104 THOROUGH-DRAINING, 



tliem. They are stronger of necessity, by the equal pressure 

 upon the circle, which any one may prove for himself. I 

 lately broke several tiles with my hands at a tile-kiln, while 

 I stood and jumped upon pipes of the same clay without 

 effect ; and they are more economical, because they are 

 cheaper to purchase, and a cart carries a much greater 

 number. It is objected to pipes that they may roll aside 

 when laid in the drain, and the end of one may not be 

 exactly opposite the end of the next; but then it maybe 

 objected that careless workmen may spoil any job ; and, un- 

 questionably, all kinds of draining require attention and 

 nicety in the execution. Admitting this as an objection, how- 

 ever, I think it is fully obviated by the land of pipe now 

 made at Whittonstall and at other places in this district, 

 which, while it preserves the circular form for the water, is 

 attached to a Hat bottom, which keeps its place in the drain 

 as steadily as anything of the kind can do — a specimen of 

 which I expected to have found here, but it has not made its 

 way into the room. Such pipes, of various bores, can be 

 made at from 16.s'. to 20.>;. a thousand. 



I think, gentlemen, I have now noticed most of the points 

 which are important in connection with this highly interest- 

 ing sulject — a subject which is now occupying much capital 

 and giving employment to a midtitude of hands in the agri- 

 cultural districts, and which is destined, 1 believe, to render 

 the produce of our soil much more certain than heretofore, 

 and greatly to increase its average annual amount. There 

 is yet one thing in connection with draining, and especially 

 when it is accompanied by subsoil-ploughing, which perhaps 

 you will allow me to advert to, and that is the depth to 

 which plants will send their roots in search of nourishment, 

 if not impeded by impervious subsoils, and by water, which 

 is pernicious to them. I recollect to have seen in Bamburgh 

 Castle some stalks of wheat which Avere placed there, I 

 believe, by the late Lord Barrington, whose roots had pene- 

 trated to xqiwards of eight feet below the surface of the 

 ground ; they had been got, I think, by breaking in the edge 

 of a quarry, near which the wheat was growing, and which 

 had found means to penetrate its open soil. The extent to 

 which the fern pushes its roots, far exceeding the height of 

 its stem, may have been remarked by most of you on a steep 

 bank, or by the side of a brook; we find the roots of trees, 

 too, pushing oxitwards into the soil, to the great obstruction 

 of the ])lough, as far as their tops rise into the air. If^ then, 



