^p. YORKSHIRE. 325 



Where the subsoil is abforbent, this is per- 

 haps the moft eligible method ; the rain- 

 water which falls being by this means effec- 

 tually prevented from making its efcape off 

 the fide of the hill. For, unlefs ridges be 

 raifed very high, the water in this cafe has 

 no propenfity tov/ard the furrows on either 

 fide; its tendency, when the lands lie flat, 

 being down lines lying parallel between them : 

 confequently, the rain-water which falls up- 

 on them may run from the top to the bot- 

 tom of the hill, without finding its way into 

 the interftirrows, which in this cafe are ren- 

 dered entirely ufelcfs as surface-drains. 



This circumftancc renders the common 

 method of plowing hill-lides altogether in- 

 elisible where the subsoil is cold and reten- 

 live; and where the surface-water is of 

 courfe required to be got rid of the q^uicksji 

 ^Xidjhorttji way. 



To this end the lands are thrown across 

 THE SLOPE, nearly parallel with the horizon,, 

 barely giving ihcm fuffici cut defccnt for water 

 to find its way along the interfurrows. 



The EFFECT of laying the lands in this di- 



redion is evident : the rain-water which falls 



Y 2 upon 



