DRAINS. 101 



soil. If the object, be to pile the earth from the drains into 

 heaps, with a view to composts, this purpose is completely 

 accomplished by means of the scraper." 



To make a covered drain, dig a channel between thirty 

 and thirty-six inches wide at the top, and six inches, or the 

 breadth of a spade, at the bottom, and three feet deep, giv- 

 ing it just descent enough to make the water run briskly. 

 Fill it half full or more of small stones, thrown in at ran- 

 dom, and cover them with a layer of straw, leaves, or the 

 small branches of trees with the leaves on them '; then fill 

 it up to a level with the surface, with the earth that was 

 thrown out. 



In forming. small drains, chiefly for retentive soils, the 

 "ommon plough may be used. A mode described in 

 Young^s Annals of Agriculture, from very ample practice, is 

 his : he says, when he has marked the drains in a field, 

 usually a rod asunder, he draws two furrows with a com- 

 mon plough, leaving a balk betwixt them, about fifteen 

 inches wide ; then, with a strong, double-breasted plough, 

 made on purpose, he splits that balk, and leaves a clean 

 furrow fourteen or fifteen inches below the surface ; but 

 where the depth of soil requires it, by a second ploughing 

 he sinks it to eighteen or twenty inches ; it is then ready 

 for the land-ditching spade, with which he digs, fifteen 

 inches deep, a drain as narrow as possible. But the method 

 followed by some farmers, who do not possess ploughs made 

 on purpose for the work, is this : with their common 

 plough, drawn by four or five horses, and usually stirring 

 about four or five inches deep, they turn a double furrow, 

 throwing the earth on each side, and leaving a balk in the 

 middle. This balk they raise by a second bout, in the 

 same manner ; then they go in the open furrow twice, with 

 their common double-breast plough, getting what depth they 

 can. After this, they shovel out all the loose mould and 

 inequalities to the breadth of about a foot ; and thus having 

 gained a clear, open furrow, the depth varying according 

 to the soil and ploughs, but usually about eight or nine 

 inches, they dig one spit with a draining spade sixteen 

 inches deep, thus gaining in the whole twenty-four or 

 twenty-six inches. But as this depth is seldom sufficient, 

 when necessary, they throw out another, or even two other 

 spits, which makes the whole depth from thirty to forty 

 inches. London. 



Turf-covered drains may be made as follows : Turn up a 

 deep furrow with a strong plough, clear the sod from the 

 9* 



