20 THE RURAL SOCRATES- 



* rudies, fpear-wort, or'tncfs, its water v/ill be de- 

 ilr LKftive to vegetation. 



The rules neceiTary to be obferved in fluking of 

 lands, are, according to Kliyogg, to take particular care 

 that the principal and dependent channels, be placed in^ 

 a proper fituation to diftributc the water over as much 

 of the meadow as poffiblc. The direction of the prin- 

 cipal trench ought to run acrofs the mofl elevated part 

 of the ground, in order to give a due inclination to the 

 collateral branches : nor fhould it be cut too deep, which 

 would prevent the inundation from being gradually ex-^ 

 tended over the whole furface. It is likewife efTentially 

 neceiTary to (lope the trenches in fuch a manner, that 

 the water may be carried off with facility, and no part 

 remain ftagnant, which would immediately occafion 

 putrefadlion : for the turf being once injured, the mea- 

 dow would foon become fwampy and the grafs bad. It 

 will alfo be neceffary to change the trenches frequently, 

 fJling up thofe firfl made ; fo that every part of the 

 land may reap, in turn, bei^efit from this operation.— 

 Our cultivator confidcrably augments the vegetative 

 properties of the water by mould, procured, as I have 

 already aientioned, from green turf cut from eminences 

 in pafture or fallow land. This he throws into the prin- 

 cipal head of v^^ater, fo that the lefTer channels may im- 

 bibe and communicate fertilitv over the meadow. t 



* This IS occaficnci? Uy the feeds of mcfiea-snd rufnes, which ths water 

 fpreads in its courfe. Thofe of mofs foon rife and multiply exceedingly, 

 covering ;he furface of the ground and entangling the fibres of the herbage 

 and grafs, till they are ftified, without fapplyinp any nourifhing food t^! 

 rheir room ; for mofs never rifes high enough to bz touched with a fcyihzf 

 Or, if hay coold he made of it, the cattle v/ould not eat it. — To obviara 

 Jihis misfortune, cind«<% and a(hesraay be ftrewed, which will kill all kindt 

 of mofs. And rufhra may be extirpated if they ere carefully diii/tn ou' 

 by the roots ; and ihc ground drained that produces them, F. 



•i Thir, is a good thought 5 but the benefit (on fo.-^c foils) of caftio? 

 vnf/akfdVimz'imo the (trcam woc^ld be much gre:\(cr, and ?••.•■", ' ■: ; 

 .."iL'rh lefs cxp*nre, V, 



