LB. J 
and if the water is not then inftantly taken off, the 
grafs will rot, and his meadow be fpoiled for the 
feafon. The very principle of water meadows 
will not permit water to be ftagnant in a water- 
mead country; it muft be always kept in action to 
be of any fervice:. befides, many of the beft water 
meadows were, in their original ftate, a ftagnant, 
unwholefome morafs. 
The draining fuch land, and making it fo firm 
that the water may be taken off at will, muft con- 
tribute to the healthinefs of the country, inftead of 
injuring it. 
Great advantages from water meadows.—lIt is fre- 
quently afked how it comes to pafs, that although 
water meadows are fo ufeful as to be almoft indif- 
penfable in South-Wiltfhire, yet in other counties 
where they are not known, that want of them is not 
felt; nay, that there are even in this diftrict many 
parifhes which have none, and where the farmers 
even breed lambs without them? To this I anfwer, 
that the fair queftion is not, ‘* How do other coun- 
ties do without them?” but “ how could the far- 
“mers of this diftrict, who are happy enough to 
* have water meadows, purfue their prefent fyftem 
« of fheep-breeding, if thofe meadows were taken 
« away?”—a fyftem which I do not hefitate to fay, 
is more profitable to themfelves, their landlords, and 
the community at large, than any other that could 
he fubftituted in its room; and perhaps this queftion 
cannot 
