156 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



cheap and permanent productiveness, after they are once formed, 

 and especially in reference to the means which they furnish of 

 enriching other and less favored portions of the farm. The im 

 provements on this farm are of a most substantial and complete 

 character. The accomplishment of the object in view, in the 

 most useful, thorough, and least expensive mode, is the govern 

 ing principle pervading the whole establishment. Certainly one 

 more judicious could not be adopted ; and in this respect they 

 present an example capable of being followed by farmers of lim 

 ited means, whose improvements must be restricted to such only 

 as will pay. The water obtained by drainage, in this case, hap 

 pens to be favorable for irrigation. The whole expense of un 

 der-draining the land, of erecting water-wheel and machinery, 

 and of irrigation, is estimated at 2733 2s. 2d., and the in 

 creased annual value of the estate is rated at 1013 2s. 4 d. This 

 results from draining 467 acres, and employing the drain water 

 for mill purposes, and the irrigation of 89 acres of land ; &quot; afford 

 ing a clear annual interest on the outlay of full 37 per cent.&quot; 



5. AUDLEY END, ESSEX. The next improvement by irriga 

 tion I had the pleasure of inspecting was at Audley End, near 

 Saffron Walden, the elegant residence of Lord Braybrooke. The 

 improvements here, in this way, are upon a comparatively small 

 scale, but extremely productive. They are on the lowlands, in 

 the vicinity of a small stream or river. I cannot do so well as 

 give an account of them in his lordship s own words. 



&quot; The water-meadows at Audley End were formed in 1841, 

 from old pastures, without disturbing the surface except for the 

 purpose of adjusting the levels, and cutting the ditches ; but in 

 consequence of the inequality of the ground, many hollow places 

 were filled up with fresh moulds ; and the product was riot much 

 increased the first year of irrigation. 



&quot; Although it was not possible to ascertain the exact amount 

 of the crops for the succeeding three years, two of the three 

 crops having been consumed in a green state on the ground, yet 

 occasionally single rods taken indiscriminately from the first 

 growth of grass have been weighed, in order to obtain a tol 

 erable estimate of the general produce, and they afford the 

 following result : 



