<YI-:AIMN<; IJrsii LANDS IN UKITISH COLUMBIA. 



29 



DITCHES AND UNDERDRAINS. 



On the average bush hind very little draining is required, but as such land is 

 generally rolling there will probably be some few swales or wet places, which will be 

 none the worse for a little ditching. As a rule, however, no systematic draining is 

 required. A careful survey or prospecting should be made not only of the present 

 clearing, but of the whole farm, to see which is the lowest place, or the natural 

 outlet for the drainage. If this is not readily ascertainable, it is better to put off 

 all the draining until the whole block is cleared for pasture, as a general bird's eye 

 view can then be got to very much better advantage. If the outlet is on an uncleared 

 part of the farm, then put it off till that part is cleared, as the ditching is done 

 much more cheaply when the land is chopped and burnt. 



It may often be necessary to begin the ditch on adjoining property in order to 

 get a proper depth on your own land. If your ditch is going to follow a natural 

 watercourse, there is nothing to prevent your going on to adjoining land in order 



Pea-field. Six years after clearing. 



to get an outlet. The ditch should be started far enough down the depression or low 

 place that you are draining into so that you can get a depth on your own boundary 

 of not less than 2 feet 2 1 / feet would be better. There is generally not much 

 difficulty in getting this depth. If, however, the fall of the ground is very slight, 

 necessitating your having to go some distance over adjoining property to get a 

 proper outlet, then it may be advisable to invoke the aid of the "Ditches and 

 Watercourses Act," whereby all land-owners benefited have to pay a portion of the 

 cost; but it is not often that this is necessary. As regards the size of open ditches, 

 this will, of course, always depend upon the amount of watT which the ditch has 

 to carry. Always remember that the ditch is dug to carry the winter's water, not 

 the summer's, and that a creek or wet place which looks little or nothing in the 

 summer may be quite an imposing stream in the winter. The sides should have 



