160 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



The next best method, perhaps, is to lay in a proper 

 quantity of the smaller limbs of trees. Instances are men- 

 tioned, by British Writer, where the small limbs and twigs 

 of the beach, and ot the willow, had lain in the bottoms 

 of drains for forty years, and were still tolerably sound. 

 They should be laid clown in a green state, and in quantity 

 sufficient for all the waters of the drain to pass easily 

 through them; and should be covered with a thin layer 

 of straw, or other fit ingredient, to keep the earth, when 

 thrown on, from falling down among them, and thus imped- 

 ing the waters in their course. 



Another method is, to lay a large roll or rope of twisted 

 straw, say, four inches in diameter, along in the bottom of 

 the drain ; and then throw in the earth. The waters, in this 

 case, at first find their way thnnjgh the straw : But this 

 soon rots away, and leaves a circular aperture, which is the 

 best shape for preventing the earth on the upper side from 

 falling in. This kind of drain will last forty years or more. 

 In this case, however, it would seem that the descent of the 

 drains should not be too rapid, lest the waters wash away 

 some of the earth, and thus eventually stop the apertures. 



Another method is, to cut the drain about four inches 

 wide at the bottom, and widening from that for eight or ten 

 inches upwards; then take pieces of the sward, which must 

 be laid aside for the purpose, and cut them into a wedging 

 shape, so that when laid into the drain, with the grass-side 

 downwards, they will only go within about four inches 

 of the bottom, thus forming an aperture below for the 

 passage of the waters. This kind of drain, it is said by 

 British Writers, will last about forty years. 



We will mention another method of carrying off the 

 superabundant waters, of mowing and of pasture-land, that 

 is often found very beneficial to the pasture, or to the 

 growing crops of grass: This is to run furrows with the 

 plough, at suitable distances apart, and in proper directions, 

 through the lands ; then dig out narrow channels, say, three 

 inches wide, and as many deep, in the bottoms of the fur. 

 rows ; and then lay the sward, turned over by the plough, 

 back in its proper place. 



If this operation be properly performed, it may often be 

 found very serviceable, especially where heavy cattle, or 

 carriages, are not suffered to go on the ground. 



Sometimes lands may require hollow-draining, which are 

 so shaped as to have no natural outlet for the waters. In 

 such case, let a hole be dug in the lowest part of the land, 

 till a stratum of coarse sand, or gravel, can be found, if at 

 any reasonable depth : Then fill up the hole with stones, as 

 before mentioned, and carry the drains into it, where the 

 waters will sink away in the sand or gravel below. 



