184 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Avea., 1899. 
into a roof. In that way I completed about a mile of drainage. I have also 
used pipes, but I find that where there is a great declivity in the land, say, over 
1 in 100, in very heavy weather there is adanger of the pipes bursting, and the 
whole of the soil washing away. To get over this, put ina sufficiently large pipe 
for the main, and also see that your exit is clear of silt. In the event of the 
mouth of the drain becoming choked, your system will become useless. Having’ 
completed all your drains, the advantages that are likely to be gained are great. 
Land that requires drainage is invariably of a very rich nature, but undoubtedly 
it is sour if not drained. Drainage adds to the weight of the crops, and as for 
cane, it increases the percentage of sugar. Without drainage after rain, while you 
are waiting for a fortnight or a month for the water to percolate into its natural 
course, your horses are idle, and your weeds are growing rapidly, with the 
result that when you come to scarify your land you find it almost impossible. 
Tf the land is drained, on the other hand, you can get on to it within 2 days ~ 
after the rain ceases, work it thoroughly, and have it in a certain state of tilth 
without any fear of weeds; and these remarks apply to land for English potatoes 
and other crops as well as for cane. I am pleased to say that all my drainage 
schemes have hitherto been a success, and in not one single instance have any 
of them worked badly. 
Mr. H. Carrermunt (Woongarra): A drainage system that has been found to 
work admirably in the Woongarra Scrub is to put in pipes, put rubble on the 
top of the pipes to the extent of from 6 inches to 1 foot, then trash on the top of 
that and fill up. 
Mr. C. I. M. Frscnrr (Zillmere): Many of you have doubtless heard 
of the pineapple disease which appeared in the Nundah district, and which 
affected us very severely just after the 1890 flood. Pines began to die off ina 
very mysterious way, and drainage was tried as a remedy, I being about the first 
to adopt it. Pineapples are chiefly confined to the ridges, which are of a sandy 
nature with a sandstone bottom, and consequently it was thought that drainage 
was entirely out of the question. However, we found that when there was a 
great fall of rain, peaches and other soft fruits suffered equally with the pines, 
and we made an attempt at drainage to see if water was really the cause of the 
disease. In trying to save my pines I tried several drainage systems, and 
amongst these bush drains made with tea-tree. Eventually I went in for tiles, 
2 and*3 inch chiefly, and they have worked admirably. Although the 
initial expense of buying the pipes may be severe, they make the cheapest drains 
in the long run. They have been in my ground a good number of years now, 
and work as well asever they did. If there is any rainfall at all you can see 
them spouting out the water at a great rate, and the result is you can get on to the 
land very soon after the rain ceases. On the heavy land we used to find we 
could not go near it for a number of days, but now after a heavy rainfall you 
can start working it almost immediately the rain stops. I am sorry to say that, 
as far as stopping the pineapple disease was concerned, the drains were not a 
suecess, but for all that I do not know of anyone who regrets the money expended 
on this work, for there is not the slightest doubt that it has greatly improved 
the land for agriculture generally. 
Mr. E. Hicks (Southport): In the matter of slab drains I think the 
best way is to have them V-shaped. As for the individual who will not allow a 
drain to cross his property, I think most of us have been troubled with that 
man, but still there is often some excuse for farmers living on a river bank who 
act in this way. I have seen, in the 1898 flood especially, drains in a man’s 
farm turned into creeks, and this sometimes occurs about the Nerang River. 
The drains, however, should be carried into the back creeks, and this would not 
be so likely to occur. The clause in the Divisional Boards Act is very good as 
far as it goes, but that is not too far. It is hardly necessary to speak of the 
importance of drainage, and I am sure there are no farmers in Queensland who 
can farm properly unless they do drain. If a man cannot get pipes, splendid 
drains may be made from slabs, and for this purpose bloodwood 1s an excellent 
timber. 
