252 BOARD OF AORICULTURE. 



" The claims of a short canal navigation, two fisheries, and tenants* 

 damages through derangement of business during the alterations, were 

 disposed of without much outlay ; and the pecuniary advantages of the 

 ■work are apparent from the fact, that a single flood, such as frequently 

 overflowed the land, has been known to do more damage, if fairly 

 valued in money, than the whole sum expended under the Act." 



Under this Act, it became necessary for the commissioners to estimate 

 the comparative cost of steam and water-power, in order to carry out 

 their idea of giving to the mill-owners a steam-power equivalent to their 

 water-power. 



" As the greater part of their wafer-power was employed on corn and 

 flour-mills, upon these the calcuhitions were chiefly based. It was gen- 

 erally admitted to be very near the truth, that to turn a pair of flour-mill 

 stones projierly, requires a power equal to that of two-and-a-half horses, 

 or on an average, twenty horses' power, to turn and Avork a mill of 

 eight-pairs of stones, and that the total cost of a twenty-horse steam- 

 engine, with all its appliances, would be $5,000, or $250 per horse 

 ])Ower." 



Calculations for the maintenance of the steam-power are also given ; 

 but this depends so much on local circumstances, that English estimates 

 would be of little value to us. 



The arrangements in this case with the mill-owners, were made by 

 contract, and not by the force of any arbitrary power, and the success of 

 the enterprise, in the drainage of the lands, the prevention of damage by 

 floods, especially in hay and harvest-lime, and in the improvement of 

 the health of vegetation, as well as of man and animals, is said to be 

 strikingly manifest. 



This Act provides for a " water-bailiflT," whose duty it is to inspect the 

 rivers, streams, water-courses, &c., and enforce the due maintenance of 

 the banks, and the uninterrupted discharge of the waters at all times. 



COMPULSORY OUTFALLS. 



It often happens, especially in New England^ Avhere farms are small, 

 and the country is broken, that an owner of valuable lands, overcharged 

 Avith water, perhaps a swamp or low meadow, or perhaps a field of 

 upland, lying nearly level, desires to drain his tract, but cannot find sutfi- 

 cient fall, without going upon the land of owners below. These adjacent 

 owners may not appreciate the advantages of drainage ; or their lands 

 may not require it ; or, what is not unusual, they may from various 

 motives, good and evil, refuse to allow their lands to be meddled with. 



Now, without desiring to be understood as speaking judicially, we 

 know of no authority of law by which a land-owner may enter upon the 

 territory of his neighbor for the purpose of draining his own land, and 



