DRAINING. 



DRAINING. 



, in which they are now burned to a uni- 

 foi texture, as well as some avoidance of 

 breakage in the manufacture, by all whicn, of 

 course, their ot is lessened. An under-burnt 

 as well as an over-burnt tile is bad, the former 

 being spongy ami auMiriun^ water, and ulti- 

 mately Julian,' down; and the latter is so bri*- 

 tie as to brrak when accidentally struck 

 against any object. 



The Ir.tziH oi' drain-tiles varies in different 

 parts of the country. Mr. Boyle's are 13 

 inches; the Duke of Portland's, in Ayrshire, 

 ami Mr. U.-aiY> (J.-dmam-hi'Mer, Hertfordshire, 

 )< inclir.s; and tme from the Marquis of 

 Tweeddale's machine, 14 inches, when burnt 

 If the price is the same per 1000, of course the 

 14-inch tile is cheaper than the 12-inch; but 

 otherwise, the 12-inch is the handiest article 

 in the manufacture, as being less apt to waste 

 in handling, and twist when in the kiln ; and 

 their number is much more easily calculated 



in any given length of drain. The following 

 table shows the number of tiles required for 

 an imperial acre, of the different lengths made, 

 and placed at the stated distances : 



Drains at 12 in. 13 in. 14 in. IS in. 



12 feet apart require 3630 .1351 3111 2904 per acre. 



15 2904 2ti81 2489 2323 



18 2420 223 1 2074 1936 



21 '^074 1914 1777 1659 



24 1815 1675 1556 1452 



27 1613 I4tt0 1383 1291 



30 1452 1340 1245 1162 



33 1320 1218 1131 1056 



36 1210 1117 1037 968 



The numbers of each length of tile required at 

 intermediate distances can easily be calculated 

 from these data. 



A representation of what Mr. Stephens con- 

 siders the best formed drain-tile, and the man- 

 ner of setting this on the soles, is given in a 

 cut, where a, and b, are two 12-inch tiles, of 

 the most correct shape, placed upon the sole- 

 tiles, c. 



The length 01 me tiles and soles being equal, 

 their joinings are made in the middle of the 

 soles, and this course is to be continued 

 throughout. It is the practice of some tile- 

 drainers, Mr. Stephens observes, to put a 

 inch sole under every joining of 2 tiles, leaving 

 the intermediate space of the bottom without 

 any sole, imagining that this will insure suffi- 

 cient steadiness to tiles on what they call hard 

 clay, whilst only half the number of soles are 

 ued. But this he pronounces a precarious 

 practice. 



In making the side-joinings of the tiles it has 

 been usual to break a piece of the corner of 1 

 or 2 main-drain tiles, where side-drains are led 

 into them. In breaking off the corners, there 

 is a risk of breaking the entire tile. Another 

 plan is to set 2 main-drain tiles so far asunder 

 as the inside width of a common-drain-tile, and 

 the opening on the other side of the tiles, if 

 not occupied in the same manner by the tiles 

 of another drain, is filled up with pieces of 

 broken tiles or stones, or any other hard 

 substance. This is perhaps a better plan than 

 running the risk of breaking a number of tiles, 

 tnd, after all, failing in making the opening 

 suitable for the reception of the adjoining 

 Jrain tiles. Both plans, however, Mr. Ste- 

 phens pronounces very objectionable, and 

 never to be resorted to where tiles, formed for 

 the purpose of receiving others in their sides 

 can be procured. Main-drain tiles of this de- 

 scription are made with openings on purpose 

 to receive the shouldered end of the smaller 

 sized side-drain tiles. To answer a similar 

 purpose in particular situations where such 

 tiles cannot be conveniently joined, main and 

 furrow or side-drain tiles are made of and i 

 lengths, which may be so arranged in regard 

 to one another's position, as to conjoin the 

 openings of both at the same place. 



The junction of a common tile with a main- 

 drain one is represented in the following cut, 

 414 



in wnich / iesem. IA< common tile, and a* 

 the opening in the main-drain tile. 



Mr. Stephens says there should be always a 

 decided fall from the outlet, whether it be af- 

 fected by natural or artificial means. The 

 open ditch into which the main-drain issues 

 should be scoured deep enough for the pur- 

 pose, even for a considerable distance ; and it 

 will moreover be necessary to see every year 

 that the outlet is kept open; and the ditch 

 scoured as often as necessary for the purpose. 



It is, says Mr. Stephens, a frequent charge 

 of neglect against farmers, that they allow 

 open ditches almost to fill up before they are 

 again scoured out, and a not unfrequent ex- 

 cuse for the neglect is, that scouring of ditches 

 to any extent incur considerable labour and 

 expense. No doubt they do, and no wonder, 

 since so much work has to be done, when it is 

 done. Were the ditches scoured out when 

 they actually required it, nay every year, if 

 that is found necessary for the welfare of 

 stock, fences, or drains, so little expense would 

 be incurred at one time, as to remove every 

 complaint against the labour as a burden; but 

 much better, in every case where it can be 

 done, to incur the expense at once of convert- 

 ing an open ditch into a covered drain, than 

 grudge the expense of keeping it in a proper 

 state. 



Should the fall from the mouth of the main- 



