412 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



the weather is hot, the water should be taken off 

 the ground. The night, and days which are cool and 

 cloudy, are the best times tor applying it 



Li ihe Spring, it should not be applied till the ground is 

 somewhat dry; and alter the grass begins to start let the 

 quantity be diminished, and let it also be sloped during 

 isi^y weather. When the grass is pretty well grown, no 

 Witer should be applied, except in cases of drought. After 

 taking off the second crop, the water may be thrown on 

 more plentifully ; but it must be taken off some time before 

 the Winter- frost commences. 



The foregoing is bi lieved to be the most suitable direc- 

 tions for watering meadows, as practised in this Country; 

 but this falls tar short of the most approved practice in 

 Greatbritain. There the spots s'-k-cted for the purpose are 

 so nearly level, after the ground has received its proper 

 shape, that ihe water, which is let in at one side, will but 

 barely run off at the other. The ground is shaped exactly 

 for ihe purpose, by raising it wtre it is too low, and sinking 

 it where it is too high ; it is then made into ridges about 

 nine yards wide, and a toot in height, with an uniform de- 

 scent from the middle of each to the extremes; a shallow 

 channel is tnen made on the highest part of each ridge for 

 conducting the water on them, and another on the lowest 

 ground between them for carrying it off A canal is made 

 on the upper side of the piece ot ground for supplying the 

 water, and another on the lower side tor carrying it off, 

 after it has served the purpose of irrigation. Thus the wa- 

 ter is let out ot the upper canal into ihe channels made on 

 the higher parts of the ridges, which channels it fills, and 

 overflows just enough to impart a due proportion of water 

 to eav h ridge; and thus gently ovcifi >wmg spreads over the 

 surface, till it is received in the lower channels, and by 

 them is carried into the lower canal, and thence carried off. 



Ii will readily be seen, that no water should be suffered 

 to run off into the lower canal from the channels which 

 carry it on the heights of the ridges. The channels should 

 be stoped at their lower ends The water in the upper 

 canal should be under perfect control; so that no more than 

 is necessary be let into the higher channels, and that it may 

 be taken off at pleasure. VVhere the supply of water is 

 small, a part of the meadow may be irrigated at a time, and 

 part at another, in succession, till each part has, in turn, 

 been duly supplied. This is to be done by flood-gates, to 

 confine the water in the upper canal to the parts where it 

 is required. 



The upper canal is to be supplied from a durable stream, 

 and the more turbid this is, the better. Clear limpid streams 

 are by no means so good for the purpose. 



