4:38 Cultivation of Grafs Land. Watered Meadows Catch-work* 



iicient declivity for carrying off the water tvhen its continuance may be attended 

 Avith injurious effects. In forming meadows of this kind, the drains that are to 

 carry off the water when no longer neceffary, mould therefore be as carefully at 

 tended to as thofe by which the water is to be brought on. 



In fhort, it may be obferved, that this operation, as has been already mown, may 

 be applied with utility to all thofe low-lying lands, that are capable of being 

 overflowed directly from the rivers or ftreams that adjoin them, or on which confide- 

 rable proportions of water may be brought by a cut from a river at a higher level than 

 the furface of the meadows, or the tops of the ridges ; if fuch preparation for wa 

 tering has been made, the water being fo conducted to the nearefl part of the mea 

 dow, it is there branched out, by a number of fmaller cuts, made for the pur- 

 pofc. Thefe cuts being filled with water, forced into them with as much rapidity 

 as poffible from the main cut, overflow their banks, and a general flooding enfucs 

 over the whole meadow if fufBcient water be procured. 



Where watered meadows are ridged up, drains are made in each furrow to receive 

 the water which overflows the little cuts that are made on the tops of the ridges, 

 and, falling into the drains in the furrows, runs off into the tail drain, and 

 which may be ufed to water forne adjoining field, or reconducted to the river; 

 ib that when the drains are properly formed, by flopping the inlet the field may 

 be immediately laid dry. This is molt expeditioufly done where crofs drains 

 are made from thofe on the tops of ridges, fo that the water is conducted into the 

 drains in the furrows, as foon as the main drain is fhut. On meadows whofe fur- 

 faces are irregular, and where an abundance of water cannot be procured, the cuts 

 neceffary to flood it can only be determined by the fkill of the operator. 



.There is another defcription of watering, ufually denominated Catcb-work, which 

 is applicable to fuch meadows, grafs and pafture lands as are fituated on the fides 

 of hills, and capable of being watered by conducting the water of fome ftrearn 

 round the edges of the hills. The method of watering fuch lands differs from 

 the former, as fewer cuts are neceffary, and thefe as nearly in parallel lines below 

 each other as the bank will permit: the water by the main-cut having arrived at 

 the top of the piece of ground, it begins to run over, overfpreading all the furface 

 in itscourfe, and falling into the cut immediately below it, which, becoming full, 

 difcharges itfelf in the fame manner into the next, and fo on, rill at laft the water 

 arrives at the bottom of the field, and falls into a drain made for the purpofe of 

 carrying it away, or conducting it to other grounds on lower levels. 



