52 OF DRAINING. 



Easton at Springkell, in Dumfries-shire, which will be fully 

 explained in the General Report of Scotland. 



SECT. V. Of Draining. 



THERE is hardly any point to which an industrious and 

 skilful farmer would be more inclined to direct his attention, 

 when he commences the occupation of a farm, than the 

 state of its drainage ; for on that the success of his future 

 operations must essentially depend. " Lay your land dry, 

 " whatever may be the method pursued, or the expence to 

 " be incurred, before you attempt any thing else," was the 

 maxim of the celebrated Arbuthnot, and is the basis of 

 good husbandry. 



Mr Robertson of Ladykirk is of opinion, that with the 

 exception of a few districts of dry loam, the greater part of 

 the counties, both in England* and Scotland, stand more 



In EsseXj draining is found to be so essential for land under a regu- 

 lar system of cultivation, or even in pasture, that they will go to the ex- 

 pence of making small ditches over a whole field, filled with small stones, 

 brush-wood, straw, &c. so as to collect the surface-water into what may 

 be called veins or small reservoirs, though it costs from L. 15 to even 

 L 20 per acre ; and though the eflects will not last above twenty or 

 thirty years. This system, however, is often carried to excess, and the 

 enormous expence attending it may be prevented, by adopting the prin- 

 ciples which I believe were originally discovered by the celebrated Elk- 

 ington. He ascertained, that in fields where the strata are not regular, 

 there are often masses or pots of sandy soil, which absorb great quanti- 

 ties of water, and which, when over full, occasion what are called land- 

 springs, which, though only occasional and temporary, yet cause much 



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