400 IRRIGATION. 



out the meadow flows through little cuts : not one carrier 

 cverjlows : equally varying in breadth as it advances, 

 for the equal delivery, as explained by Mr, Bosnvell ; 

 the delivering trenches are not on a very gentle, but 

 on steep declivities: and the benefit is unequal: at the 

 end of every little cut, tliere is a great bunch of grass, 

 with spots on the sides, inferior : I pointed this out 

 to the waterman, and he admitted the defeat, observing, 

 that those little cuts must, another year, be greatly multi- 

 plied. It ought to be apparent on the first view, that the 

 equal distribution, by a universal overflowing, without any 

 cuts for the purpose, must be superior. The company 

 with whom I viewed this and Mr. Reeve's meadow, I 

 found strongly impressed with the idea of the great supe- 

 riority of the water first taken from the river, and reason- 

 ed as if all the benefit arose from a deposition of certain 

 particles, which being dropped, the water became of lit- 

 tle value : these ideas, in certain cases and to a certain 

 extent, are just ; but they seem to be carried here much 

 too far, and may have ill effects in causing a small 

 value to be assigned to water taken at the second and third 

 hand. 



Mr. Brooks forms his works by the eye, and without 

 using a spirit level : the consequence is, tliat the distribu- 

 tion by overflowing is, in that manner, impossible to be 

 attained. 



The improvement, however, as in all cases of irriga- 

 tion, is very great : the meadow had been watered but 

 three weeks, and the growth was very luxuriant ; the be- 

 nefit is unquestioned ; and the exertion does great honour 

 to Mr. PuRDis, who has the merit of cfFeding a most 

 valuable amelioration, which eo many of his sleeping pre- 

 decessors utterly negleded. 



April 



