88 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



a narrow space ; and that, in the latter case, as well as where 

 the stones are thrown in promiscuously, the entrance of vermin 

 is completely foreclosed. Experience has suggested, in such 

 drains as these, two or three rules of great importance. The first 

 is, that every caution be taken against the dirt sifting in among 

 the stones ; the second is, that the drain should never be filled 

 with large and small stones, thrown in promiscuously, but that 

 only small stones be used : and they, as far as possible, of a 

 uniform size. 



12. THOROUGH DRAINING, OR DEANSTONIZING. I come next to 

 speak of operations in draining which, in connection with sub 

 soil-ploughing, may be said to constitute an epoch in agricultural 

 improvement ; and the effects of which upon the agriculture of 

 England appear destined to be of the most extensive, permanent, 

 and valuable character. 



Mr. Smith, of Deanston, near the village of Doune, in Scot 

 land, (of whom I have before spoken,) conceived the plan of laying 

 his fields thoroughly dry by a careful system of drainage, and 

 next by subsoiling his fields that is, a mode of deep-ploughing, 

 which, as I have described in a former number, consists first in 

 ploughing with a common plough, and following in the same 

 furrow with a plough of a peculiar construction, called a subsoil- 

 plough, being a plough without a mould-board, by which the 

 lower stratum is thoroughly broken up, loosened, and stirred, but 

 not brought to the surface. The active soil is still kept upon 

 the top; the lower, or subsoil, is rendered permeable to the roots 

 of the plants ; the air has access to it, and enriches it, and, by 

 being loosened, the water filters through it, passing off by the 

 drains. His operations attracted so much attention, and have 

 led to such great improvements throughout the country in drain 

 ing, that his name as a great improver is destined to be long 

 remembered, and his system is sometimes, after the name of his 

 residence, called &quot; Deanstonizing.&quot; I have had the pleasure of 

 going over the farm on which his operations were carried on. 

 and of admiring its improved condition. 



According to the method adopted by Mr. Smith, the first step 

 is to ascertain the level of the land, so as to form a main drain 

 in the lowest part of the land, into which the side drains may 

 fall, and the water be led off. He recommends that the bottom 



