106 ON DEEP-DRAINIJSrO. 



Another question was then asked as to tlie direction in 

 wliich drains oug-ht to be laid, whether directly upwards or 

 in a slanting- direction. 



Mr. Grey replied, that he considered all drains oug-ht to 

 be laid perpendicularly and at right ang-les to the incline ; 

 for in that way the strata, as they crop out, are cut through, 

 and the water they contain is immediately discharged into 

 the drains ; whereas, in the old way of laying- the drains 

 obliquely, they frequently ran along- in beds of clay, drying- 

 only a yard or two in their immediate vicinity, but without 

 abstracting- the water which was proving- injurious to the 

 land. 



Farmer's Magazine, September 1846. 



Art. XXVIIL— on DEEP-DRAINING. 

 By Mr. Mechi. 



Gentlemen, on the subject of draining- I have had a great 

 deal to combat with — a g'reat ditference of opinion, and a 

 g-reat deal of prejudice, amounting-, in some instances, to a 

 disbelief of facts. I have had gentlemen who, upon seeing- 

 me cut the drains, and upon observing- the opposite drains 

 running-, have said, " You will never make me believe the 

 water can g-et throug-h this strong- soil." That is a very 

 curious remark, but it has been made more than once. I 

 don't think that you here would do so. I am sure you 

 would not; but, gentlemen, deep-drainage must be the 

 basis of agricultural improvement. If earth be the food 

 of plants, the more you give them of it, the better they 

 grow. It is a mistaken notion to suppose that the roots go 

 down but a short distance ; we have constant evidence that 

 they will go down many feet, but not into undrained heavy 

 cold subsoil. When roots come to stagnant water, or if 

 heavy rains come, they are absolutely turned up like fish- 

 hooks to avoid it. They have instinct, if they have not 

 common sense. They search for food wherever they can. 

 find it, and I am quite sure, from the result of my practice, 

 that deep-drainage has made a diiference in one field of a 

 quarter of wheat and a load of straw per acre in the past 

 very dry season. I have two fields which some of you, gen- 

 tlemen, saw last year, that were growing wheat this. One 



