4-70 THE HOME, FARM AND BUSINESS CYCLOPAEDIA. 



it as it would through the ordinary kinds of bottom clay. A layer of 

 broken stones, or any other porous material, over the pipeage, is not to 

 be recommended, when only surface water is to be got quit of. It is 

 imagined by some persons, that such a covering facilitates the admission 

 of water into the drain ; and so it does, no doubt, but there is little advan- 

 tage in this. I have said already, that water should be allowed to perco- 

 late slowly towards the drains, that thereby its fertilizing ingredients may 

 be thoroughly extracted. But, if the water once finds a way amongst 

 these stones, it will run along the surface, and descend in little streams, 

 each of which will carry more or less earthy matter into the drain. In 

 practice, it has often been found that, in strong subsoils, the interstices of 

 stones or gravel, employed in this way, were soon silted up, and, in conse- 

 quence, the covering became more dense even than it would have been 

 had it consisted only of clay. Perhaps, the best covering that can be used, 

 is one formed from bottom clay, where that can be obtained. If the sub- 

 soil is soft, the work may be done in this manner. A man, with a sharp, 

 light digging spade, begins at one end of the newly laid drain, and pares 

 off a slice of clay a few inches above the pipe, first on the one side and then 

 on the other. As the one slice overlaps the other a little, and the lower 

 ends are not completely severed from the side, but only broken down, as if 

 hinged to it, a solid roof of about 1J inches in thickness, is provided. 

 During this operation the man walks on the top of the paring, and gives 

 it, all along, such a pressure with the feet as his weight affords, but 

 nothing more. Besides providing an excellent shoulder over the pipe, on 

 either side, this roofing acts as a filter, and prevents the entrance of mud. 

 When the clay is too hard to be cut with the spade, it is just as well, per- 

 haps, to lay a row of the more solid bottom pieces on the top of the pipes, 

 and some fine material over it. But, indeed, if the clay is filled in just as 

 it comes out of the drain, it will do quite well, if no large voids are left. 

 Some saving may often be effected by employing the plough, to assist in 

 the filling operations. A large wooden mould-board should be fitted on 

 for the purpose ; and, by using a long double-tree, one horse may walk on 

 the one side of the drain, and the other on the other. 



On the completion of every kind of drainage works, means should at 

 once be taken to have the lines of drains all accurately laid down upon a 

 plan, having a scale of not less than 100 feet to the inch. The plans con- 

 nected with each farm ought to be bound up as a book of reference. By 

 having alternately a leaf of drawing paper, on which the drain lines are 

 delineated in strong blue, and a leaf of writing-paper containing all neces- 

 sary particulars. 



