Cultivation of Grafs Land. Drinking Punch Methods of fornriii*. 4^3 



In fpeaking of farms on the Mendip hills, Mr. Billingfley, in the Agricultural 

 Report of Somerfetfnire, mentions a method of conftru&amp;lt;5Hng drinking pools for 

 cattle by means of mafon s work, as on fuch elevated regions fprings are fddom 



impreffion or injury. Great care is to be taken in laying on uniformly this mufs of clay, ami boating 

 it into a compact body ; for which purpofe not more mull be fpread at a time upon the lime than can 

 undergo the beating while it retains a proper temper or confidence for the purpofe : after the whole is 

 thus finilhed, it is gone over feveral times by the beaters, and fp rink led each time with waler^ and care 

 is taken to prevent any cracks being formed, which might entirely deftroy the power of retention. 



&quot;Pure brick-clay is not required ; but any tenacious earth, that by beating will become of a folid 

 rompaft body, will anfwer the purpofe. As foon as this operation has been duly performed, the whole 

 Airface of the clay is covered, to about the thicknefs of a foot, with broken chalk, fine gravel or the 

 chippings of mouldering ftone,orlime(lone, to prevent any injury being done by the treading of the cattle. 

 It is neceffary to obferve, that coarfe ftones, or any ftones of a texture that will not unite into a folid 

 body, mult not be made ufeof,as fuch are liable to be difplaced by the trcadingoflhecattle, to Le profit-it 

 into or through the bed of clay, or to be rolled down to the bottom of the pond ; under all which cir- 

 cumftances the beds of clay and lime are liable to be broken, and the water confequently let out of the 

 pond. Sometimes the clay is covered with fods, the grafsfide being laid downwards, as a fupport to the 

 gravel, by which fome faving of covering may be made; or feveral inches thick of common earth is 

 laid upon them, or upon the clay without the fods, byway of bed for the -covering, where gravel or fiich. 

 like materials may be fcarce j by which fomething may be alfo faved. 



&quot; After the clay has been well beaten, fome workmen water the furface of it, and fold flieep or pigs 

 for a confiderable time upon it; the treading of which is found to be ferviceable in rendering it more 

 compact. 



&quot; Some people, inftead of ufmg flaked lime, have good mortar made of lime and land well worked 

 together, and cover the furface of the ground with it to the thicknefs of about an inch : this, if, carefully 

 done, is thought by many to be the mod effectual mode of rendering the bottom retentive; but the 

 mortar is liable to crack before tke clay gets bedded over it : which mult be carefully guarded againft* 

 Ponds have been made wherea coat of mortar has alfo been fpread over the furface of the clay as well 

 as under it an approach, perhaps, as near as poffible to perfection but where lime bears a high price, 

 the expenfe is thus considerably augmented. 



&quot; Experience, now of many years, and the univerfal ufe of thefe ponds in this country, wherever 

 Wanted, have proved them when carefully made, fo effectually to retain water ; to prefervc it of fo 

 good a quality, when not fouled by the treading of cattle ; and to be applicable to fo many fituations, 

 that they cannot be too ftrongly recommended in all high fituations, where water may be much 

 wanted, or in all other fituations where the water may be of a bad quality : they are equally applica 

 ble to our dry wolds, downs, and heaths, which, are without water, as to every fenny truft which has 

 too much of it, but of a brackifh or unwholefome quality.&quot; 



