Abstract of a Meteorological Journal. 259 



which are now completely worthless. We have but little 

 space to devote to this number, but we cannot omit one ex- 

 tract, which Mr. Colman denominates the " Important points 

 in Draining :" — 



" Some most important points in draining seem to have been but recently 

 established. The first is, that water enters the drain from the bottom, rather 

 than from the top ; that is, its tendency is always to seek the lowest level. 

 The second point, which seems well determined, is, that pipes of an inch 

 bore are sufficient, when laid down at proper distances, for the rapid and 

 effectual removal of any quantity of water from the land, which is the 

 effect of rain upon the land. The third point is, that deep draining, though 

 the drains be less frequent, is much more effectual than shallow draining, 

 and that where drains of two feet deep have failed to run, or even drains of 

 three feet have been ineffectual, drains of four feet on the same land have 

 shown the presence of large quantities of water in the land, which other- 

 wise would not have been removed. I have seen this completely demon- 

 strated ; and the testimonies on this subject are so multiplied within my 

 own knowledge, that it may almost be affirmed that a single drain of four 

 feet in depth will be more effectual in the drainage of a soil, than two drains 

 of the same size laid at any depth less than three feet. The Duke of Port- 

 land, when I had the pleasure of examining his magnificent improvements 

 at Welbeck Abbey, pointed out to me some land, which had been deemed 

 sufficiently drained, and indeed much more deeply than was usual, bu 

 which, notwithstanding, continued to occasion rot to the sheep which were 

 fed upon it ; and the evil was not effectually removed until the drains were 

 sunk to the depth of eight feet. 



" Several respectable and intelligent farmers in Kent, who have laid 

 drains very deeply in clays and stiff soils, assert that the flow from the 

 deepest drains invariably commences and ceases sooner than from shallower 

 drains after rain,'' This is a curious fact. That it should flow more copi- 

 ously in such deep drains is to be expected, from the fact of a deep drain's 

 affecting a larger extent of land than a shallow drain ; but, as the gentle- 

 man who states this fact suggests, it is not so easy to account for the water 

 falling upon the surface appearing in a drain four feel deep sooner than in 

 one two feet deep. The fact, however, seems well established." (p. 101.) 



Art. II. Abstract of a Meteorological Journal for the year 

 1845, kept at Marietta, Ohio. Lat. 39° 25' N. long. 4° 28' 

 W. of Washington City. By S. P. Hildreth, M. D. 



We have received from our correspondent, Dr. Hildreth, of 

 Marietta, a copy of an article, under the above title, which 



