1 86 ENGINEERING FOR LAND DRAINAGE. 



ning through them attract the roots of aquatic trees. 

 The tiles should be laid with cement-covered joints 

 where they come near such trees or the trees should 

 be destroyed. The experience of fruit-growers along 

 this line shows that the decay of growing trees may 

 often be arrested by deep underdrainage. An eminent 

 horticulturist says that a clay soil is not worth the 

 taxes for apple culture if not underdrained. Every 

 orchard planted on clay soil should have an underdrain 

 between the rows of trees, and it should be 4 feet 

 deep if possible. Dr. W. L Chamberlain, of Ohio, 

 in commenting on the drained and undrained portions 

 of his own orchard, says: '' I have now nearly finished 

 picking and marketing the Red Astrachans on a row 

 which, like all the other varieties, runs across both 

 plats. The total yield per tree is fully 50 per cent 

 greater on the tiled part, and in size, beauty, and even- 

 ness of shape there is more than that amount in favor 

 of the tiled.'* With reference to the growth of the 

 trees from the time of setting to maturity, he says that 

 on the untiled land he lost 63 per cent of those planted, 

 but on the tiled part of the orchard only 1 3 per cent 

 perished. Those interested in fruit culture, and es- 

 pecially those contemplating the planting of large 

 orchards, should look into this subject closely. If 50 

 per cent more trees can be brought to bearing from 

 the jfirst planting and the abundance and quality of the 

 fruit materially increased by thorough underdrainage, 

 it follows that both new and old orchards on clay land 

 or black soil with clay subsoil should be drained. 

 These are facts which do not stand alone, but can be 

 emphasized by similar ones in other localities. 



