Cultivation of Grafs Land JFatercd Meadow$~~ Advantages of. 44.3 - 



On heathy moors and mountainous tra&s thisfyftem might often be applied with 

 a profpec} of moft ample advantage. Innumerable inflances are daily occurring to 

 thcattentiveobferver, in traverfing thefe hills, of lirtle rivulets or rills, tnfufficieat 

 to form a regular courfe, fpreading their waters, and providing a mod beautiful 

 verdure ; thereby affording the fulk ft proof of what improvement might be eliccl- 

 ed by the judicious application of this fluid. It is not, indeed* improbable but 



Th? method ofconftrufling thofe diftributing fluices is, by a number oftrunks placed at various dif- 

 tancc-s, to each- of which :i plu is lined ; and when the floods fweil the canal above the level requifUe 

 for navigation, thefe plugs are taken out, and the water -immediately overflows the furfaceoftne meadows, 

 being at any time eafil) rcltrained by rep acing the plugs : fimilar fuccef&amp;gt; attended a Uk.2 proccfs ou 

 lands in the upper line otlhe canal. 



And, in the Agricultural Report of the North Ruling of Yorkfh re, it is obferved, &quot; that on th 

 northern margin c.f Ryedaleand the Marimes, a ranoe of limcft-jiie heights extends in an eaftern and 

 iveftern direction for many miles, but whiclr in width, is no where more than about four miles, This 

 trail is entirely deftitute of water, except what flows along the bottoms of th deep valleys by which it 

 is interfiled, and wluch are feveral miles afunder ; little relief can confequently be afforded by 

 ftreams thus diftantly and inconveniently fituated to the inhabitants or cattle of the up-lands. A per- 

 fon of the neighbourhood, about thirty years fince, devifc d the means of watering this tract by rills 

 brought from the fp rings that bn-ak out at the foot of the far more lofty moorland hills that run pa 

 rallel to and at the north of this tradl, in fome inftances at about the diftanre of ten miles. 



&quot;Thefe fpringt he collefted into one chanml, which he wound about the intervening traft, accord 

 ing to the level of-it, and along.the fides of the valleys, until he gained the fiirnmit of the arid coun 

 try which he wifhed to water : having accompli (bed this, the water was eafily conve}ed to the places 

 defired, and alfo to ponds in all the fields over a confiderable tracl of ground, in general falling with air 

 enfy and uniform defcent to the fouth. In no inftance it is apprehended that more than two rills have 

 been required to fupply the trail between each of thefe interfering valleys ; and frequently one chart- 

 Bel has been found fufficient to convey the tlream for feveral miles from its fource ; after which it- 

 forks off into two branches, to each of which more or Jefi water is given, according as the country 

 through which Jt has to pafs may require a greater or lefs fupply. 



&quot; The fiirt of thefe rills is Lid to have been brought to Kirby-moor-fide about thTrty years ago ; fiuce 

 which time many others have been made. The original expenfe of each rill, which rarely exceeded 

 1001. was defrayed by a fubfcription, proportioned to the benefit each perfon was to receive ; and 

 they ftill continue to be fupported by -the fame means, though in one inftance, in a late act of parlia 

 ment lor the inclofure of a lordfhip through which one of thefe rills is conducted, a rate is laid on the 

 land benefited by it, and means prelcribed for compelling, if neceflary, the future payment of it. &quot; 



It is uell obferved, that the &quot; plan for thus watering a dry up-land country has much merit : 

 it affords a wonderful accommodation to the occupier; increafes greatly the value of the property j 

 and though not applicable generally, might certainly btf adopted with great advantage in various 

 other fuuations.&quot; 



VOL. II. 



