JAN.] 



If a farmer occupies land that has no stones in it 

 large enough to obstruct a plough, that implement 

 is by al! means eligible ; for theexpence of cutting 

 the drains with a plough, is not so great as with 

 spades. But it should be observed, that draining- 

 ploughs can only cut the small drains ; spades must 

 be used for the main ones : their various courses 

 and superior depths require manual work. Sup- 

 pose a large field drained by parallel cuts of a plough, 

 still the water must be carried out of those cuts by 

 deeper drains dug, unless the land has a regular 

 descent ; but, whether the operation be performed 

 by a plough, at a small experice, or by spades at a 

 large one, still the necessity of the improvement for 

 wet soils remains the same, and those who have 

 had experience of their nature, will not regret the 

 expence of performing the work effectually. Wet 

 grass-lands are for ever over-run with rushes, and 

 other aquatic rubbish ; the hay of little value, and 

 small in quantity. Arable land that is wet, can 

 never be applied to a profitable purpose. It is too 

 adhesive to be ploughed, when kindlier soils have 

 received their tillage, and are sown. In wet sea- 

 sons, the crops are too trifling to pay expences. 

 Whatever attention is given to water-furrow them, 

 still the land will not have that mellow, favourable 

 nature, that enables it to yield advantageous crops. 

 The expence of covered drains may be estimated, 

 on an average, at 3l. an acre, when done with 

 spades. Now this expenditure will, in moderate 



cases, 



