434 Cultivation of Gruf* Land. Watered Meadows tiherc proper to begin,$c* 



ing ami proper manures of thetbflil kind, and that are not only the mod difficult 

 and expenfive in the execution, but often the leaft advantageous in the produce 

 afterwards, except when the butinefs is performed with uncommon correctnefs. 

 Therefore, in examining fuch grounds as are iituated below the mains or carriers, 

 the irrigator ihould fix upon fuch lands as are, from the nature and condition of 

 the foils and the fmallnefs of their value, capable of affording the greateft and mod 

 fpeedy improvement and advantage. In moft cafes thefe will be found to be the 

 more dry declining parts in the (late of tillage, and the old worn out dry paftures. 

 And infome inftances the heathy and moory lands may be felccted for this purpofe 

 with great chance of benefit. 



Where it can be done, it is bed to begin with fuch parts as are contiguous to, or 

 approach the neareff, the mains or carriers ; and, after having paffcd the water over 

 them, to mark the loweft places, where it can be carried off to the bed advantage ; 

 and from fuch parts it (hould then be feen to which other lands the water 

 can be conducted with the greateft facility and benefit. Where the natural (helving 

 of the ground is considerable, lefs care is neceffary ; but where this is not much, it 

 may often be requifite to convey the water in a flanting direction for a confiderable 

 way, before lands fufficiently low for being covered by it are met with ; as in 

 this fort of bufinefs it is invariably neceffary, in order to prevent the wafte of 

 water, to proceed with that which is firft made ufe of to its final outlet into the 

 river before the works on other divifions are commenced. 



On extenfive floping tracts of land managed in this way, it of courfe moftly be* 

 comes neceffary to convey the water in a flanting direction acrofs them. And an 

 opportunity is thereby afforded of throwing it over the lands in the intermediate 

 fpace, between the bed of the river and the mafler drains or carriers, and in this way 

 one fpace or divifion of ground may be fupplied after another, and the water con 

 ducted at pleafure to any given point, thereby enabling the operator to fupply or 

 omit any fpace of field that he may think proper, but fUll by this means preferving 

 the regularity of the plan, which at any future period may be perfected. 



In this view the moit material circumfrances to be attended to are the abundant 

 fupply of water and the quicknefs of its being conveyed off, as by its fluggifhnefs 

 or itagnation much mifchief may enfue. 



It is an advantage in this oblique or flanting method of watering, that it may be 

 performed to advantage with a fmaller fupply of water than in others; as where 

 that is the cafe it may be directed to fuch fpaces only as it will be equal to, but 

 *hen more abundant, it may be fuifered to overflow the whole at the fame moment. 



