

€l)e Ihrtncr^s iHotitl)hj Visitor. 



105 



ill the liMuls, tlieiK would have been iin end of 

 llie irmiler; luit now 1 have ihe f•ilti^l'il(•li(>n ol 

 hnviii;; tdllilled ii puhlic duly (wiihoiit injury In 

 iiiysfll') by (-idling inio union IciniPDiai liy and 

 liiTiimiiL'iuly, a fonsidcrahh! airjnunl ut' labor. I 

 c'unciMve llml ilip liijriiest order of charily, whiidi, 

 hy |)rn\idinjr eniplojniL'iit to die willing' lahoi- 

 er, colliers a favor iiiiseeii, and leaves niicoin- 

 |iroiiiised (his inott valuahle (irivilege) his self- 

 de|ieiideiice. 



If every one who has the means follows my 

 e\ani|ile, w here reiidi.sile, theie will lie lillle need 

 to coiiiplaiii of the « ant of eMi|ilo\ nieiil lor our 

 |ieasanlry or ourcapllal. Whil.-I eveiy ihing has 

 been done for the Fannei',- (piolii ami coinfurl, 

 Ihe Cotljifjers have not been fori;oiten. A few 

 ;;iitlcrs and |ii|ies to iheir |•e^id^n^e.-, and some 

 drains in their j:ardens, liavi: rendered ihe former 

 ilii/ and htiilllii/, and the hilier produclive ; and this 

 at the tririin^ cost of a few |ionnds. 1 may be 

 asked, " What can joii, as a Londoner, know 

 ahont tanning?'' 1 will answer, "I always loved 

 the beauties of natnie, the |inre air of Heaven, 

 the s|iorts of the lield, and Ihe hosjiilaliiy of our 

 honest \eoiiien. I ha\e seen one rannej' iiiak- 

 iiifl a Inrlone, and his next neighbor losilig one. 

 I have seen one field all corn, and another nearly 

 all weeds." 



I asked, "How is this?" — eminired into the 

 causes — noted the results — oblaiiieil from all Ihe 

 best fiinners and all the best Aj;ricidlmal hooks 

 wiihin my reaidi, every informalion hearing on 

 a^irieiiliural )>nrsnils — |iiaelised on my own little 

 ;;arden, on a small scale, a variety of experi- 

 menis ; and after carelidly wei;;hinfi the evidence, 

 1 come to Ihe conclnsion, Ihal.waiit of ilrainaL'e, 

 both in land and buildings, waste of manure, 

 shallow )iloni:liin!,', and sliorl leases, are aiiioni'st 

 the f.'realesi cnrses to this country; and I, so far 

 as my indiiidnal means will permit, ani resolved 

 on remedying' them. 



I am. Sir, 



Voiir obedieiil Servant, 



1. J. IMEClll. 



4, Leapenhall Street, 

 London, .March 15, 1844. 



P. S. -As Tijitree Healh is nolorioiis for poor 

 land, and as ihe Essex larmers, lieiierally, are ex- 

 trenifly sceptical as to these improvements an- 

 sweriiiiT, I would recommend tladr iiispectiiif? the 

 crops (there w ill he no Ion;; fallow) abuill .toly 

 next; ami then, having; the liicis before them, 

 they will be enabled to ilraw correct concdnsions. 

 I may as well add, iris inleiitled to trenc,h-ploiij;h 

 and disturb Ihe soil to the depth of foiirieeii or 

 sixteen inches. The implements used on this 

 larm are, Crosskill's idod-criisher, roller and li- 

 quid manure cart. The threshing; machine is 

 constructed under my o«n direclion, by Mr. 

 Besvley, of Chelmsford, on the Scotch principle, 

 w ith rakes, chuff-cutter, and corn-bruiser. 



LETTER II, 



The Draiiwfre at Tiphee-Hall Farm. 

 4, Leauenhall Street, 



London, March 28fA, 1844, 



Sir — As I have fre<pient enquiries, I will en- 

 deavor to Mive you a tolerably snccin<t .•ocoiint 

 of my draining operations at Tipiree-llall Farm. 



The land is of such various ipialities, and so 

 paiticMlarly silnated thereby t'»r (be reieniion <d 

 both top and spring water, "that the Essex people 

 oonsideretl it never eould be improved e\<;u U> 

 become of tolerable goodness, 



.Aboot two-lhirds of it was a etrong yellow 

 lo;im subsoil, in a state lietweeai jmtty anil hiid- 

 lime, according to the season, here and there 

 .mixed wiih a liodge-|Hidge of stones, to which 

 Ills atlachinenl was .so affi-ciiuiLile that there was 

 .no separaiing them, and it was only by the con- 

 etaiit use of w.iter that ihe land drainers could 

 };et Iheir spades in or g<t rid of this adiiesive 

 ipulifriance; at intervals might .he linmd veins of 

 «lti('the reverse of adhesiie,) ami hei«; an<l .there 

 5he«aill ttonhl assume a riisly appenr.-iiice, indi- 

 caliivg Hiiuu, with a bluish or slaly.character ; then 

 n patch ol'yravel occasionally amoigist the loam 

 ill wliic^li w«uhl rise a small' weiiJ; ,-pi iin', siitli- 

 cieirt, JKjWL-v-er, to ruin the crops in iis immediate 

 rieiglilmrlioaiL Over this subsoil and, between it 

 and the ejikitated soil, was a li;ii;d,, dry and im- 

 pervious pan, liiriiied of the subsoil, itiui"haide.ii«d 

 and rendered solid by the heat oJ' the sun and 

 the coustant action of the plough-sole. The soil 



itself partook in some consideralilc degree of the 

 nature of the snbstiil, being, however, ameliorated 

 by tiii.Xture of matiures and by cultivation. Still 

 so great was the fear of the wreti'hed subsoil that 

 the pan was never disturbed, eonseipienlly, there 

 being but nine or ten inches of ciiltivalahle earth 

 with an impervious liasis, a dry smiimer burnt 

 all np, and a wet one niined the crops by rotting 

 the roots. A showery season was tiie only one 

 suitable l(ir this dcsci iplion of land. 



Now, however, after draining, in the sliort 

 space of a few months, we are subsoiling to the 

 depth (d' liinrteen or sixteen inches, and working 

 it like !i gaiden ; the water having lelt it, and the 

 frosty air following the water, it is as mellow .-md 

 Iri.dile us could be desired. In lad, during the 

 last month, whilst our iieigliiiors were unable to 

 move, we were harrow ing on our w heat and beans 

 like a rich garden ; the earth crumbling down 

 .•liter the <h ill like sand — veiy much to the asloii- 

 isliment of tin; Tenant and Laborers; and this 

 alier so inueli carting and disturbance, and so 

 liincli of the subsoil thrown np, Ihat two iiionlhs 

 previously itwaslhought a whole slimmer uoiild 

 liardly snliice to condition Ihe .^oil. 



The drains cross, at a very acute angle, the 

 slope of the land ; they are four yards apart, with 

 a leader to every fourscore rods — the leader being 

 rather deeper than the other drains, but not wider. 

 Still, as it never runs full, it proves in practice 

 iny subsequent proposition, that "Ihe filiralioii 

 of water, in sirong soils, is far inferior to the ve- 

 locity of its passage through the drains," 



Each acre contains twelve score rods; and 

 costs ten pounds, requiring 3200 pipes and 3(50 

 bushels of stones, 



The st\le of dr.iinage applied to this part of 

 the Farm is as liillows: 



First, a double tmii of the plough takes out 

 nine inches; then a narrow spade (sufficiently 

 wide to admit the drainer's foot) lakes out ten 

 inches ; then comes a still narrower spade (four- 

 teen inches long, three and one eighth wide at 

 top, and one anil a half at bottom,) which re- 

 moves thirteen inches moie— making the whole 

 ill pill from the surface Ihirly-two inches. The 

 drain lieing well clean d oul, «e first fill in the 

 drains, to the depth of ten inches, with nice clean 

 gravel-stones, and then place, on the top of these 

 sloneti, M (bain-pipe, thirtee:i inches long and 

 three inches wide oiHsiile, having a tw<i-inch 

 liore. This fits so exactly into the space made 

 by the last or narrow spade, that it not only rests 

 oil the sloiies, but binds against the sides of the 

 diain, thereby preventing llie stones being choked 

 by the snperincuuibeiit earth, but also forming 

 the earlli above it inio an inch; which in the 

 stronger soil would, it is presumed, retain itr. 

 form even if the pipe were broken or decaved. 

 As this is a plan>of my o«n, and contrary to the 

 enlertaiiiei! ""iniyH'') "'i«' ''"^ "''"^ should be at 

 the boltoiii, Twill give m;' ie«soiis for so doing; 

 because, 



Ist. It jg rheapei-. 



2d, It is more dmabh', and less liable to 

 choke. 



3d, There is a larger area of spucf for the 

 escape or fiJtralion <d the w.iier: and thi.s I con- 

 sider of the utmost importance, and no', siifli- 

 cienlly considered. It is quite evident, that the 

 Jjllralion of the water iiiiist be according to Ihe 

 <trea of Ihe pores jiresenled lo Ihe air in the drains. 



It might be illustrated by saying, it is of little 

 use having ii large passage unless you have enouijh 

 side-doors ti> admit a sufficient nuiiibec of pas- 

 sengers to travel down it. 



The pores, in contact with air, \vliicli are con- 

 stantly admitting the water l)y its superior grtivi- 

 ty, should form, if priictieable., |,y ,-.dmeasure- 

 inenl, a svptrjic'ai area iijual loihcrsolid iinoceupied 



away, most of it percolated, except in cases of 

 the ground being fro/en haril, and very heavy 

 and sudden rains. It appears to percolate toler- 

 ably clear accoriling lo ihe season — but on this 

 point my observations must be more extended. 

 Oil cutting across some of the drains that had 

 been made six months, the stones were found to 

 be washed as clean as the gravel in a brook. 



The other third of this Farm was the reverse 

 of the first two-thirds, and required an entirely 

 different system of drainage, it is mostly black, 

 sandy, tind boggy soil, with iiumerons springs 

 rising at various points where obslriicled by per- 

 pendicular walls or veins of dense clay or hard 

 gravel, somelimes luilh. 



The dniiiiage here has been effected by a per- 

 son named Pearson, from \V'ar« ick>hire, a man 

 of extensive knowledge and aliilily in this de- 

 part ineiil of drainage, who I iinderslaud has es- 

 sentially improved Lord Digby's estates by his 

 judicious sub-ihainln;: of the springs. His plan 

 is to take his fall from the lowest point, and grad- 

 ually work np to where the spring' shows ilself, 

 having previously ascertained ihe whereabouts 

 by digging, and by (hose |ilants ihat invariably 

 show themselves over a spring. As springs are 

 generally attended by sand beds, a single drain 

 will often lav dry a large extent of ground. In 

 one ease, where there was a swamp of lour acres, 

 the drain was opened at two feet, and coiilinued 

 in a trench till it reached eleven feel in deplli — 

 the sand boiling np at intervals like water in a 

 cauldron, of course it was neces.sary to shore up 

 the sides, and when his level was accurately 

 taken, he commenced laying his pipes on iiay 

 (two half pipes, fnur-aiid-a-lialf inches diameter, 

 were put togetlier, being inlernally nine inches 

 by four-and-a-half,) but so sirong was the foiuo 

 of the water, it was necessary to have two stiong- 

 ly made iron skeleton aridies w ith wooden sides, 

 about lliirly inches high, and the w idlli of the 

 drain two "feet. In these andies were laid the 

 pipes, and firmly loaded to the top of the arch 

 with soil to keep the pipes from being forced i.p 

 by the boiling waters and sand; when loadeii, 

 the arches were removed by a lever, the mouths 

 of the pipes being carefully stopped will, hay, 

 till the next length of pipes was laid in the next 

 (two alwajs being in use, one ill front <-f the 

 other.) 



The result is, that one such drain laid perfectly 

 dry four acres of bog (having a smaller spring 

 carried over or across it:) the first drain rmis 

 permanently 30,000 gallon-i every twenty-four 

 lionrs, and several others nearly as much. It has 

 l;iid our neighbor's wells dry, a quarter of a mile 

 oft" (beipg in a bed of sand, below their level.) 

 The laiid(whiph has been double spitted) is now 

 alwajs perfectly (iry,alllioiigh previously ihffiger- 

 ous lor caille, and entirfly worthless. 



In conclusion, allow me tp fay, I have derived 

 most valuable information in draining from those 

 excellent and standard works on Ai;rienltnre, 

 ■ Book of the Farm," "Loudon's En- 

 id" Agi'lt'iiliiiiP" ""'' "'^lorlon on 

 Soils" There niav Iw ri".ind ample and satisfac- 

 tory evidence and'tnancre of fact in fwri/ branch, 

 of draining. It is wiili extreme regret I tre- 

 -iienilv see n,o(iey completely winlcd by plaentS 

 Tiles without soles, a|id pipes wiihotil sloi.e-,, iifjtl 

 lemporsivv an^l, 'AVl'r,'.Ut drM.i"- ^,y V.Os\.e^^- 



much ■■ 



"Sle|.. 'I'^ 

 cydopBEilia 



f Hoke, (Kf 1,: 



water to I hi. 



J liope Ins 

 treated as ., 

 inijch ni 

 .fjuoiinfi 



IS a nmch i.ariifv "" " 

 <i»^,slr.i<,p.jn ol" Vl'" *^^!;V'"'"„-vi.U v^'" ** 



III time to c jt^i* 

 a science', i;>id h^"^ 

 iirmity in ciiJtjvn 

 ciining cotton. T 

 '^f. ""'' '.-""'ig Fanners derivii 



\\ lie a»- 



, ilieve 



is ii>' 



tamiy, iii a gener al way, equal or superior in. ihe , 

 velocity of percojition. " j 



Jt must be <onsiderPd, thai in il?'«S6B(»nsoils 

 he coiilinued U'iiittr rains expami the pajt-jdes' 



con/en/s o/ //i£ ;npc or (/rain (reduced to ad sue!, If tin- f 



the velocity af passage in the dniiii bci-i-'cpV I r "' •'''iicalioii— the inecl 

 ■ • • - *-<^'-i lotal present exist. Lei 



after, and that whilsl we 

 I tion fi)r the learned and 

 shall at le.-isthaveasiiculti 

 prentii eships. Then; can 

 culture is the basis ot si 

 mount intf:resj in a pecim 

 regulator of currency aie 

 are snlis<:rvieiil to it. ] 

 this, let us consider that t 

 a day ; -its claims are parn 



[would observe, ,,Ut even , no the recently ji'f"*' ""'c "'"'"'""',"" """" 

 drained ...ng loa.n, Uuc little -HaJe ir -iSP^Ler^^Sjunia^; 



»"'■'''., \,eve~ 



ind render filtration more dittieiilt^iJHpeci'.iJv 

 dmiiig iJie first yearor two after, ilraina '■'' 

 fore, .1 jirefer (/fif/^ and "crrroifslone di 

 lecteil liom earth by a [dpe yver them I 

 they afford ready access, to a 



thei-fi. 

 Uram.s, pro- 



'.■III, iiecaiia;. 

 arge and porous 



-surtace,; hltratiou gmiig ombiiit^.flM.the tons and 

 sides of the.(liai;i. " ' ' 



,g.aii 



lawisiK 



e«i"'-^^"rlw,esai.d''r } 

 .c'lei^y-.' '„,v-.ew--^^'* , 



»*"!''' tie t^O^*>'''**^- 



, It iiii>^ 



rtti'l^y 

 very 



TeiW"^ '""^ 



