v] RAISING OF THE FERTILITY LIMIT 77 



highest land to the lowest where the outfall must be, a 

 condition which, even in the middle of the nineteenth 

 century, was not always acted upon. "Be sure thy 

 Drains be such, and so deep, as thou hast a descent 

 in the end thereof to take away all thy water from 

 thy Drayn to the very bottom, or else it is to no use 

 at all, for suppose thou make thy Drain as high as an 

 house, and canst not take thy water from it, thy work 

 is lost ; for look how low soever is thy lowest level in 

 thy Drain, thou mayst drain thy water so low, and 

 not one haire's breadth lower will it drain thy ground 

 than thou hast a fall or descent to take it cleanly 

 from thy Drain ; therefore be especially carefull here- 

 in, and then if thou canst get a low descent from 

 thence, carry thy Drain upon thy Levell untill thou 

 art assuredly got under that moysture, miriness, or 

 water, that either offends thy Bog, or covers thy 

 Land; and goe one Spades graft deeper. ..to the 

 bottom where the spewing spring lyeth thou must 

 goe." 



The drains must be laid out straight with as few 

 "Angles, Crookes, and Turnings" as possible, and 

 proper levels taken ; the various tools and appliances 

 needed are described and pictured in detail. Good 

 green faggots of willow, alder, elm or thorn or else 

 " great Pibble stones or Flint stones " are to be put 

 into the trenches, on top of this some turf facing 

 downwards, and then the whole filled in. 



