FARMERS' REGISTER— STRAIGHTENING STREAMS, &c. 



733 



ON STRAIGHTENING THE BEDS OF STREAMS, 

 AND THE NEED OF LEGISLATIVE AID FOR 

 DRAINING. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Resister. 



While I do not presunie to enter as a laliorer in 

 the field of splendid improvements, I have a very 

 humble, but sincere desire, (o see all practicable in- 

 ternal improvement prosper. 



It seems to me a matter of much interest, espe- 

 cially to tobacco planlers, that the rich bottoms on 

 small streams should be rendered safe (to a com- 

 mon intent,) for cultivation. Many exertions are 

 now, and have been for some time makino;, to ef- 

 fect this ol)ject. One of the pfreatest obstacles is 

 found to be in the fl\ct that there is little or no 

 concert in those eiforts ; added to tiie fact, that 

 there are no legal means by which a landholder 

 owning land above, on a stream, can compel those 

 below to open the bed of the stream, or straighten 

 it ; or even prevent his neighbor below from fill- 

 ing up the bed with timber, or other rubbish. 

 This circumstance renders it almost useless for 

 any one man to make an attempt to reclaim such 

 lands, and is the principal cause why these fertile 

 bottoms are almost useless. Indeed they are in 

 most instances worse than useless ; and are found 

 to be nuisances, producing, probably, more dis- 

 ease, and death., than can be attributed to any other 

 one cause. Such streams have generally a very 

 circuitous bed, especially where the lowgrounds 

 are wide, and the fall not great. The bcil being 

 filled up, makes them easily overflow their banks; 

 which causes them to remain in woods, or to be aban- 

 doned, if cleared. The streams still smaller, hav- 

 ing more fiill, are cleared, and the hills and banks 

 cultivated ; and much mud is washed down to the 

 margin of the main flat, forming bogs and pools of 

 water, which cannot be drained, except the main 

 stream could be generally opened — which, were it 

 done, would render the whole arable : and the wa- 

 ter being put in motion, would become compara- 

 tively clear and healthful. When we consider 

 how large a proportion of the tobacco making 

 country will answer this descrii)tion, and how 

 little tobacco can now be made any where but on 

 these flats, it cannot appear a matter of very small 

 importance to reduce them to cultivation. Neither 

 can it be a matter of light consideration in regard 

 to the general health of the country. Nor can the 

 quantity of corn and other graiti and grass that 

 might and would be raised, be a matter of small 

 importance to a country like ours. Were these 

 streams straightened as much as they well might 

 be in most instances, and kept constantly open, it 

 would be found that these desirable objects would 

 be readily attained. For where the land is most 

 valuable, though the fall is not very great, there is 

 little or no rock near the surface ; and by straight- 

 ening the channel, the fall, to the mile, would beat 

 least doubled. The bed runs at least two miles, 

 and in many instances much more, while a line 

 along which a ditch might be easily carried, and 

 not leave the lowgrounds, would not exceed one 

 mile. Where the fidl would average four feet to 

 the mile, following the course of the stream, it 

 would average eight feet to the ndle, follcwing the 

 ditch. Doul)ling the fall, to the mile, will make 

 great difference in the water's motion. And car- 

 rying the current in a straight line, will have a si- 

 milar effect, though not in as great a degree. 



There would be numerous olheradvantages ; such 

 as the preventing the washing of the land, making 

 the l)anks deeper, occupying much less space for 

 the bed. taking less fencing, less room for turning, 

 (which will reduce the quantity of shrubbing in a 

 great degree,) and rendering the supply of water 

 to meadows, mills, &c. much u)ore regular and 

 constant. For in running through a deep exten- 

 sive bog, much water is taken in by the mud ; and 

 in running on so wide a surface, and so slowh', 

 much more is evaporated by being exposed to the 

 sun and air: so that in many instances, a stout 

 stream is entirely stopped from running,, in a hot 

 dry season. That every man should straighten 

 after this manner, would be more than I would 

 say the law ought to do : because he might not 

 be able. But it is what every man ouglit to do 

 who can ; and what almost every man would do 

 who could, if his neighbor would carry it on, or if 

 he had even the power to })revent his neighbor be- 

 low, by any ready and efficient means, from suf- 

 fering the bed to fill up. An action, perhaps, 

 might lie to recover damages for neglect in this 

 particular ; but this would be too doubtful and 

 slow. Might not the law appoint an overseer of 

 the water course, in cases where the county court 

 might think it needful, with powers similar to 

 those of the overseer of the road — giving liim the 

 hands living on or near the stream, to keep the bed 

 of the stream- clear of obstructions.'' I think my- 

 self such a law would be a considerable internal 

 improvement in a domestic way. Leaving this 

 matter to the county courts to execute, or not, at 

 their discretion, would enable those neighborhoods 

 who desired it, to derive the benefits : and at the 

 same time secure others from being troubled about 

 it who did not wish, or find it to their interest to 

 put the law in execution. It might be trouble- 

 some and useless, in some counties, for any thing 

 1 know; but I am sure it would not be found so 

 in Charlotte — certainly not in many neighbor- 

 hoods. 



The above remarks were written about 1S26, 

 and carelessly thrown aside, but have been brought 

 to mind by seeing a piece in the Farmers' Regis- 

 ter, written about the same period, by a citizen of 

 Nottov/ay, suggesting the propriety of some le- 

 gislative provision in relation to this same subject. 

 At the request of a friend, I have sent these very 

 crude and imperfect views to you, in the hope that 

 they might be of some service, by throwing out 

 some hint that might be improved upon. Since 

 writing the aliove remarks, I have ditched and 

 diked considerably ; and, should you think those 

 remarks worthy the notice of your paper, I shall 

 probably trouble you farther with my views, 

 warning you against niy mistakes, as well as in- 

 forming you of any thing I may have found right- 

 ly done, and further arguments in favor of that, or 

 some other legislative provisions, m ith a view to 

 attaining the objects alluded to by the writer from 

 Nottoway. 



A CHARLOTTE MAN. 



[We invite "A Charlotte Man" to resume his pen on 

 this subject, as promised above. There are few pro- 

 cesses in our farming operations more imperfect than 

 draining, as usually performed.. The great obstacle to 

 to this improvement, however, is the lato — and until a 

 change of law will permit, but few plans of eitensive 



