46—1846.] 
THE AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE. 
165 
rows, , and to place | each drain on ascending th the hill 
sidé, that the top of the first drain should be just above 
the bott om of the second, and so proceed until the top 
of the field is reached. Professor Johnston, in his ad- | 
dress to the Durham Agricultural Society, has given a| 
similar opinion, as well with respect to ‘the depth at | 
which drains ought to be placed in strong land, which 
he considered should be 30 inches. This plan is now 
much questioned by Mr. Parkes and others, who con- 
tend that drains can be advantageously placed at a 
depth of 3 feet or more, and thereby require a less 
number ues drains ; this, however, must depend much 
upon the soil to be acted on, and would little suit the 
great proportion of lands in this neighbourhood, where 
the practice now more generally adopted is, to place the 
drains at one rod apart on very strong lands, varying a 
little according to the subsoil. Experience has shown 
‘that when drains are placed at too great a distance, 
water will sometimes run over, and the land not get 
sufficiently dry. The expense “of draining an acre of 
land can be best ascertained by reference to a table 
published by the Marquis of Tweeddale, in his < Essay 
on Draining,’ wherein he gives the relative expense of 
draining an aere of land, varying according to depth 
and distance. An acre of land drained at one rod apart, 
30 inches deep, with tiles 15 inches long, will cost 
7 7s. 9d. ; but if you save half a rod, and put them at 
4 rod, it will only cost 47. 12s. 4d., thereby showing the 
great adv antage of increased distance where practice 
and experience has shown the land can be thoroughly 
drained by so doing. With these observations Mr. 
came to the foliowing resolution :— 
“That the best method of draining la lands in this neighbour- 
hood is with tiles and soles, the drains being put ERIS the 
furrows at (in very strong clay subsoil ils) not more than 1 rod 
or 18 feet from each other, and not more 30 inches deep ; 
but when the d is ene open and porous, we consider 
iş ae from each o will effectually drain the land.” 
“The Chairmz ae eau that ata former period he should 
have supported the proposition of Mr. Thomas Twynam, 
as he did at that time entertain precisely the same opi- 
nions upon the subject as those which Mr. T. had just 
now advaheed ; and although he had laid down a great 
extent of draining upon different farms, upon heavy 
Soils, at the depth and distance between the drains re- 
commended in Mr. T.'s proposition, yet within these 
few years he had altered his opinion very materially as 
to the propriety Ej shallow draining in strong and level 
land, and had taken up a number of drains and laid 
them deeper, in some cases to the depth of 4 feet, with 
a beneficial result in every case. He would invite 
Mr. T. to alter his proposition, and substitute the depth 
of 40 inehes for 30, with a corresponding greater dis- 
tance between the drains, which should be placed in the 
furrows at right angles to the main drain, It would be 
found that, in draining strong land, increased fertility 
would result from the removal of water to a greater 
depth below the surface. It has been stated that water 
will not readily find its way in strong clay to the depth 
of 40 inches. Now, this may be true in clay land un- 
drained, but, after deep drainage, eapillary attraction 
is diminished, and the clay thereby so alte ered as to 
allow water to pereolate freely to Que d s; inde- 
pendent of this, the deep drain produces a greater body 
H absorbent earth capable of receiving a greater quan- 
tity of rain before any is given off to the drain. To 
prove the correctness of these views of the subject, let 
a hole 4 feet in depth be dug in a field, drained at 4 feet 
deep midway between the drains, and ‘the water will be 
found standing at about 3 feet below the surface.” 
WICKHAM MARKE .—At the late annual meeting of 
this Club, Mr. Mechi EH an excellent speech, After 
dwelling on drainage, waste of manure, cumbrous im- 
plements, stra, ggling hedgerows, &e., he said— 
** The curse cf this “agricultural country is prejudice. It is 
the greatest enemy the farmer has. from nn to 
county, and what do I Oh, our pigs are the 
not give 3 pos for the Essex pigs!" Ano thet "n 
Grm 
s, ver saw such pi pigs, as aed your Suffolk 
re orth lo king at! ugo on from one 
iet to another, each of which iene g be the 
est. Now what is that but prejudice 1 “hops to see the time 
when e rent agri RAT 
ness £5) allow t our ci 
> su Rae E 
ds es 
n th "s ESSE oi n 
oiding "iss and also to AUI the strong points 
ihem to their own use. d not think, gen- 
deen, that the farmers SUE his country apply sufficient capital 
to the land, that think they take hog much land in 
magical in the favourite “depth” K six inches, “except in the 
power of a pair of horses to draw the plough and do an acre a 
day? Will any man de M his horses Ae take ae inches with 
a pair, he would not di 1 proof o y farm a 
present which will Sd. you iol nons the E Qs of peep 
cultivation, and it may you in coming to a proper ci 
one part of a field of Masera 
5inches below the rd which 
went nine, that is 24 inches ‘deep ete The o: 
the field was ploughed in the ual eee Both 
done on the same im d bach ED treated in the same 
, how goes on the Mustard ?^ 
Oh, T im SOC RROTEN DEG ber nd T 
c HEU answer?’ ‘Oh, said 
h holly ok 1 Isaid, Iam glad of. it and I hope 
that many nho ior EEN m od crop will be ‘done? 
too, and alter their minds. Many farmers pare Srem no 
i eir own eyes. In the one case the ci 
in height, and as Hels ed qv could be ; in the tue e iHe 
height the crop attai ut 18 inches. The Secretary 
aas seen the 
Y and he therefore is a. wi e ane Whether 
same difference in the Wheat crop to follow 
I have subsoiled in other cases, and I have 
the desired purpose of increasing 
e the round ht 
n know. 
uniformly found it answer 
the crops, But, gi aene woe betid 
9 
who does this without d eep drainage! If h ue subs is Sut 
drainage, he will make his land like the bottom of a pond, and 
ruin his crop. That is a distinction dus obe parti- 
cularly attended to, becãuse ay farmers have condemned 
bsoiling when they ought to ha: ndun themselv: es for 
Ze 
the roots goin search or this manure, and up my Es Bs it. po 
capillary attraction. We all 
capillary Bomen 
a dry seas herever y n a field he drains 
the EGO ux vos the roots of ne ENE neighbours, 
the corn. The consequence is that your returns in vin present 
season are not near so ene as they proved to be the year be- 
f 'ubjeet of draining i is a vital one to agri- 
SORA s s of agri- 
culturists, and tj remove their Teui ic: I e done 33 
acres myself, 5 feet deep; it answers penaste and Ti therefore 
recommend ROS todo the same. I think, last year, some oj 
way as to manure. M Fpr ioo acad Mint Ihad ruined 
e side of the field, nd that we should grow nothin: you promised me you would try half an acre, His isider you. 
Jus e part of the field TE my man remarking | are bound by your own ied: d by the interest you feel in. 
ng eus into that nasty subsoil would be the ruin of | ti Society, to make the tri ould state that the 5 gaps 
No ad pun to come fato Suffolk, On my are opened only 1 ree wide on the surface, and t 
in 
Biers is no particular difficulty in quy. a depu of 5 
he 
with only an 18-in EN opening 2 the The cost of that is, 
in honest clay, phere ny pwc ckaxes are ue be Red 6d. pèr pee 
workmen’s labou opened some drains in a feld r 
ve 0| 
cently called a light $us Ado d tees the appearance 
of the crops that iners was something wrong below. It wa: 
vain I was told that as a hot dry field ; I knew it was a cold 
wet one. I began 2 da and M down as far as 
B rerything was dry. '* There was no water,” the man said. 
Very well, we got. down another foot, and at the depth. of 5 feet. 
up spoui ted a beautiful opting, which is now running, and 
which will run no doubt fi 
in the last foot there Ww another prag. Now, if I had left offa 
4 feet, where would be thi ising up by capillary attraction, 
and not showing peels excepti the case of bad crops? Itis dif 
ferent from to Op-¥ r draining so called, ut you will find 
very often that in rues ve: feet drains for top-waters, you 
will bleed AE springs sthat have been your enemies unknown 
for yea: Vhi i i 
bog D ining. Ihave had som 
not having previously drained the land ese 
Societies are certainly very pe but PURA are not what I 
should like to see them. In Yorksbire there are several 
Societies which select a committee to go round and inspect the 
var RU farms belonging to the various nu andthey then 
repor e is Tauno 
hey v where the 
who choose to follow hs 
example may do fo, Now, gentlemen, T should be happy t 
e this carried out ba i 
ie more satisfactory 5 see the general management of a far e 
than it is to see a few isolated je And t d is no doubt 
f£ wona nd to good fellow: would tend to stimulate 
improvement, because though d Ors might not Qu OM 
with EUNT there is no doubt, if I expect visitors, 
rather look around me to see what they would be likely uo ind 
fault v with, and I should very likely amend it. If this practice 
could be introduced into your Society—it is done in Yorkshire 
e could be added to your 
it would tend greatly to promote im- 
ntlemen, on the subject of draining I have had 
D great deal to combat with—a great difference of opinion, an 
a great ye SEE ice, amounting, Eh SEEN instances, to a 
disbelief of facte. - 1 have had gentlem. o, upon seeing me 
cut the prane UT upon observing the ODDS te drains running, 
have sx , You will never make me bebere due water, can get 
through this ERU soil." hat is a very c nark, but 
itha n made more than onde: om otim ito. here 
OU dd so, I am sure you w ; but, gentlemen, deep 
drainage DEOR ROS) agricultural improvement. If 
earth be the food ‘of plants the more you them of it, the 
better they will grow. It isa TA ON SoA to suppose ‘that 
the roots go QE babar Ort ist ance; we have constant 
evidence that they will go down many feet, but not into un- 
ubsoil When roots come to stagnant 
wa ater, or if heavy ra at ease EM are absolutely turned up 
i oks ti They have instinct if they have 
bre aee ms chide, EN HOM. they can 
find it, and I am quite sure from the result of my practice, that 
deep drainage has made a difference in one field of a quarter of 
Wheat am: of straw per acre on Ex past ern dry season. 
Thave eyo aeldawviichisome of y entlemen, saw last year 
t were growing Wheat this. eoe ac ene inole 
alain 18 inches and well manured ; the other was uae 
fest with 1-inch pipes, 3 BE apart, a very strong br ck c 
The Wheat in one case wa: t high; in the ds 
E he dios Sem in the quantity of 
hat I have Siete. ne quarter per acre and a load 
The shallow-drained field looked the best all the 
manure. I said to m; inan 
Y zn Bo to ASTY fa he 
heat du me,’ 
"m ate was Pg heat for them.’ When 
ned turned out yellow naturally 
nted to go down, they wanted to moye, 
eee 
aSa 
it was little more than oani 
corn was wh 
of straw, 
o go down into stagnant air and stagnant water, 
W PG wi d Pu result? The Wheatin the other field having the 
advantage of deep drainage, be scame Ru crop of the two. 
puhi ch is the cheapest draina get aimage. Itis 
oer than the shallow. I dra my my clays aci tually 3 33 feet 
, with Linch. “pines the cost of this was 
Thave reason to believe that i interest 
wu ount ys at least from 5i "cent. on 
the investment annually, Well, [Rus then I En should 
itnot be done? I believe Se is 5 A MED last 
year, and I am happy to say t] y ely—that 
the water all pa: through RO and except i in tbe Dur Gone 
case of a very heavy shower—for the pipes run like pumps. 
Whatis drainage todo? To carry off the water we see? ‘That 
S a very aul part of its operation. Wa eave! alway 
dered our enemy ; an abundance of. water Tis alway RE 
Tonia Fed, our enemy on heavy land. Now I am prepared to 
proportion to their c: e is, the best use 
farm to the utmost extent of profit in these days, 
chasing artificial manures—guano, for Bon dr B eta nt 
fields, thus avoidi ing cartage ; and a larger quantity for his 
near fields with deep cultivation, and better agricultural “oodles 
E s 
enone ee a ERU Krebs manner, 
idered guano p: lf in the dud 
the TED uy that he has now 100 CE ER Wh 
(T udi od 
Rye-grass or AIR without. 
tale per day. 
E normous 
ponad oft 
ns whats the resul 
both of roots and of Wh uate 
cause every two 
a 
E 
a 
E 
EE 
E 
& 
TUE 
et 
= 
E 
E 
w 
proper thing. 
ever was made in agriculture. 
his ground 5 inches or 6 inches, you ‘will ap 
garden to 15 inches or 20 inches depth. 
he says, ‘I can grow better crops in my garde: n by deep culti- 
How UM then! Ifthe one Sparauion be right 
ides, if increased depth of cultivation 
be injurious, you must carry out the principle and say that two | 
inches are better than three R AE and that Tona inch is vun | 
than two inches ; and cin you mus Besa and i 
course of time there would be i5 cultivation at al Tsay y ou | Jil 
must carry outthe principle of deep cultivation, T hat is iere I 
Lm Geet his 
If you ask him why, 
prove that water is the very best friend we have; and that, if 
our land be thoroughly and deeply drained, we never can have 
too much of it, 
m prepared to prove—and 
at harvest, 
tha t wateris me 
v ben 
es ‘bat the aeg © 
are the rains from he vest 
Bue si ADhe tat 
tion, pro ding we allow Mes to pei 
down bns with ammonia, car bonic, acid, and other gases, 
and iscnidam the subsoil ee ud OPI enema Galion d 
Dinationg: And there is T most particular use in the 
cent of water through thesoil, and that is, that it is theonly 
ier of heat. downwards, Nothing you can pen rry heat 
podes it robs the air of its 
nd warms the subsoil. Tiat is one 
oft thomostinporantoper ARLOAN GE Water! Insummerthe surface 
ofthe mm is often 136°,the subsoil at the depth o aft about 
t the water falling on weil drained land passes down to 
the diae) leaving TEE it the heat it contained. That is a 
all know the warmer 
Well, then, gentle- 
make water furrows 
op to carry it omar instead T gatum 
drains WERE Which not only carry away tl ren. 
rains, but a ern eos of the soluble mo of our manure that 
lie near the t Iknow perfectly well that, on undrained 
land, if you ut a top-dressing of f soot, and there happens to 
come in the course of. Ts da; 
T called, you bave the e mortiicstion to find n 
at soot travelling down your ditches rather faster than you 
tke to see it. But if the land be thoroughly drained and porous 
like a sponge, the particles of manure find their way down ; 
aie 
Fen 
here who, I c 
pene a 
enough here. Vad wear 
must make = Hole: first. 5 een deep ; and th. en 
have Aaa Germ following ol you 
2 dud do. W e rise in at until it stands within 
rface. You will then have to make thr ree or four such 
fue at various paints where it is proved from the appearance 
of vegetation that t] hese holes will also fee 
likely. fill. NS one now we want to get rid of that 
water. To do tl M od must oes drain in the bill US these 
holes and below their level. And when you find that the water 
flows into your drains and ‘hat ie holes ce not hold any more 
water, you may then conemde safely that you have done the 
business as it ought to be. ERE there ne diffi- 
culty in laying pipes in these boiling sands, whi h Eu very 
oftes nare. The only way to do it in dificult cases, is to have a 
skeleton arch, or some such protection; then lay a yard of 
pipes ; put some straw in first, and then load them with ea:th 
to keep them from being forced out of thei the 
water ; um en put fresh 
on 1 making them Sigrid and thus Bu 
g 
i remain in the 
sponge, by A a eaS WO You find if you put a drain 
bog at 10 or 11 feet Apu When the water has left that. 
bog and you have covered it, A a 2s. you ought to do with heavy 
earth, you will find that the i ead of being 10 dene from. 
tue surface, will probably e EA dua 6 ten The bog dries asa 
sponge dries. A dr always more shrunken and 
smaller than a wet one. takes placein boggy ground and 
in strong clays, but only in a pui degree, becauseitis the 
ansion of particles by stagnant water 
tenacity to clay we so often see. 
from ito clay by a deep 5 find not only that 
the roots take possession of the aqu. but ss the worms will go 
down and bore ten thousand little holes, which serve 
pipes for the water to the top. as are lookin to the lower 
clay, as s they Were Safe of the change of air a pe 
The is that f land instead of being like. wie loam or 
pire xy SA up m a piece of short cake. at is ins ine 
with mine now. But I am fearful of going Pach I 
T es; PU upon your patience. (Shouts of DE on,’ oe ap- 
lam very glad to a that Bude er rn so much earth ; 
I js e bur nt a good deal, n conscientiously say with 
profit to myself. Bat the nc of agricultural improvement is 
not confined to the farmers' pocket, There are a great many 
classes dependent on the farmers. 
lords. e know sometimes that good madori tant t get their 
rents. n kind feeling towards tenants sometimes causes 
them to give up a portion of what is really ien right. I have 
known instances of it ; Bir eds i ED the better the farmers. 
ey afford to pay. ‘Then there are 
be! ue Mar Sn are off the better they 
, bu! t not least, there are the labourer: 
a à delightful consideration that as labour is applied in improve- 
ments itis the happy means of affording the labo d future 
Soployment with cheaper bread, and herois pu 
wages elieve they form me basis on which oe rests. 
there is no other oceupation in BLON: quarter so mueh capital 
is invi Bad, gentlemen, will it be then for this 
uen its ence ceases to be remunerative ; 
t tell you that the want 
Capitali and as the converse of the p 
fit that is made, the more 
men, it is the losses on miM lands by $ aree SE 
bdo loss 
Hum why every one counected with him, and eade the 
e 
e Gf valdstbnlas regards incoming 
be the means of calling forth a large amount of 
provements, tha 
t with great truth, 
landlor: 
effect of swell + egulated cod 
st ete would 
capital for agricultural im 
I believe I may say th. 
tlemen, I believe that the 
such occupations, His G ord, who is a 
noble mple o his country, and who is managing his land 
with am PIOS to himself, grants ong leases at corn E 
determinable e Average value of wheat and barley; h 
drains all his Tinte lands and pA them six per cent. for 
it; and too happy are they to pay that rate of interest upon the 
capital so expended, He does not allow a: any obstinate man to 
say he will i do it, because he makes him do it by the terms 
of QUOD © ae a pretty good per centage, ) 
am sure every farmer can afford to pay 
his ianea es per cent. for such improvements as are com. 
