112 



IRRIGATION ROUND TABLE 



TILE ON MUCK 



Mr. Work: What is the longest that tile have been in use on 

 your farm? 



Mr. Bonney: Five years. 



Mr. Work: How much fall have you on this old line.^ 



Mr. Bonney: I think there is about three feet in one hundred 

 ninety rods. We aim to make it about one-fifth inch to a rod on 

 the main line. Some of the laterals are practically level. 



Mr. Work: I think this is a thing that ought to be brought 

 home pretty clearly to muck land men, that there is not nearly as 

 much difficulty as is ordinarily apprehended with the filling of tiles. 

 Most muck men think that because the muck is light and because 

 it flows around easily with water, it is going to fill up the tile. Tiles 

 are in successful operation in a good many places. Mr. Bonney has 

 given us a very clear cut case. At Canastota, there are tile that 

 have been in successful use for many years. When we consider the 

 great disadvantages that come with the use of ditch banks, in waste 

 of land, in inconvenience in working the blocks of ground, and in 

 affording a place for diseases, weeds, and other pests to harbor over 

 winter, we must conclude that tile is by all means to be recom- 

 mended. If there is experience to the contrary, let us hear it. 



Mr. Bonney: I don't want to be understood as laying down 

 rules for anyone else. If you have muck land, try it out for yourself. 



Mr. Work: We have to remember that all the way through. 

 We make statements as to what has worked here and there, but 

 where you are there may be some conditions that we don't know 

 about. 



Mr. Locke: We have never used tiling, for the reason that we 

 supposed they would fill up; but our water level comes up and 

 covers over the outlet of this tiling and our idea was it would fill up 

 the tiling, at the foot, at least. 



Mr. Bonney: About that, I couldn't say positively, but we 

 have found that we have let the water into the lower end and pushed 

 it up in, but as soon as we start our pump, it rinses them right out. 

 If in three years' time those tile become clogged, we are still ahead of 

 the game. We had in our fifty acres we were cultivating about five 



