714 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 12 



or turf ia laid, grass-sule downwards, and the 

 mould thrown in over it. These drains may 

 continue hollow, and discharge well, for many 

 years. 



Another simple mode of making pipe-drains 

 has been piiccessful!y attempted; but it is better 

 culculated for the purpose of an aqueduct or con- 

 veyance )br tlie water, than for drying the soil. A 

 drain is duw to the uecessary deptii, as narrow as 

 possible at bottom; in which is laid a smooth tree, or 

 cylindrical piece of wood, ten or twelve feet lonL', 

 six inches diameter at the one end, and five inches 

 at the other, liaving a ring or rope fastened to the 

 thickest end. After strewi' g a little sand at the 

 bottom, and on the upper side of the tree, the ciay, 

 or toughest part of tlie stuff thrown out of the 

 trench, is first laid in upon if, and then the re- 

 mainder, which ifi firmly trod down. By means of 

 the ring or rope, the tree is drawn out to within a 

 foot or two of the small or hinder end, and the 

 pame operation repealed. This is no doubt a sim- 

 ple and ingenious experiment ; and a gentleman 

 who has tried it, says, "this clay-pipe has conduct- 

 ed a small rill oi' water, a considerable way under 

 ground, fl)r more thati twenty years, without any 

 eign of failing." 



Another simple method to save meterialg in 

 grass-land has been practised. When the line of 

 drain is marked out. a sod (turf) is cut in form of 

 a wedge, the upper or grass side being the nar- 

 rowest, which is done by sloping the spade in cut- 

 ting or forming the sides. The sods are taken up 

 in lenijihs of one foot or eitrhteen inches, and 

 carefully laid on one side of the drain. Alter this, 

 the drain is cut to depth required, by usinff the 

 draining spades and scoop (that are shewn in the 

 plate) which contracts it to a very narrow bottom. 

 The sods are then set in with the grass side un- 

 dermost, and pressed down as far as they will ao, 

 where they become fixed, like key-stones of an 

 arch, resting upon the sloping sides of the drain. 

 As they cannot by this means go to the bottom, 

 a cavity is left underneath, to serve as a water- 

 course ; and the space above is filled to the top 

 with the earth thrown out. If the drain is three 

 feet deep, (and it should not be less,) there will be 

 two feet of earth above tfie sods, a depth sufficient 

 to secure them from anv injury by the ieel of cat- 

 tle. 



On lawns, or smooth sheep pastures, a very sim- 

 ple mode of carrying off" surface water, with a 

 strong common plough, may be effected in this 

 manner. After turning up furrows as deep as 

 possible, through the hollow parts of the field 

 where water is apt to stagnate, pare otf the loose 

 soil with a spade, leaving the inverted sod or 

 grassy side about three inches thick ; this done, 

 turn over the sod into the furrow, jjrass-side up, as 

 before. By this means a canal, or opening of three 

 or four inches, is left in the bottom of the furrow, 

 sufficient to discharge a considerable quantity of 

 water, which will readily get info it. A great deal 

 of ground may soon be gone over in this way; 

 and when the furrows choke, or grow up, the op- 

 eration can be repeated at a little expense. The 

 earth pared up from the turned-up furrow may be 

 spread on the surface or removed info a hollow. 



Such are the various methods of forming and 

 filling drains that have hitherto been most gener- 

 ally practised : there are certain deviations, howe- 

 ver, which, being more owing to the wbiiiu and 



conceit of individuiils, than productive of any real 

 advantage, are unworthy of notice. 



As to the season of the year for executing 

 drains, if depends on the nature and extent of the 

 work to be done. Suninierand autumn are the 

 most proper; lor then the ground is drier, and free 

 from that poaching and surluce wetness, which 

 renders the labor more ledious and difficult, if done 

 in winter or spring. The materials to be carted 

 (or filling, also, are more troublesome to collect, 

 and dangeroi!s to be led, at these seasons, than in 

 summer or autumn, when more work can likewise 

 be done in course of the day. 



Opening the earth in a dr}' season gives a ten- 

 dency to drain it. as the particles of the soil, after 

 being separated and dried when throAvn out, will 

 not so easily unite a<rain ; whereas ihe kneading' 

 and plastering which unavoidalily takes place in 

 winter, tends to prevent the flowing of the water, 

 from those minute and imperceptible veins and in- 

 terstices of the soil, through which it percolates. 



When the land is in grdss, or in summer fallow, 

 their line of direction can with more certainty be 

 traced, and the execution, in other respects, more 

 perfectly accomplished. 



In grass, turf can be gor for laying above the 

 stones, in place of straw, or leading it I'rom a dis- 

 tance, which is no small saving; and, in summer- 

 fallow, the distinctions between the wet and the 

 and dry soil is easily perceptible, and any promi- 

 nent inequalities of surface may then be easily 

 levelled or reduced, by parintr off' the heights and 

 adding to the hollows. Stones may likewise be 

 more easily found in the fields at that time lor fill- 

 inir. When a small spot is to he drained, or a 

 sinjile cut made in a field, it may be done at any 

 time when the crop is not upon the (rronnd. Bogs 

 or very wet marshes can only be done in summer. 



The duration of drains in general depends, as 

 has already been mentioned, upon the nature of 

 the materials with which they are filled. Stone 

 drains last till accidental causes impede the flow- 

 ing of the wafer; and when these do not happerj, 

 may endure for ever. Where perishable mate- 

 rials are employed, such as brick, wood, straw, 

 &c., their endurance depends in some measure on 

 the quality of the soi!, as certain species of land 

 have the power of preserving wood, and other ve- 

 getable substances, much longer than others ; 

 hence in moss, trees have been found almost en- 

 tire, that must have lain several hundred years; 

 whish shovvs that wood is particularly adapted lor 

 filling drains in such soils. 



It may be added, that in every kind of drain to 

 be covered, whatever the materials may be, it is 

 necessary to have them filled with all possible 

 speed, that the sides may receive no injur}^ from 

 the influence of the weather, which, by loosening 

 the earth and .making it liill down, causes a second 

 operation of scouring and clearing necessary, be- 

 fore the stones or other materials can be laid. 



The annexed plate (No. XIX. J exhibits, at one 

 view, the various modes of filling drains with 

 stone, wood, straw, &c., and will serve to elucidate 

 these remarks. 



SECTIOIV II. 



Of the general expense of draining, and of form- 

 ing contracts for its execution. 



The expense of opening and f^irming drains, ac- 

 cording to the soil, depth, price of labor, materials 



