CALCAREOUS MANURES— PRACTICE. 159 



In working a pit of wet marl, no pains should be spared to drain it as 

 effectually as possible. Very few beds are penetrated by veins of running 

 water which would deserve the name of springs ; but water oozes very 

 slowly through every part of wet marl, and bold springs often burst out 

 immediately over its surface. After the form of the pit and situation of 

 the road are determined, a ditch to receive and draw off all the water 

 should be commenced down the valley, as low as the bottom of the area 

 where the carts are to stand is expected to be made ; and the ditch opened 

 up to the work, deepening as it extends, so as to keep the bottom of the 

 ditch on the same level witli the bottom of the area. It may be cheaper, 

 and will serve as well, to deepen this ditch as the deepening of the pit pro- 

 ceeds. After the marl is .uncovered for the full size intended for the area, 

 (which ought to be large enough for carts to turn about on,) a little drain 

 of four or five inches wide, and as many deep, (or the size made by the 

 grubbing hoe used to cut it,) should be carried all around to intercept the 

 surface or spring water, and conduct it to the main drain. The marl will 

 now be dry enough for the carts to be brought on and loaded. But as the 

 digging proceeds, oozing water will collect slowly ; and, aided by the 

 wheels of loaded carts, the surface of the firmest marl would soon be ren- 

 dered a puddle, and next quagmire. This may easily be prevented by the 

 inclination of the surface. The first course dug off should be much the 

 deepest next the surface drain, (leaving a margin of a few inches of firm 

 marl, as a bank to keep in the stream,) so that the digging shall be the low- 

 est around the outside, and gradually rise in level to the middle of the areeu 

 Whatever water may find its way within the work, whether from oozing, 

 rain, or accidental burstings of the little surface drain, will run to the out- 

 side, the dip of which should lead to the lower main drain. After this form 

 has once been given to the surface of the area, very little attention is re- 

 quired to preserve it ; for if the successive courses are dug of equal depth 

 from side to side, the previous dip will not be altered. The sides or walls 

 of the pit should be cut, (in descending,) something without the perpendi- 

 cular, so that the pit is made one or two feet wider at bottom than top. 

 The usual firm texture will prevent any danger from this overhanging 

 shape, and several advantages will be gained from it. It gives more space 

 for work — prevents the wheels running on the lowest and wettest parts — 

 allows more earth to the disposed of, in opening for the next pit — and pre- 

 vents that earth from tumbling into the next digging, when the separating 

 wall of marl is afterwards cut away. The next upper and larger drain of 

 the pit, which takes the surface water, will hang over the small one below, 

 kept for the oozing water. The former remains unaltered throughout the 

 job, and may still convey the stream when six feet above the heads of the 

 laborers in the pit. The lower drain of course sinks with the digging. 

 Should the pit be dug deeper than the level of the main receiving ditch can 

 be sunk, a wall should be left between, and the remainder of the oozing 

 water must be conducted to a little basin near the wall, and thence be 

 baled or pumped into the receiving ditch. The passage for the carts to 

 ascend from the pit should be kept on a suitable slope ; and the marl form- 

 ing that slope may be cut out in small pits, after all the balance of the dig- 

 ging has been completed. 



If the marl is so situated that carts cannot be driven as low as the bot- 

 tom, either because of the danger of flooding, or that the ascent would be 

 too steep for sufficiently easy draught, then the area must be cut out in 

 small pits, as before stated, beginning at the back part, and extending as 

 they proceed, towards the road leading out of the pit. 



On high and hilly land, marl is generally found at the bottom of ra- 



