Show VALUE OF DRAINAGE much swampy land may be made quite productive WORK IS ONLY FAIRLY BEGUN lands landa too wet for fop profitable production of crops should be drained improves soli soil by making it more porous and friable prepared by the tha united states department ot of agriculture by simple dral drainage nago much of the wet swampy farm land which cannot be cultivated in its present condition may bo be mado made productive there Is also many a piece 0 of cultivated land which la is not producing what it could be made to do it if it were properly drained indeed according to the departments specialists drainage in tho the united states la Is only fairly begun and its immense possibilities are but little known farmers bulletin no of the united states department part ment of agriculture discusses this subject in some detail lands that ar are 0 too wet for the most production of crops such as wet level land low spots and the dry sub soils of flat areas on the summits ot of knolls river and creek bottoms and peat pea t bogs should be drained even uplands may often be ba drained with profit especially hillsides hill sides subject to roslon erosion 0 or inclined to bo be indeed drainage la is profitable wherever it Is necessary to the fullest use of the land it la is not uncommon for lands too wet for cultivation to produce when drained 60 to 70 bushels ot of corn or oats or from one to one and a halt half bales of cotton to the acre on much ot of the drained land the increase ot of yield la Is from 25 to per cent and by the increased yield and decreased cost of cultivation the value of the and Is often doubled improves the soil drainage improves the physical condition of the soil by making it more porous and friable thus stiff soils are made more easy to work the roots of plants are given a greater feeding depth by the lowering of the water level and hence the ability of crops to utilize moisture la Is increased well drained solla soils absorb more rainfall than soils thus decreasing erosion and damage by floods drainage warms the soil heat from the sun acts directly upon the soil sell when excessive moisture Is re moved by drainage this is noticeable in the north where the planting season la Is from one to two weeks earlier on drained land chanon than on similar land when the danger of damage by frost both in the spring and in me t he fall is reduced warming of the soil also causes the 7 fig 1 field needing drainage seed to germinate more readily thereby giving a better stand of crops and musing the plants to grow more promptly drained land can be plowed earlier la a the spring than land crops can be cultivated sooner after a rain and if covered tile drains are used instead of open ditches machinery can bo be used to better advantage and the cost of cultivation decreased health conditions are also improved by bythe the drainage of swamps and standing water the breeding places for mosquitoes are removed with tho the consequent abolishment of malaria in the locality practical system the most practical drainage system la is one that la Is adequate permanent uses the lithe least possible land and Is not a hindrance to cultivation tile drains which empty into either open or closed outlets most josf nearly provide such ouch a system dy by the tha open ditch system much valuable land Is occupied the drainage Is seldom thorough and the ditches become filled fille dand and have to be cleaned out open ditches sometimes occupy as much as ten per cent and frequently five per cent ot of the area drained thus it ii Is that tile drains while more expensive to install are generally the most n ost economical in the end in laying out a dr inice system the outlet Is tho fijut on rolling or hilly billy lands channels have usually been washed out although they may need to be straightened and cleaned out on low level land it is IB usually necessary to dig open ditches and they should be straight and deep since curves currea check the flow of water while in a deep ditch water generally flows more rapidly sad mad less vegetation Is likely to be ore present sent the outlets should be deep enough to take earn care ot the flow from branch drains which may necessarily be placed low to secure sufficient fall open ditches work well with a drop ot of four feet to tho the mile although some of necessity have no moro more than ono one toot foot drop in loamy sells eolla subject to freezing tho the sides bides of the ditch should have a slope of 45 46 degrees in sandy bandy solla soils a greater slope while in stiff soils subjected to little freezing a loss slope will do outlet ditches should usually follow frilow tho ahti natural course of the water although oMe tency and economy liay nay necessitate a diversion from the natural watercourse use of open ditches wh when e n the ditch runs through a bold the earth should be leveled back from the bank so that no more ground than Is necessary will bo be lost from cultivation when the value of tho the I 1 land and is high the open ditch should not be used where it Is practicable to use tile in tho the middle west tiles as A N 0 4 J y M A ca 9 azz fig 2 same field after being tile drained large as three feet in diameter are frequently used and being covered over they do not occupy tillable land or divide a field where properly laid there Is little danger of the tiles filling and practically no maintenance cost coat because water runs runa faster through tiles they can be much smaller than the open ditch the latter however has an advantage in holding more water afdera after a rain though p perhaps er not carrying more the farmer la is in a position to ludge judge tor for himself when it Is profitable to use tile |