UNDER-DRAINAGE. 107 



with some slight elevations, with some decomposing granite 

 cropping out, and a kind of plastic clay in the middle. There 

 were no trees or bushes of any consequence on it, and it was 

 wholly worthless for cultivation. 



Operations were commenced in this lot on the 14th of April, 

 1860, and fuiished in August of the same year, and it was suf- 

 ficiently drained to commence planting on the 8th of May, of 

 the present year. The drains being all dug to the right grade, 

 the descent being uniform, any places that might be too soft for 

 the tile to remain in place were filled with gravel before the 

 work of laying the tile began. The main drain was commenced 

 with one and a half inch tile — the lot being narrow where it 

 was begun — and larger ones were introduced as the work pro- 

 gressed, and it was finished with six inch tile. The fall to the 

 main is on an average five and thirteen one-hundredth inches to 

 the hundred feet, the greatest being thirteen, and the least 

 three and forty-five one-hundredths to a hundred feet, which is 

 thought to be as small a fall as is prudent to lay a drain. The 

 minor drains were laid with one and a quarter, one and a half 

 and two inch pipe, as the nature of the work seemed to require. 

 The main drains were laid some four inches lower than the 

 minor ones, so as to have a slight fall to the water as it entered 

 it, and care was also taken that none of the minors should 

 enter the main drain opposite each other. Tlie drains were 

 generally placed thirty-three feet apart, sometimes a little more, 

 sometimes a little less, as there was more or less water to be 

 taken away. The tile used were the round stone, in sections 

 of about two feet in length, the ends when laid being butted 

 together, and a collar of the same, in the form of a ring, 

 placed around every joint. This form of tile the engineer 

 claims is superior to the sole tile, as the water enters it by fil- 

 tration. We are not prepared to express an opinion as to the 

 superiority of one over the other. 



The value of under-draining depends in a great measure upon 

 the way in wliich the work is done, because if there should be 

 a slight defect in the work it may spoil the whole operation. 

 In the case under consideration, the end of every section was 

 placed in exact juxtaposition to its fellow; any one not making 

 a good fit, the ends were cut away with a cold chisel. After 

 the tiles were placed, the collar was put over the joint ; a sod 



