IRRIGATION AND DRAINING. 73 



but it should pass off immediately after accomplishing the ob- 

 jects sought. 



The increase from the application of water is sometimes 

 fourfold, when the soil, the season and the water are all favor- 

 able, and it is seldom less than doubled. Many fields which 

 in their natural condition, scarcely yield a bite of grass for 

 cattle, when thoroughly irrigated, will give a good growth for 

 years, and without the aid of any manures. 



UNDER DRAINING HEAVY AND TENACIOUS CLAY 

 LANDS. 



The advancement of agriculture in this country during 

 the few last years, the high price of farming lands and their 

 products within convenient distances of our larger markets, 

 justify the commencement of an intelligent system of drain- 

 ing on such lands as require it. This system has for many 

 years been introduced and largely practiced in England and 

 Scotland, and has resulted in the most signal success. The 

 plan first adopted was, to excavate the land in parallel lines 

 at intervals of 16 to 25 feet, and to a depth of 2 or 3 feet, 

 forming a slightly inclined plane on the bottom, which was 

 from 3 to 6 inches wide and gradually enlarging as it 

 approached the surface. The narrowest drains were arched 

 with inverted turf and clay, and so high as to allow of the 

 requisite space at the bottom for the escape of whatever 

 water might filter through the soil. Others were formed 

 with continuous arched tiles laid on a sole^ (a flat tile of the 

 same material,) or a board placed on the bottom forming an 

 uninterrupted conductor. Larger ditches were filled with 

 rubble-stone (and in some instances brush,) to a sufficient 

 depth, and then covered with soil. In all cases the 

 smaller ones communicated by their outlets with a large 

 open drain which led the water from the field. These drains 

 were always below the reach of the plow, thus leaving the 

 whole surface of the lands free from any obstruction to culti- 

 vation. Two recent improvements have been introduced 

 which materially diminish the expense while they enhance 

 the benefits of the system. They consist in sinking the 

 drain to 4 feet and using baked clay or tile pipes H to 2 

 inches in diameter, and 12 to 18 inches in length, connected 

 by allowing the descending end to enter the next below it 

 as a socket or by placing the ends close to each other. The 

 trifling opening at each joint, with small holes perforating 

 the top of the tiles, is found to be sufficient to admit all the 

 C 



