feel warranted in this assertion, thus early from results actually obtained, from precisely similar circumstances on an adjoining farm; with a view to future observation, and test of this system, I transmit herewith an actual survey of the reclaimed portions, duly certified. The economy of draining land thoroughly, so far as relates to construction, may be better understood by the following figures: Cost of digging trenches, per rod,.... Average cost of tiles per rod,... $0 12/ 0 12 Cartage of tiles from the kilns at per 1000, 0 1 Cost of drains complete, per rod,.... .... $0 281 I am not aware that any verification of the foregoing facts is required, yet I notice that it has been practiced in regard to farms presented for premiums; and deeming it proper on all similar occasions, I have caused this statement to be duly verified. ROBERT J. SWAN. ROSE HILL, Seneca county, 29th Dec., 1852. On this 6th day of January, A. D. 1853, before me came Robert J. Swan, and being by me duly sworn, he said that the above statement is true according to his belief. CHARLES J. Folger, Ontario County Judge. At the request of Mr. Swan, I have surveyed the swales on his farm, which he has reclaimed by draining; the portion of the land on which only coarse aquatic grasses grew, was never plowed, and in spring and fall was so wet that a person in attempting to cross them, would mire. And this is to certify, that by accurate measurement he has gained twenty-four acres of land, in the different swales, which will be fit for cultivation in spring. GENEVA, Dec. 1st, 1852. HERBERT F. CONRAN, Engineering Surveyor and Draftsman. B. P. JOHNSON, Esq'R, STATE LUNATIC ASYLUM, Sec. of State Agricultural Society: UTICA Feb. 7th 1853. Dear Sir.-The farm belonging to this institution is as you may be aware, situated on high ground inclining to the north; the soil near the buildings is sandy loam, underlaid by quick sand; the buildings stand on piles. Immediately in the rear of the buildings the land is nearly level, the quick sand near the surface, in a part of which water springs up; and from the whole of which the surface water disappeared slowly; standing in pools at which the cattle found drink in the summer when the streams were dry, and making a large portion of the plot of about fifteen acres too wet for plow or meadow land. In the fall of 1851 we laid in these 15 acres (855) eight hundred fifty-five rods of tile drain. The drains were dug three feet deep at the head falling to their termination in an open water course, six inches wide at the bottom, in which is laid a board, on the board the horse shoe () tile 3 inches in diameter, the joinings cased with sod; over these, pine shavings, and filled up with earth. The tile cost us here $21 per thousand, the cost of laying 62 cents per rod, equal to about 92 cents per rod. These drains discharged copiously during the past dry summer, keeping the water plot entirely dry. The land which was before almost useless, was plowed to the depth of twenty inches with a subsiol plow; laid out and cultivated for garden purposes, from which we obtained crops. It being inconvenient to obtain manure last spring none was used. In the fall of the year 1852, we laid 943 rods of drain to the same depth, in the same manner as in 1851, a part on similar land in front of the building, used as meadow, wet and boggy, where common forest trees refused to grow; part on a clay swamp before uncultivated, in all about eighteen acres. The result on this land remains to be seen; we have no doubt of the entire success of the enterprise. I am very truly yours, N. D. BENEDICT. ONEIDA COUNTY, ss.-N. D. Benedict, Superintendent of the New-York State Lunatic Asylum, being duly sworn, saith, that the foregoing statement is true, according to the best of his knowledge and belief. Sworn to before me, } N. D. BENEDICT. P. S. Roor, County Judge of Oneida County. STATEMENT OF JONATHAN TALCOTT, ROME, ONEIDA Co., Feb. 1, 1853. To the committee of the New-York State Agricultural Society on draining, the following statement is respectfully submitted: 1. Situation of the land previous to the process, was very unlike in different places; the first piece operated upon was in the form of an oval circle, quite high, rather above the surrounding surface in the same field: the soil gravelly, with an occasional vein of blue clay intermixed, and so firm as to require the use of the pick before the spade in most places, thereby increasing the expense of the operation; the quantity of land in said piece is about two acres The second piece was about one half clay subsoil, with a rich black mold of one foot in depth for the soil, and the other half gravelly, very similar to the first mentioned piece, containing about 1 acres, also lying quite high, fully equal to the surrounding surface. The third piece was about equally divided between muck,clay and gravel, with an occasional vein of quicksand; lying rather low on the north, and rising towards the south, just enough for a good descent for the water to run off, containing about four acres in the form of a parallelogram. The soil on the first piece was very thin, being what is commonly termed a wet gravel; the subsoil being so compact that the surface was always covered with stagnant water in time of copious showers, and in spring and fall was perfectly saturated with water, so that a good crop of grain could not be grown on the piece, and the grass crop was poor and wirey, showing conclusively the deleterious effects of a superabundance of water. The second piece was quite similar to the first in regard to crops: and the third piece was quite boggy in places, and covered with bents and other coarse grass, having never been plowed till this fall, and then one-quarter of an acre was a good day's work for a man and team, the work was well done however, the roots were all picked up and laid on the surface of the ground where it had been plowed, and the surface all reversed in the operation, intending to fit it for planting in the spring and had determined to have it well done this fall, so far as plowing could go to complete the same for that purpose. 2. The method pursued was the same in all three of the pieces operated upon the first thing was to look for a good outlet to discharge the surplus water that should accumulate in the drains, and then to reach the fountain head, which is as necessary as to have a good outlet; the depth of the drain is also important, it should be deep enough to be out of the way of frost, and also of the subsoil plow, as I think that implement will be used on drained soils to advantage and with profit to the farmer. I have sunk my drains three feet in all cases where the fall would admit of so doing, some cases to the depth of 4 feet; I think from experience and observation on my farm, that 3 feet is about the right depth for profitable draining, in some cases four may not be any too deep, but that will be determined by any judicious person after a trial or two, better than any rule that can be laid down on the subject. After having examined the grounds to be operated upon and located the places for the drains, I took a team and plow and turned a furrow from the ditch each way, like a dead furrow when plowing, then had the loose dirt thrown out that remained with a shovel, then took the team and plow, and sunk another furrow in the bottom of the first; by so doing quite a saving is made in the expense of digging for the drain, the remainder is thrown out with the shovel and spade of the operator, if the ground is firm, the ditch should be as narrow as it can conveniently be, six inches at the bottom is wide enough for stone or tile, in a firm subsoil, and it need be no wider on the top than is necessary to perform the operation. If the subsoil is very close, 3 or 4 inches at the bottom is wide enough where pipe tile is used; but on my farm, where I have experimented, 6 inches at the bottom of the ditch is about the right width for either stone or tile. I have used pipe tile of two-inch capacity, horse-shoe of 3 inch, and stone, for the past two seasons, in draining, but give the preference to pipe tile over all other material that I have used; I have also used timber for the same purpose, which was my first trial; it operates well, having been laid two seasons. |