C 3" ] 



cflay in that work, which is, on draining bogs and fwampy 

 ground.^ you will there find the method of draining, by means 

 of tapping, which has fince been praciifed by Mr. Elking- 

 TON, fully explained; and the principles upon v.hich it may 

 be praciifed clearly developed, by the aid of illuftrative 

 figures, difcriminating the cafes in which that mode would 

 be improper. 



" I do not underftand that Mr. Elkington pradifed this 

 method of draining before the publication of that work : Nor 

 do I mean to aj/ert, that he adopted the practice from the 

 directions there given. I readily admit, that the principle is 

 fo fimple, and fo obvious to every confiderate mind, that it 

 would certainly be nothing extraordinary if he, by his own 

 reflections only, fhould have difcovered it as well as I did. 

 There is only one particular in his pracStice that I myfelf had 

 not actually pra6tifed before the publication of that work, 

 viz. the making the tapping by means of a [wring inurnment: 

 but even this I have particularly defcribed, as you will find 

 in the following words at page i8i, (third edition, vol. i.) 

 of thefe efiays. After defcribing the efi^ects of tapping by 

 fmking /mail pits, and explaining the circumflances which 

 will render it effectual, it is added: " I have often imagined 

 " that the expence of digging thefe pits might be faved, hy 

 *' boring a hole through this folidjiratinn of clay uith a large 

 " wimble (an auger) made on purpofc ; but as I never expe- 

 " rienced this, 1 cannot fay whether it would anfwer the de ■ 

 " fired end exactly." — Neither can I now fay whether Mr. 

 Elkington grounded his. pra£tice on this hint or not; 

 but I may fafely fay, if he did not, he might have done it. 

 And as 1 could not have borrowed it from him,* if there 



• Thefe EfTays were firfl publiflicd, anno 1775 — •Robinfon and 

 Son?, London. 



be 



