] 38 AGRICULTURE ON THE RHINE. 



Fig. 2 is a narrow spade bent at the angle, shown in 

 Fig. 2, B, to the handle. With this the grass is cut 

 under tlie roots when sods are to be raised, and it serves 

 to transport the soil or rubbish, as may be required, from 

 one spot to another. The bottoms of the canals are 

 levelled with this instrument. 



Fig. 3 is a board nailed at right angles to a pole, and 

 is used in levelling the surface and the bottoms of the 

 canals. Three of these sight-boards are requisite. 



Fig. 5 is a tube of tin, the ends of which are raised at 

 right angles. At the top of these raised ends continua- 

 tion tubes of glass are affixed, that allow the play of the 

 water, with which the tube is filled, to be seen. The 

 contrivance is intended to save expense in the glass, of 

 which material the whole tube may be made. When 

 fixed upon a pole by means of the socket this instrument 

 shows the level of the surface. 



Fig. 4 is a common plumb on a long board. It is 

 used for ascertaining the level at short distances. 



The proper time for cleaning out the ditches and canals 

 is late in the autumn, when the cattle are no longer driven 

 to the meadows. A day is fixed by the overseer of the 

 meadows by which all the canals have to be cleaned out 

 under a certain penalty. Then it is that the principal 

 watering for the year takes place. If there has been 

 heavy rain and the irrigating brooks are muddy, the water 

 is not let on to the meadows until it begins to get clear. 

 Too great a sediment fills up the canals and leaves un- 

 equal deposits on the surface that mar the labours of the 

 meadow-owner. In the autumn no fear is entertained of the 

 meadows being overwatered. The great point sought to 



