excavated earth should be so far away 

 that the sides of the ditch when saturated with water 



