PRACTICAL PAPERS—UNDERDRAINS. 
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own drains, some labor may be saved by plowing a narrow 
strip outwards twice or three times, having the dead furrow 
come where the drain is to be; but where the labor is to be 
hired, the spade is the cheapest. Some of it is done in this 
county for twenty-five cents per rod and board, including 
digging and filling, the farmer furnishing the board drain 
ready-made. The cost will be varied by hardness of sub-soil, 
as well as of price of labor. 
Tile Draining .—The size of the tile should be regulated by 
the amount of water to be carried off; but few drains smaller 
than three-inch tile will be required, except where thorough, 
drainage is attempted, or near the heads of the drains where 
the amount of the water is small, then smaller tile may be 
used. One serious hindrance in tile draining, in Wisconsin, is 
the high price of tile; another is the want of collars, made of 
the same material, to put over the joints, to hold the tile firm, 
so as to keep the drain perfect, and to admit water more freely 
The best substitute at our command for collars is, after the tiles 
are fitted in a groove made in the solid ground in the bottom 
of the ditch, to cover the joints with a thin slice of turf of 
wild grass and then cover the tile with a little straw and fill 
with earth. 
Board Drains .—Where pine lumber is cheap, and tile dear, 
the most economical drains can be made of selected pine fence 
boards, or two four-inch strips and one six-inch fence board 
will do where the amount of water is not too large. The lum¬ 
ber should be selected free of sap, as this will last 20 to 25 
years, except where the wash is carried from barn yards, then 
it will decay sooner. I have drains made thus, that have been 
in use 15 years, and are in good condition. Strips of boards 
should be used six inches long and three inches wide, and 
halved or shouldered one inch at each end, and placed cross¬ 
wise of the board tile to hold the sides apart, One such cleat 
should be placed every four feet, both top and bottom—those 
on the bottom may be nailed with 8’s, and then the wood tile 
