94 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



by the most experienced men, in regard to the system of thorough 

 draining, with a view to subsoil-ploughing. 



Mr. Smith s directions for forming the drains are so clear and 

 explicit, that I am persuaded my readers will be gratified to have 

 them in his own words. 



The lines of drains having been marked off in the field, the 

 drainer begins by cutting with a spade on a line, then removing 

 a first spading of about 13 or 14 inches wide all along ; another 

 follows with a narrower and tapering spade, made for the pur 

 pose, taking out another spading ; and. when picking becomes 

 necessary, a third man follows with a pick, and a fourth with a 

 large scoop-shovel, to cast out the earth ; a smaller scoop-shovel 

 is used to clean out the bottom, which should be cut as narrow 

 as will allow the last drainer a footing, generally about 3 or 4 

 inches. From 2 to 2J feet from the surface are the best depths 

 for such drains, the latter always to be preferred. The bottom 

 should be cut as straight and uniform as possible, so that the 

 water may flow freely along at all places, and it is better to cut 

 a little deeper where there is any sudden rise of the surface, than 

 to follow it ; and where sudden hollows occur, the cutting may, 

 on the same principle, be less deep : attention to this also admits 

 of after straightening or levelling of the surface, without any 

 injury to the drains. The workmen, in cutting, should throw 

 the earth to the right and left from each alternate drain, as that 

 allows the plough to go regularly and fully occupied boutings, 

 in filling in the earth, whilst each alternate ridge or space is left 

 for getting in the stones, free from the earth thrown out. The 

 stones may either be laid down at intervals by the sides of the 

 drains, to be there broken, or, being broken in masses at some 

 convenient spot, and at such convenient seasons as best suit for 

 the employment of spare labor, can be brought by the carts 

 ready to be filled in. No stones should be filled in till the whole 

 line of drain has been cut out and inspected; but the sooner 

 drains are completed after having been cut, the better, and they 

 should always be filled from the higher level downwards. 

 Sometimes, when there is much tendency of the sides to fall in, 

 it becomes necessary to fill in going along. Cutting in the sum 

 mer, when there is little water in the soil, or in any dry season, 

 saves much of this. In soft or sandy bottoms, by cutting the 

 drains to half the depth in the first instance, and allowing them 



