DRAINING IN GENERAL. 59 



ditches, ponds, and such Uke, to cure the land of its malady; 

 thorough draining at a proper distance from the surface must 

 be adopted ; and according to the depth of the di-ains, so 

 should be the extent of the bore in the pipe, and the distance 

 from drain to ch-ain. As to the direction in which the pipes 

 and cbains should be laid, all depends on the direction of the 

 main drain, which should be along* the lowest part of the 

 land, whether that be at the end, the side, or along a hollow 

 in the middle. This always saves labour, though it frequently 

 happens that the only outlet we can get is not at the lowest 

 part of the ground ; and where such is the case, we must 

 work down, so that even the shallowest of the draining shall 

 be far enough from the surface to allow of all the operations 

 in working above, without damage. 



Draining becomes expensive according to the depth we 

 have to go. In stiff clay-ground, near London, heavy con- 

 tracts for the labour have been taken for three feet six inches 

 depth, and exceedingly well made, at one shilhng per rod, 

 which includes making the drain, saving the tojD turf to lay 

 on again, laying the pipes, filling up, and relaying the turf ; 

 and the men worked hard to make anything like good wages. 

 In many parts of the country, where the wages are half the 

 amount that is usually paid in the metropohs, contracts have 

 been taken at less than half. But it may be taken as a rule, 

 that the first cost in a garden should be in draining, for 

 economy. To say notliing of the disappointment, the losses 

 occasioned by cultivating upon undrained ground are incal- 

 culable. As we have before observed, thousands, finding their 

 favourite flowers decline ^vith them, attribute it to bad luck, 

 want of attention, unhealthy plants or roots, — in short, to 

 every cause but the right. 



Drain-tiles. — In all draining, the principle is the same. 

 There are many kinds of tiles — the flat tile, with an arched 

 one like half a pipe laid on it ; the two half-pipes laid one on 

 another; ordinary pipes, with holes in them, to let in the 

 water ; and some with an oval bore : but there is nothing to 

 beat the plain pipe : the holes do neither harm nor good ; the 

 water will find its way into the pipes at every join. The 

 principal thing to look to is, that the drain is opened do^vn to 

 a proper depth, with a proper fall the whole distance ; and 

 that the bottom is firm enough to hold the pipes end to end, 

 without danger of slipping up or down, or sideways, so that 



