88 QUARTERLYJOURNAL. 



And it is very often the case that other land lying below is flood- 

 ed by this foreign water, which has enough to do of itself to dis- 

 pose of its share of that which falls from the clouds, but when it 

 is overcome by this foreign supply it is reduced to the same state 

 of the land from whence it flows ; therefore all that is required is to 

 gather it in from its sources by the requisite number of drains and 

 carry it through that which is naturally dry enough with a single 

 drain, and the work is accomplished much easier than might have 

 been anticipated. 



It will readily be perceived that in thorough draining it often 

 requires great consideration and good judgment so to lay them out 

 and concentrate them into a main drain, as to secure the intendec' 

 result with the least length of drain. 



In treating upon drains made upon ridge or upland, the presu'^^p- 

 tion is that they are all to be covered ; if so, I am opposed to oca- 

 ting any main drain in the lowest part of any hollow or low place 

 through which the surface water naturally runs, from the fact, that 

 before the raw surface gets a covering of grass to protect it, it may 

 be washed away by a flood, and the drain partially or wholly choked 

 up by the water finding its way in and carrying with it earth, gravel, 

 and small stones. The same thing might take place in case the 

 land was ploughed ; but I am opposed to ever ploughing land that 

 is blind drained, unless, as I have before observed, it lies in with 

 other land which is too dry for permanent Ye.^^O'^ ^^ pasture 

 ground, unless there is some overruling ner' g^-^^y for it ; for it is 

 just the kind of meadow land which is most profitable, and can be 

 made to produce a much heavier burthen than any newly seeded 

 land. 



The soil of muck land that is draiued, is beforehand stiff, wet, 

 and heavy ; after draining, some five or ten years must elapse before 

 it is completely lightened and ameliorated, unless the operation is 

 forwarded by enriching it with manure. 



Filling a drain being attended with considerable expense, ind 

 lifting one which has become choked up, being still more expen- 

 sive, I would advise that whenever they are dug through a mucky 

 or alluvial soil the banks be made sloping, and the earth scraped 

 back and spread over the surface of the ground, so as to mow or 

 pasture quite to the bottom of the ditch ; which, when neatly done, 



