312 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 May, 1902. 
surplus water from the land between them. So here you see how important it 
is that drains should be placed at a proper distance from each other, because 
the whole success depends upon this one thing. As I have already told you, if 
they are too far apart, the land will be imperfectly drained, and if they are, on 
the other hand, too close together, you will have spent more money over the 
work than was at all necessary: Now, you will naturally ask: Is there any 
rule to go by to determine the distance between the drains ? 
Professor John H. Klippart, the corresponding secretary of the Ohio State 
Board of Agriculture, in America, shall decide this point for you. He says, in 
his excellent work on “Land Drainage ”:— 
“We translate the following from H. Warner’s work on drainage :— 
“*Hor this purpose I instituted experimental drains in similar soil at 
unequal distances and observed their effect. ; 
“*¢ After I had determined the distance of perfect drainage for the given 
soil, I took this as a basis for further observation and experiment, and proceeded 
as follows :— 
“¢T first ascertained the amount of clay contained in thesoil, then desiccated 
(dried) a portion of this in an oven. I then filled a glass tube 18 inches long 
two-thirds full of this soil, and covered the lower end with a piece of thin linen 
to permit the water to flow off readily. I then added a certain quantity of 
water, and marked the time exactly when it had all escaped at the lower 
extremity of the tube, minus what was retained by the force of cohesion. This 
experiment I repeated with different grades of soil, and noted carefully the 
difference of time at each new experiment. I thus found that loamy earth, 
containing 35 per cent. of clay, permitted the passage of water in half the time 
required by clay soil containing 70 per cent. of clay; that loamy sand, with 15 
per cent. of clay, yielded the water three times more rapidly than clay soil of 
70 per cent., &c.; and upon this I based the calculation of the distance proper 
for the distance apart of the drains, as given in the following table :— 
1. In clay soil tr 70 per cent. clay in 2 roods 
2i oe: + bo 65 , ty the ty wD 
3 ” ” La 60 bh] ” 2 ” 6 ” 
4 ” 2”? eu 55 ” Ph) 3 ” 9 ” 
5M 3 aD 50 a i Oe tes 
6. Loamy soil aC 45 55 Ay ye ees 
ike ” ” ae 40 ” ” 3 ” 8 ” 
8. ” ” coe 35 ” ” A; 33: emer) 9 
9. ” ” Ta 4 30 ” ” 4, ” 6 > 
10. ” ” cx) 25 ” ” 5 of  — a 
11. Loamy sand ve 20 os CeO et tk ON 535 
125s = Le 15 Fe sim (OF gs) secoeians 
13. ” ” Vik, 10 9 ” 6 ”? 6 ”? 
14. Sand Pr 5 . em 27 ab ee 
15. In sand at ah 0 re pl het: Pihkeey 
16. In granular sand 0 fry spp A)! gg GO 
“¢Tn the experiments afterwards instituted in the construction of drains, these 
calculations were verified exceedingly well, and they have been the basis of my 
plans ever since. 
«That departures from this are required for draining springs and ponds is 
naturally to be supposed. Such cases require the technical knowledge of the 
drainer, and do not permit the application of fixed rules.’ ” 
Now, I have only given you this to show you that science has been brought 
to bear on the subject in such a manner that you need only follow its teachings 
to enable you to work on correct lines. You are not required to make these 
experiments for yourselves. _ All is ready at your hand. 
