OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 191 



likely means of refloring this land to its former ftate, 

 will be by covering it with earth, and thus returning 

 what it has loft. 



On every foil the beneficial effects of irrigation are 

 in proportion to the fupply of water, for where you 

 have a conftant fupply, you can ufe it in the moft criti- 

 cal times, in dry and in warm weather; but ftill where 

 this point cannot be obtained, where water can only be 

 had for a few months or weeks, it is not to be ne- 

 glected, as even in this imperfect ftate it is equal to the 

 beft manures in the production of grafs. To water 

 meadows with effect, they fhould be levelled, drained, 

 and cleared from aquatic weeds; levelled, to fpread 

 the water with equality; drained, becaufe on dry 

 ground it has more power, and the ground can be laid I 

 dry when required ; and cleared of weeds, becaufe they 

 occupy the place of a more valuable production ; but 

 even, without any of thefe improvements, water, merely 

 turned over the foil, in moft cafes will be of fervice, 

 and, where nothing more has been done, I have feen 

 grafs as long as the rufhes, where formerly nothing but 

 rufb.es grew. Every ftream, therefore, that can be 

 commajided, ought to be converted to this ufe, and 

 there are few ftreams, that may not be in fome degree 

 commanded. Even back -flooding, by means of dams, 

 ought not to be neglected, although the moft critical 

 and leaft beneficial branch of this art; in this way, 

 particular attention muft be paid to the time allowed 



the 



