

AMELIORATION OF LAND 87 



course, the produce being partly made into hay 

 and partly grazed by stock, especially sheep, 

 which damage the channels less than heavier 

 animals. These streams have their source 

 for the most part in the bottom of the Chalk, 

 their origin being very deep-seated, and, as 

 a consequence, they have a relatively high 

 temperature in winter ; no inconsiderable part 

 of the benefit which such water confers being 

 due to its warming influence upon the soil. 

 It is very interesting, as one passes through 

 one of the southern valleys, to watch the 

 methods by which water is conveyed from the 

 stream, distributed over the area, and finally 

 led back again into the brook. The land, 

 as a rule, is laid out in a series of ridges and 

 furrows, the water being led along the top of 

 the ridge and, by means of suitable barriers, 

 made to overflow, so as to run equally over 

 the land between the crest of the ridge and 

 the bottom of the adjoining furrows. Having 

 done its work it is finally led off the ground 

 by means of channels constructed in the 

 bottom of the furrows. 



An ameliorative process, largely practised 

 in the clay districts of England in the earlier 

 years of last century, is what is called Clay 

 Burning. The operation consisted in turning 

 one or two furrows at regular intervals over 



