The fact must not be overlooked that, if the drain is too shallow, 
the water will run directly to it without benefiting the soil with its 
fertilismg power; if too deep, it will cease to draw, and will not 
work. 
Sand Drains—Some years ago I saw at Mr. Briggs’ farm at 
Jandakot, near Fremantle, an efficient substitute for deep-laid . 
draining pipe. Whereas these cost to lay £6 to £10 an acre, the sand 
drains, which never wear or require repairs, can be provided for less 
than half the money. This method, which has also been successfully 
used near Edinburgh, consists in cutting the trenches, which on a 
large scale is done by specially constructed trench diggers, and filling 
these drain channels with coarse sand or gravelly soil. 
“Drains will act in porous soils much greater areas than in stiff 
soils. For instance, in porous, free soil, a drain will lay dry eight 
to nine feet wide for each foot it is in depth; in soil of medium 
consistency, six to seven feet, whereas in heavy soil it will only 
draw four to five feet for each foot it is in depth. Whatever the 
case may be, if draining is worth doing at all, it is worth doing 
well; and it is money saved and efficiency attained to drain five 
acres perfectly than ten imperfectly, and leave the five until this 
work can be properly attended to. 
In conjunction with systematic and extensive irrigation especi- 
ally, and whenever the subsoil is not sandy or gravelly, but is of 
a somewhat retentive nature, drainage becomes essential to the fruit- 
grower, and in considering its cost he should bear in mind that 
fertile drained land will show an increase in the yield by 20 to 30 
per cent. compared with undrained land under similar conditions. 
SHELTER TREES. 
Much damage is caused to fruit-trees in exposed places by high 
winds howling through the orchard, breaking branches, withering 
up tender leaves, as well as blossoms, and throwing the trees out 
of shape, stunting them, and making them set early. 
Whenever natural shelter from a range of hills, a belt of forest, 
or the natural slope of the ground can be utilised, it should be taken 
advantage of. If natural shelter does not exist, an artificial one 
must be provided before or at the time of planting. If the live 
hedge can be dispensed with, however, so much the better. A quick 
hedge growing round a vineyard or an orchard harbour bird 
pest and will rob the trees of their nutriment, unless means are 
taken of preventing them doing any harm. 
Many of the trees used for the purpose, such as the olive, the 
black wattle, the white boxthorn, the mulberry, are at times attacked 
with seale insects, which, unless kept down, would soon infest the 
fruit-trees. A quick hedge is, however, sometimes necessary for the 
protection of vineyards and orchards situated near a town, a village, 
