PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE. 223 



trial be made. Let it be ascertained bow difficult tbe 

 work is ; wbat obstacles interfere ; bow far tbe work 

 will be unbealtby, &c. Then let him, if possible, give 

 it out by tbe job. There is not a man in the world 

 who cannot do a difficult piece of work more easily 

 by the job than by the day. Where work can be put 

 out in this way, it is better for both parties. 



427. What shall be done with this mud ? In order 

 to be washed of its sourness and sweetened by sun 

 and air, it needs to lie where it is at least one year. If 

 the owner can provide himself with other matter for 

 composting in the intervening time, it is best to let it 

 lie more than a year. For twenty years or more it 

 will improve. But he wishes to clear his swamp, and 

 be ready to put in side-drains ; to have the water ta- 

 ken from every part, and the whole turned over witb 

 the plough, and sown with grass-seed. Probably, 

 therefore, he will think best to remove this mud as 

 soon as it becomes dry enough, and the ground be- 

 comes sufficiently hard for the feet of his cattle. It 

 may be that this one ditch will take the water from 

 the whole swamp. If not, which is far the more prob- 

 able, then side-ditches should be tjut running into 

 this. If the nature of the ground admits, these should 

 enter the central ditch at right angles. If a greater 

 fall can be obtained by running them a little down- 

 wards, towards the outlet, then give them this direc- 

 tion. But let them, if possible, be parallel with each 

 other, and at about equal distances. These should by 

 all means be covered drains ; should be from two to 

 three feet deep ; and if there is likely to be a large 



