158 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



brought into a state of fermentation, and it retains that state 

 a proportionately greater length of time. 



It is usually necessary to have leading drains, for the 

 purpose of receiving the water of the smaller ones, and for 

 carrying it off in such direction as may be found most suit- 

 able. The descent of the former, as well as of the latter, 

 should not be too rapid; aS, in that case, there is danger 

 of the water carrying away some of the earth, which, in 

 that case, is liable to collect at certain places, and thus 

 eventually stop up the drains. 



Where the ground is considerably descending, let them 

 be carried in an oblique direction, so as ihat their descents 

 will be gradual. The leading ones should be sufficiently 

 large to carry off all the water they may at any time receive 

 from the small ones. Let them be from eighteen inches in 

 width, at top and bottom, to three feet, and sometimes 

 more; and let the depth be about three feet, or perhaps 

 four, where they are to carry off much water. 



The small ones should be about a rod apart and about 

 two feet deep; or, they may be about a rod and a half apart, 

 and about three feet deep. The shallower they are, the 

 closer they should be together. Their width should depend 

 on the manner in which they are to be constructed. 



The best method of making the leading drains is, to fill 

 them about half full with small stones, say, such as weigh 

 from one to ten or twelve pounds ; and let these be covered 

 with a layer of such as are small enough to fill up all the 

 chinks ; in order that, when the earth is thrown on, it can- 

 not fall down among the stones below, Then throw on the 

 earth that was before thrown out, reserving the best for 

 the top. 



But it may frequently happen that stones, of the descrip- 

 tion mentioned, cannot be conveniently had ; and in that 

 case Hat stones, if they can be had, or bricks, made for the 

 purpose, must be resorted to; and then the construction 

 should be quite different. If bricks be used, they should 

 be made for the purpose, and effectually burnt ; otherwise 

 they will soon crumble away, and thus stop up the drain. 

 Let those for the bottom be made, say, eight inches square, 

 and two inches thick ; those for the sides and top, say, 

 twelve inches square, and of a like thickness. 



The bottom of the drain, in this case, should be just 

 wide enough to build up the brick- work, in the manner we 

 shall now describe. First, lay the bottom bricks, flat and 

 evenly, on the bottom of the drain ; then set up the sides, 

 perpendicularly, the lower edges close to the sides of the 

 bottom bricks, and resting on the bottom of the drain ; then 

 cover the whole over with others of the larger-sized bricks, 

 throw in the earth, and the drain is made. 



