Draining.' 



Vol. Hi 



eee,SLC. passing between the intcrrals of the 

 feeders, in the iiianner shown in the tigLire. 

 These small drains are of the same' dimen- 

 sions as the feeders, but are larger where 

 they enterthe main drain, and become gradu- 

 ally smaller as they recede from it. The 

 main drain conveys the water back to the riv- 

 er from which it was taken. 



But often this main drain becomes in its 

 tittn the main conductor to another meadow 

 on a lower level. For the water which had] 

 floated the upper meadow being cdlected in 

 this drain, can be carried from it by means of| 

 feeders in the manner described, and again col- 

 lected in a drain below: and in this manner 

 various meadows may be successively floated 

 by means of the same water. And even 

 where the lower meadows are nearly on the 

 same level as the higher, it is still expedient 

 to resorb to this repeated collection of the 

 water in drains, for it is found in practice 

 difficult to preserve the equal flow of the fluid 

 over a very large extent of ground. 



In order to keep the water as it descends 

 through the feeders, at the necessary level, 

 and to cause it to overflow the surface, it is 

 interrupted in its course by what are termed 

 stops, placed in the feeders. These -^ 

 sometimes may consist of small pieces 

 of plank, each resting on two little \ 

 stakes; but ottener they are merely ■ 

 sods placed in the feeders, which are 

 sometimes fixed down by wooden pms 



It is the province of the person who ■ 

 superintends the meadows, when float- ^ 

 ed, to adjust these stops in such a way 

 as to maintain an equal curj'ent over : 

 the ground. Further, in order to con- . 

 vey the water quickly from the feeders ^ 

 to the drains, the surface of the meadow 

 is generally formed into low ridges, the 

 feeder being on the top of the ridge, ;^^ 

 and the drain in the hollow, a trans- > 

 verse section of which would appear 

 thus: — Here b represents the feeder, 

 and aa the drains. In the language | 

 of the irrigator, the interval from b to a 

 is termed a pane; and in fig.63 the space ^H 

 ii, which is left for a carriage-way xj 

 above the main conductor, is term- Fig:. 64 

 ed the main pane, and is watered from the 

 main conductor. This is the perfect form of 

 tlie watered meadow. 



0:5" Our worthy correspondent, J. J. M. 

 from whom we hope to hear soon again, is 

 mistaken as to the wherabouts of Agricola. 



If you have a wife, take care of her ; and if 

 you have not, get one immediately. 



If you are persecuted regard- it not, but be- 

 ware of persecution. 



Elements of Practical Ag^riculturct, 



DRAINING-Coiicludcil. 



Sometimes, in place of an auger-hole, wells- 

 are sunk at intervals along the side of the" 

 drain, and filled with stones in the mannef" 

 shown in the figure. 



In all cases of draining where the vv^ter tc' 

 be reached is at some depth, the drains should 

 be made of sufficient dimensions. They 

 bhould not be less than 4 feet deep, even 

 when the pervious strata lie at less depth; 

 and the reason is, that they may be more per-- 

 manent, and better defended from injury 

 fiom mud and sand carried down by surface 

 water. It is not necessary that they be made 

 deeper than 4 feet when that is found to be 

 sufficient; but they must be carried, if neces- 

 '-a'-y, to the depth of six feet, or even some- 

 tunes of seven feet, though the expense and 

 difficulty of executing the work increase, in 

 a great proportion, as the dimensions of the 

 drain increase. 



The importance, in this speciesof draining, 

 of proceeding upon principles in laying out 

 the lines of drains, instead of acting at ran- 

 dom, as so many do, cannot be too strongly 

 impressed upon the attention of the drainer. 

 Every drain, however rudely devised, and 

 ijnpcrfectly executed, may do some good. — 

 But one drain well laid out, and ofthe requi- 

 red dimensions, may perform a purpose which 

 no multiplication of minor and insufficient 

 drains can effect. These may lessen the ef- 

 fects of wetness, but the other is designed to 

 remove the cause of it; and the more perfect 

 practice will usually be found in the end ta 

 the most economical as well as the most effi- 

 cient. 



The drains of the larger class described, it 

 will be seen,. are intended tor the removal of 



