CHAPTER XVII. 



EMBAKKMENTS. 



ON a great many estates there are rivers and smaller streams which 

 sometimes overflow their usual bed, and inundate land adjacent to them. 

 A large amount of damage is thus often done by the water both to crops 

 and stock. This is the case more frequently in low-lying Hat districts, 

 where the rivers flow very sluggishly ; and when heavy rains come, the 

 water increases in height, instead of flowing freely away. One great 

 point to attend to in cases of this kind is to see that the bed of the river 

 or stream, as the case may be, is kept free from any accumulation of 

 brushwood, breaks in the banks, or any other thing which might tend to 

 check the water in its course. The chief thing, however, which has or 

 ought to be done to confine the water within prescribed limits is, to form 

 embankments on its sides. 



Embankments are structures formed of earth or a wall, or both com- 

 bined. The idea of protecting crops from the overflowing of rivers 

 seems to have originated at an early date in the world's history, for we 

 find that this was done in Egypt as far back as we have any history of 

 it. The embankment of the Thames appears to have been first done at 

 the time of the Eoman invasion of this country. Large embankments 

 were formed in Lincolnshire to protect lands from being submerged by 

 the sea in the time of Cromwell, and these banks have been improved 

 upon and kept up ever since, and enclose what is called " the Fens." 

 Large tracts of country in Holland have also been reclaimed from the 

 sea by the formation of embankments. 



In forming banks on the sides of rivers or streams, care must be taken 

 not to make them too close to the water's edge. Of course they could 

 and may in certain cases be made with advantage quite close to the 

 water-way, but this will involve the necessity of raising the banks to a 

 much greater height than would be required if they were made at a little 

 distance from the edge of the usual water-way. I have found it the 

 best system, under ordinary circumstances, to make the banks at a good 

 distance from the water-bed, as when the waters rise, they spread over 



