DRAINING. 191 



The whole ten acres were in the spring of 1860 trenched and sown 

 down with a crop of oats, and the produce was fully fifty-one quarters 

 per acre. The small drains were put in parallel to each other at a dis- 

 tance of twenty-eight feet asunder. The total cost was somewhat over 

 8 per acre. 



I am of opinion that, in the majority of cases in this country, in the 

 drainage of peat-lands, the most effectual way is to cut the drains at first 

 only to such a depth as will enable the soil on the sides to keep together. 

 Many mosses are so soft that the drains cannot he cut to a great depth 

 at first. After the drains have remained in operation from twelve to 

 eighteen months, the upper soil will have so dried as to enable them to 

 be again deepened, and to go on gradually in this way until bottom is 

 reached. These operations will in many cases extend over from three 

 to four years. It is certainly a slow process, but, generally speaking, 

 it is the only way to make a permanent work of it. 



Where the moss is very deep, the drains may be formed with pipes 

 laid on half-inch wooden planks to prevent the pipes sinking in the 

 peat. 



SECTION 6. How to conduct Drainage Operations on an Estate. 



When extensive drainage operations are contemplated on an estate, it 

 will be found that the agent has not sufficient time at his disposal to 

 attend to the drainage properly. The cutting of the drains should be 

 let by contract to the workmen. An experienced drainer should be 

 constantly with the men, to watch every drain in the course of its for- 

 mation. I have sometimes appointed one of the most experienced of 

 the workmen as superintendent, who sees that each drain is properly 

 made, and that it has sufficient fall, and that the men cut them to the 

 required depth. This man also attends to the laying in of the pipes, 

 and keeps a statement of the work done in each field. 



It will be found very useful to have a drainage plan of the estate 

 that is, a plan showing each field, and the number and position of the 

 drains in each field so that the position of any drain can be found out 

 at any time afterwards. 



The following is a form of Drainage Report which I have had in use 

 on this estate, and which the drainage foreman fills up, from which the 

 agent can take out the expenses and other information in regard to each 

 field as the work goes on : 



