greatest difficulty thus far encountered in the drainage of our flat
prairies will be overcome. Much has been attempted in this direction in
some portions of the State, but many open ditches are too shallow, too
small, and too carelessly made to serve the desired purpose.

In pointing out some of the mistakes made in drainage, I am well aware
that there are differences of opinion as to what may be properly
considered a mistake. The aim of drainage is to fit the wet land of the
entire farm for the successful cultivation of all the field crops at the
least expense consistent with thoroughness. Now, if experiments must be
tried by tiling here and there, and afterward take the tile up and
remold the whole work, there is a loss which, were it not for the large
profit resulting from the use of tile, would be disastrous.

Should a Board of Public Works build several bridges of insufficient
capacity in order to find out the necessary dimensions and strength of
one which will serve their purpose, we should at once regard them
incompetent and wasteful. I know of tile which have been taken up at
three different times, larger tile being used each time. This farmer
discards the use of lateral drains and rests his success upon single
lines of large tile. He will probably be disappointed in this and,
perhaps, finally hit upon the correct method. Would it not have been the
part of wisdom to have obtained some reliable information upon that
matter at first from books, from inquiring of others of longer
experience, from a competent engineer, or from all of these sources?
Anything which needlessly adds to the expense, or detracts from the
efficiency of the work, should be regarded as a mistake.

As a summary of what has been said regarding mistakes and how to avoid
them, I append here a few

DRAINAGE MAXIMS.

1. Become informed upon the theory and best methods known and used.

2. Do not literally copy the methods of others, but carefully adapt them
to your own case.

3. Provide good outlets and large mains.

4. Have faith in good tile and thorough work.

5. Study economy and efficiency in locating drains.

6. In difficult cases, or where you have doubt about the success of your
plans, submit the case to a good engineer before expending money or
labor.

7. Employ good help by the day, and work it under a competent
superintendent, rather than job out the work by the rod.

8. Drain as you would plant fruit trees--for the fut