SOILS 395 



distance of about 20 feet apart. Unglazed, that is porous, 

 earthenwire pipes are used without any collar, but simply 

 placed end to end ; through these joints and through the 

 earthenware the water finds its way to the outlets. These 

 latter are arranged at a slightly greater depth than the 

 furrow drains, and should be as few as possible, it being 

 better for the furrow drains to collect into one main drain 

 and for this to have one outlet. There are different 

 methods of laying these drains, but the above gives a 

 general idea of the process. 



Besides drains the ordinary watercourses should be 

 attended to, ditches cleaned and opened, outfalls kept in 

 order, and obstructions removed from streams and rivers. 



Such is the ordinary course of procedure adopted to 

 lower the ground water, no matter whether it be fluke 

 disease, foot rot, anthrax, quarter-evil, or other disease 

 associated with wet soils with which we have to deal, or 

 whether the object of the drainage is simply to convert a 

 damp into a dry site. In all cases perhaps it is well to give 

 the land a dressing with lime to get rid of the acid, and to 

 encourage the proper soil ferments ; this dressing should 

 also not be neglected in disease, the utility of lime is well 

 known as a dressing for * fluky ' pastures. 



Selection of Site.— In selecting a site for buildings, or a 

 healthy place for animals, we must endeavour to get them 

 on high ground out of which there is drainage and into 

 which there is none. To select soils permeable to air and 

 water, and with a naturally low level of ground water. To 

 avoid low-lying or marshy districts, valleys or river courses, 

 to keep off alluvial soil, and in towns and cities to avoid 

 those which are known as ' made soils.' 



The soil of a southerly aspect on the slope of a hill is 

 always warmer than that on a northerly aspect. 



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