Gardening for Amateurs 



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Showing three different systems of drainage ; x is the main drain, a indicates a side drain, 

 and o shows the outlet. 



a garden has been selected, or, if the garden 

 is already made, the work is best done when 

 the ground is vacant. To ascertain whether 

 a garden needs draining, dig holes 2 feet 

 deep here and there in it during late autumn 

 or winter, and if these invariably contain 

 some water then drains are required. Occa- 

 sionally drains get clogged with soil or with 

 the roots of trees and shrubs ; in this case 

 they require to be lifted, cleaned, and relaid, 

 or it may be found possible to lift a pipe 



here and there, and to clear the pipe by 

 pulling through it a wire with a bunch of 

 straw at the end ; the pipes should always 

 be flushed thoroughly with water imme- 

 diately after this. Protect the outlet of 

 every drain with a grating of some sort, or 

 animals may pass up the pipes in summer, 

 and render the work futile by choking the 

 drain. The presence of moss, Horsetails, 

 Liverworts, or Rushes, invariably denotes 

 badly drained soil. 



Pipes laid end to end, not fitting closely. 



Side drains leading up to 

 main drain. 



When the pipes pass through sodden ground 

 or under paths they are laid on long flat 

 pieces of wood 



Section across drainage trench, showing use of 

 stones alone ; and drain pipe protected by stones. 



