526 



F A R M E R S' REGISTER. 



[No. 9 



burgh, Selkirk, and Peebles, most of the principal 

 sheep-farms have been very much drained, and 

 the consequence is, that the size, quality, and 

 healtlunessofthestockin these districis, have been 

 thereby so much improved, as appears almost in- 

 credible to those who v/ere acquainted with the 

 former state of sheep-iarming in those parts.* In 

 many of these firnis, the rent has increased four- 

 fold, and the rot is now hardly known. The mode 

 of draining fidopted in these paslures is simple, yet 

 eti'ective. The wetness arises chiefly from the 

 springs that issue from the sides of the hdls, and, 

 spreadmg over the surface of the descent, Ibrm 

 such an accumulation of water in the hollows, or 

 flats at the boitnm, as to render them often so 

 boggy, and productive of noxious iirass, that the 

 sheep are in danger of being drowned, and are al- 

 ways subjected to disease. The first thing, 

 therefore, is to cut off the source of the springs by 

 a drain carried along the uppe.r side of the decli- 

 viiy, and to have as many others in a parallel di- 

 rection, as the extent of the wetness requires. 

 with such conductors in the hollows, as serve to 

 lead the water to the burns at the bottom. 



These drains seldom exceed two feet in depth, 

 and therefore require to be the more numerous ; and 

 the stuff is always thrown to the lower side, to srive 

 access to the water that may come into them fi-om 

 the upper. The watit of depth, however, ren- 

 ders them less effectual in most cases, particularly 

 where the upper soil is sof\ and boggy ; but if the 

 depth was greater, (which it might be without 

 risk,^ the effect would be more certain, and the 

 expense less, as fewer cuts would answer the pur- 

 pose. The water collected by these drains is olten 

 turned to useful purposes, by irrigation. By con- 

 ducting the upper drains, so as to lead it on a level 

 as far as the nature of ground will admit, it is 

 turned out, so as to run over such parts of the sur- 

 face below, as are dry and covered with heath, 

 where it has the effect of extirpating that plant, 

 and encouraging luxuriant grass. This is so 

 great an improvement, in addition to the draining, 

 that the annexed plate, No. V. is given, to repre- 

 sent it more clearly. t 



Besides the draining of sheep pastures in hilly 

 districts, as has been thus explained, there are 

 many extensive plains overrun with water, and 

 •covered with noxious grass, which, if subdivided, 

 and drained by open cuts, would soon naturally 

 produce better herbage, and maintain more and 

 better stock. The small rivulets that run through 

 them, are often so crooked, and incapable of con- 

 taining the water, that these alone beiiiffstraighted 

 and deepened, would add greatly to their improve- 

 ment. This indeed is the first thing to be done 

 towards their drainage, after which, conducting 

 the water by smaller courses into these, becomes 

 a simple and easy process. They may be situated 

 in such parts of the country unfavorable to their 

 cultivation otherwise; but surely their drainage 

 would be attended with advantage, by meliorat- 

 ing the climate, improving the pasture, and main- 

 taining a greater and better breed of cattle ; or, 



* The writer of tliis Treatise drew up, (along with 

 his father,) the 'Ao;ricultural Reports' of Peebles and 

 Selkirkshires for the Board of Agriculture, in 1794. 

 He is therefore enabled to state the above fact from 

 personal observation. 



t See plate No. V. on page 529. 



as meadows for producing hay for winter proven- 

 der, they would pay amply for their improvement, 

 where that commodity is so useful for rearing 

 stock. In their natural state, they are often re- 

 served for that purpose ; but then the produce is 

 so coarse and so scanty, that it ill repays the labor 

 of cutting and preserving it. If drained, and af- 

 terwards limed on the surface, their produce would 

 be greater, better in quality, and liable to less 

 risk; for in floods, when the streams that pass 

 through I hem overflow, the hay, such as it is, ia 

 oflen swept away or greatly injured. In many si- 

 tuations, such ground might advantageously be 

 converted into water-meadow, by which, a still 

 greater supply of grass and hay might be obtain- 

 ed ; but this is a species of improvement, not 

 much attended to yet in Scotland, except, on some 

 parts of the Duke of Buccleuch's estate, and on 

 that of Pittbur in Aberdeenshire, where, indeed, 

 it has been successfully practised, and is now ge- 

 nerally understood. The influence of such exam- 

 ples, bids fair to extend its practice, in situations 

 where it is practicable ; for, like many other im- 

 provements in agriculture, there is a prejudice 

 against it, arising from the want of knowing, or 

 an opportunity of' seeing, its effect. 



In the itnmediate vicinity of Edinburgh, there 

 are several hundred acres of the richest water 

 meadow, producing about £40 an acre annually; 

 part of which, in its original state, was not worth 

 a shilling per acre. The discharge from the com- 

 mon seivers that drain the city, affords 'dfull sup- 

 ply for this foul irrigation ; but there is a maxim 

 in husbandry, "Let nothing be lost!" But, 

 though this species of irrigation adds to the rental 

 of the owners, it contributes nothing to the health 

 of those who live near it. In the summer 

 months, the malaria is almost insufferable. Part 

 of these meadows lie within a few hundred yards 

 of the royal palace and the horse barracks !!!* 



The cholera of 1832 was more. prevalent in the 

 districts adjoining these mires, than in other loca- 

 lities. Milk-cows are chiefly fed with the product 

 of these fields, which must afli2Ct the flavor of 

 that most useful fluid, as much as it does the salu- 

 brity of the air ! 



A '•■ Board of Health"' would certainly recom- 

 mend their drainage, and the ground being con- 

 verted to other useiul purposes, like that in the site 

 of the North Loch. 



SECTION VIII. 



On the draining of corn-land, pastures, and plan- 

 tations, with open cuts and subdivision fences ; 

 and of the form and construction of open drains 

 in general. 



It often happens, that corn-lands and rich culti- 

 vated pastures, although inclosed and divided into 

 regular fields, are imperfectly drained, by not, at 

 first, attending to the proper direction of laying 

 out the ditches, so as to serve the double purpose 

 of drains as well as fences. A frequent error also 

 occurs, in not making the ditches of a proper 

 dep.h, especially if the ground is flat ; and conse- 

 quently any interior drains that lead into them, 

 must be subject to the same fault. Where the 

 ditches have been cast in a good direction, the 

 simple remedy is to deepen them where there is 

 level to do so ; and if the direction is improper, it 



* A hint to Government. 



