28 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



[N(x 



ed with liltle difficulty and expense; and, where \ 

 most essential, uswally vvitn the greatest lacility. ', 

 Bat the snialii'St improvement of this Uind, is in ' 

 general rendered impracticable by minute divisions I 

 of property, and otiier attendant causes. A river' 

 is considered to be so far a common subject, that 

 whde a proprietor is enlided to take every natural 

 advantage of the stream in passing, he is inter- 

 dicted from executing any operation upon it, which 

 pan prove injurious to the other individuals who 

 possess lands upon its banks. For example, if, by 

 ponds or dams, he throws back the water upon a 

 superior properly; or by juttees, directs its strength 

 upon the opposite bank; or by straiii'btening the 

 cfmnnel, makes the river rush with more than usu- 

 al violence upon the infi^rior lands; he will commit 

 an injury in each case, of which his neighbor has 

 a right to complain. There is, in fact, in every 

 situation, such a collision of interests, that it is sel- 

 dom possible to reconcile them toanv extraordina- 

 ry alteration on a river; and above all, in so direct 

 and radical a one as that of straightening the 

 channel. 



The case in which this measure may be re- 

 commended as most expedient, is that of those 

 mountain streams which intersect the haughs, or 

 hollows between the diii'erent ranures of hills or 

 high lands. All these haughs are composed of 

 soil of \he richest kind, formed of particles of earth 

 washed down from the heights; and thus are the 

 most valuable portions of land, both in the low 

 country and in the highlands. But, in conse- 

 quence of the streams that intersect them being 

 allowed to roam at pleasure, a (jreat portion of 

 soil is, in such instances, unnecessarily lost; and 

 what remains is so constanly liable to be broken 

 up and destroyed, that the produce of haugh lands 

 rests altogether upon a most precarious tenure. 

 To explain these facts, it may be remarked, that 

 when a stream is permitted to wander at will 

 through such hollows, it occupies, by its devious 

 course, four or five times the quantity of n-roimd 

 which it would do, if carried in a straight line; 

 that, m consequence of the angular outline of the 

 banks, the water strikes against them with vio- 

 lence, and continually makes encroachments; and 

 that, by the circuitous direction of the stream, and 

 the turbulence which that occasions, the evil ef- 

 fects of every flood are greatly increased. 



The advantages of straightening such a stream 

 are, accordiniily — 1. That a great addition of val- 

 uable soil will be obtained; 2. That the stream 

 will be rendered more placid; less capable of doino- 

 injury to the banks; and less extensive in its inun- 

 dations, and ir. ite ravages. 



The execution of the operation is moreover 

 much easier in this than in other cases. The 

 streams which takes their course through hauo-h 

 lands, are in general nearly exhausted, sometimes 

 enirely so, during the pummer months; so that 

 an alteration of the channel at that period of the 

 year may be accomplished with comparative fa- 

 cility. And further, the soil, as well as substra- 

 tum of haugh lands, consists generally of loose 

 and incohesive materials, which are easily du^ 

 out and removed. 



The great object, in improving the course of a 

 haugh stream, should be, to lead it as straight 

 forward as possible. If the haugh be winding, 

 or there be obstructions, which prevent a cut from 

 being made in a straight line from the entrance to 



the outlall, the stream should be led from to sid^ 

 of the haugh in straight reaches; alwaya endea". 

 voring to make some prominent rock, or point o' 

 sufficient firmness to resist tlie current, the vertex o' 

 each angle; or, where such cannot be tburui, raising 

 an artificial bulwarlc of stones in its place; it may 

 be led along the foot of the bank all the way, by 

 which means the haugh will be kept entire, and 

 the natural bank will be a barrier on the one side; 

 and the earth thrown out of the cut, will be suffi- 

 cient to form an embankment on the other, and to 

 fill up the old channel also. 



When a new channel is designed to be cut, its 

 breadth may be less than that of the old, while its 

 depth ought to be greater; because the narrower 

 and deeper a channel is, the water always flows 

 with greater ease and regularity. The lines of the 

 intended banks being marked out, the earth should 

 first be dugout fi-om the middle of the inclosed 

 space, lothe fulldeplh proposed; and on each side, 

 the depth of the excavation should be gradually 

 lessened, so as to form a convex slope to the tops 

 of the banks, this form being of all others the best 

 fitted for diminishing the pressure of the water, 

 either in ordinary or extraordinary floods. 



To secure the new banks against the action of 

 the stream, they should be carefully faced with 

 stones or turf. The former compose the best de- 

 li'nce, and may, in most cases be employed; as 

 abundance of stones is generally to be found on 

 the banks of mountain streams. At the bottom of 

 the liicing, the stones should be of the largest sort, 

 and sunk well into the ground, to prevent the wa- 

 ter from uudermiiiing them. In carrying up the 

 rest of the wall, the stones should be laid end- 

 iDuysj i.e. their inner ends pointing to the same 

 centre like the stones of an arch, and earth or 

 gravel should be rammed firmly in behind, as the 

 work proceeds. Between the stone-work and the 

 green sward on the top of the bank, there should 

 be several layers of thick tough sods or turf, which 

 will not only seive to bind the stones, but make 

 the junction of work with the natural bank smooth 

 and compact. When the whole facing is execu- 

 ted, the stones and sods should be forcibly beaten 

 into the bank with mail-'^ts and rammers, in order 

 to make it more firm and secure. If any fissures 

 still appear, long splinters of stone should be driv- 

 en in, which will not only fill up the vacant spaces, 

 but act as wedges to fasten and consolidate the rest of 

 the work. When sods are employed to make the 

 lacing instead of stones, the foundation ought at all 

 events to be defended by large stones; and it may 

 also be proper to drive a single or double line of 

 stakes into the bank to prevent the current I'roin 

 tearing away the sods, or even disarranging the 

 stones. 



In the case either of stone or turf facings, it has 

 been found useful to scatter a quantity of coarse 

 hayseeds over them; as the}^ vegetate quickly, 

 and tend greatly to fasten the work The firm- 

 ness of the bank may also be considerably in- 

 creased, by setting willows or other aquatic plants 

 along the top. * 



The most difficult branch of the whole opera- 

 tion, is that of leading the stream out of the old 



♦These should never be allowed to grow up as trees; 

 bat be cut over occasionally, so as their roots may 

 spread, and they may not be shaken and affected by 

 the wind. 



