MAY. * 3ig 



In case these papers should come into the hands 

 of any possessors of mountain tracts, willing to try 

 it, but not acquainted with the proper mode of exe- 

 cuting the work, I shall here offer a few directions, 

 not by way of going minutely into the whole busi- 

 ness, but in order to put every man in such a train 

 as to enable him by practice to instruct himself in 

 the rest, and to carry it further than many books 

 on the subject will teach. 



The principle upon which he is to proceed, is to 

 throw as much water as possible over the 'sides of 

 the mountain, and as equally as possible ; and in 

 doing this, to guard against "two circumstances : 

 first, its remaining in any spots ; and, secondly, his 

 works being blown up by sudden floods, from 

 heavy rains, which come in large tracts of moun- 

 tain with air impetuosity incredible to those who 

 are used to a flat country. 



It would be right to begin, by choosing a place 

 where the declivity of the mountain is gentle, in 

 order- that the space improved may be more useful 

 and obvious than it can be when very steep : going 

 up as high as the water can be conveniently com- 

 manded, make a weir of stone across a torrent, 

 just high enough to form a little bason among the 

 rocks, if there is none executed to your hand by 

 nature: in the Galties you find these at every ten 

 yards. At the spot where you have made, or found 

 one of these basons, open a trench from it, a spirit- 

 level shewing where to conduct it; taking care to 



giyfe 



