The benefit derived from drain tile scarcely any one disputes, for we have learned that they are not only beneficial to drain the water away, but also beneficial in time of drought. The bene fits arising from tile drainage are many. It lengthens the seasons at both ends. It enables the seed to go into the ground earlier in the spring, makes it grow faster during the summer, and matures the crop earlier in autumn. Franklin said, " Burn a candle at both ends and it is soon gone." A season that is ushered in amid the cold wet days of May and closed by early frosts of September is too short for success ful farming. The draining obviates this by draining and warm ing the soil ; it being more mellow and open to the circulation of the air, will thaw out earlier in the spring.
We who have lived in snowy countries have observed that the culverts under the roadways and the banks of ravines and the hill-sides were the first to get bare in the spring, and thus drainage warms the soil. Actual experience has shown us that drained soil is about ten degrees warmer eight inches below the surface than undrained soil at the same depth. Heat is necessary to the germination of seeds and growth of plants, whether the tiny flower of the hot-house or the expansive fields of corn on the western prairie, and the seed that will thrive in warm underdrain soil will rot in cold damp soil, so that often times the few degrees of heat betters the condition of the seed into life and growth, and plant life is hastened by the same helping causes, and consequently larger crops, earlier matured, of better quality result than on cold undrained soil. We can also see that the same order of things would bring the harvest earlier, and therefore less liable to the early frosts of autumn.
We have said that drainage is beneficial in dry weather. The rainfall percolates through the earth to the tile, some three feet below the surface. creating innumerable pores. In dry weather these same pores, opened by action of the water, be come breathing holes, all centering on the tile. These open ings create a draft through the tile, which brings the night air laden with moisture that comes in contact with the soil, which is cooler, and the dampness is thus taken up. The earth virtually breathes—exhales water in wet seasons and inhales moisture-laden air in dry seasons, thus showing tile drainage to be a safeguard against drouth as well as over-abundance of water.
" White man brings rain," says the Indian. He brings it by cultivating the soil and covering it with verdure ; but this same white man has become wise enough to drain away what he does not want.
A few years ago quite a commotion was raised, and on first thought too that the tile makers were ruining this country by draining the water away and destroying evaporation, and this theory was substantiated by professors in agricultural colleges and others, also that tile draininge was conducive to floods ; but after due investigation, just the reverse are the facts. Tile drainage throws the water level lower, stores it for a time in the earth, prevents surface wash and too much rapid evapora tion ; the earth becomes spongy and loose and easily cultivated.
If we look back over the history of this country we shall find far longer drouths many years previous to the laying of any tile.
It might be of interest to those present to know to what an extent this enterprise has been carried on in the western states. Illinois, for instance, has about Boo factories, and from best statistics obtainable, have made and laid about 200,000 miles, or enough, if laid continuously, to belt the earth eight times ; this reduced to rods makes 64,000,00o ; calculating the laying of this tile at thirty cents, and the cost of them twenty-five cents per rod, which is a fair average in Illinois, would make the sum of $35,200,000. There are larger estimates than this. To those not knowing the value of drain tile this might seem an extravagant expenditure of money, but allow me to say that no money is so well expended as that judiciously expended in tile.
Illinois is not alone in this great enterprise. Indiana and Ohio are close behind, while Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Michigan are fast falling into line, and our friends of the South have been watching us in this enterprise, and they too have gone into the business.
There are other benefits outside of agriculture. Take all this vast amount of drainage in a sanitary point of view, we can imagine, and imagine only, its benefits.
In earlier years fever and ague, o? the shakes in common parlance, were as common as sunny days ; but tile drainage has carried away the shakes by draining out the miasmatic ponds. The frogs and the mosquitoes too have gone, but the shakes have left their foot-prints on the brows of many hairless-headed men, of which you have a specimen before you.