174 STATISTICAL SURVEY 



the moft approved mode is to lay them neatly at the 

 bottom, and then to throw the remainder as level as 

 can be done, covering them with whins or ftraw, to 

 prevent the earth from falling between the (tones. 

 When ftones are not to be had, fod-drains are in ufe, 

 a. fpade and {hovel of a particular kind being the im- 

 plements to take out the undermoft fpit, fo as to leave 

 a (houlder for an inverted fod to reft on. Thefe drains 

 are moft liable to get out of order, from the fod rot- 

 ting and giving way, but where {tones are not to be ob- 

 tained, there is no alternative. The nearer the furface 

 the drains are filled, they are the more effectual, as, in 

 that cafe, they alfo intercept, on fteep hills more efpe- 

 cially, fome of the furface water. I have not yet 

 learned whether draining, in Dr. Anderfon's method 

 by tapping, has here been praftifed, but I {hould ima- 

 gine in this country it might anfwer ; I {hall mention 

 an inftance in which, without intention, it perfectly 

 fucceeded. In the middle, or rather towards the latter 

 end of the dry weather in the year 1 800, it was found 

 neceflary to clean a well in this neighbourhood, about 

 half way towards the fummit of a hill, fuch as this 

 country abounds withj after the well was cleared, very 

 little water made its way; it was then refolved upon to 

 fink the well, formerly about two feet, to four feet; 

 this was done, and ftill very little water came, upon 

 which a large iron crow was forced into the ground; 

 this, after a few ftrokes, funk into a loofe gravel about 



two 



