62 OF DRAINING. 



for two years, by being well drained, than it would have 

 done with both lime and dung, without being drained : 

 After being drained, half the manure was sufficient. 



Mr Andrew of Tillylumb also informs me, that though 

 his draining cost from L.8 to L.I per Scotch, or from 

 L.6, 8s. to L.8 per English acre, yet the whole expence 

 was in a great measure repaid, in several places, by the be- 

 nefit derived from the drains, in the course of the last crop 

 alone. The spring and beginning of summer 1811, was a 

 very trying one for land, and more especially for the crop 

 of wheat. For about nine weeks, during the end of April, 

 the whole of May, and the first part of June, there were in- 

 cessant falls of rain which greatly affected the crop, which 

 in general had contracted a yellowish sickly hue, from 

 which it never recovered ; but all this time, such was the 

 effect of draining, that the crop on Tillylumb preserved its 

 verdure, in so much, that several judicious farmers decla- 

 red, that it was not in the smallest degree affected by all 

 the rain that had fallen. 



On the subject of draining, Mr Bruce of Grangemuir 

 observes, that the farmers north of the Tweed labour under " 

 great difficulties, in carrying on that essential improvement, 

 for want of a law, obliging neighbouring proprietors to 

 join in an operation of that sort. And it frequently occurs, 

 that the only outlet to extensive swamps, is through the 

 lands of others, who, from various causes, prefer keeping a 

 neighbour under water. A law similar to that regarding 

 fences might be made, that would be of infinite service. 

 From another respectable quarter, I am also informed, that 

 much land in his neighbourhood remains undrained, owing 

 to the same circumstances.* 



* See this point more fully explained in the Appendix. It is to be 



