R I V 



little above the level ef the water, then, inftead of railing 

 the bank on each fide to the proper height, it will be more 

 advifeable to raife them only to the height of a particular 

 line ; as, in that cafe, it would be very difficult to find as 

 much earth as would form both the banks, although there 

 will be no difficulty in forming the fmaller one ; and as the 

 areas of the two are equal, thefe lower banks will contain an 

 e^ual quantity of water within them, as the higher ones 

 would have done ; the greater width between them making 

 up for their want of height. And it is conceived, that in 

 this way it will be in the power of any man fo to propor- 

 tion his banks to the circumftances in which he finds him- 

 felf placed, as in the eafieit manner to accomplim his defign : 

 for if he has plenty of materials at hand, he may rear his 

 banks to a greater height, and confine the river to a nar- 

 rower courfe ; and if he finds a deficiency in that refpedt, 

 he may make them of a fmaller height, and allow the river 

 to fpread to a greater breadth. It is added, in concluding 

 this account, that this method has been found to anfwer 

 very well in actual practice ; but that, in fome cafes, it was 

 found that while the bank was new raifed, and before the 

 furface was grown together, fome parts of that furface were 

 broke a little, when the water rofe to a great height. In 

 this cafe, the bank confided entirely of loofe fand, which is 

 the woril material it could be formed of; but this was eafily 

 repaired, at a very fmall expence, when the water fubfided. 

 If thefe fmall breaches, however, had been neglected, there 

 is no doubt but the whole would quickly have been de- 

 flroyed. It was found that a few fmall ftones, laid upon 

 the furface of the fward, near the edge of the water, proved 

 in this cafe a very ufeful addition. In cafes where the 

 fward is firm, this caution would have been unnecellary. 

 Whoever attempts this mode of fencing, mould take care to 

 provide themfelves with a fufficient quantity of the feed of 

 the plant, ufually called fprots in Scotland, to fow near the 

 edges of the water ; for thefe other kinds of grafles are 

 (helled , and without this precaution, the furface remains 

 bare, and is therefore liable to be wafhed away with the 

 water, during the time of floods. 



There are other cafes in which attention is fometimes ne- 

 ceffary to rivers, which are in thofe of the vale kinds, which 

 run in very ferpentine or crooked directions. In thefe cafes 

 it is fometimes proper to ftraighten them, though it is but 

 in few inftances, Mr. Marlhall thinks, that this can be done 

 with propriety and advantage, in refpect to profit. And 

 though the principles and management are the fame in the 

 execution, there is much difference from the want of fuitable 

 materials, &c. 



The inftances in which the courfes of rivers that have 

 their beds greatly funk below the general level of the fur- 

 face of the lands, as five or fix yards, may be (traightened 

 in a profitable manner, are, it is obferved, where two reaches, 

 or ftraight parts, run in a line with each other ; but are fe- 

 parated by a narrow neck of an extenfive tract. 



In this cafe nothing more is required than that the earth 

 which is taken out of the new cut, Ihould be thrown into the 

 ends of the old bed, by which the ft ream, both at low water and 

 in time of flood mult poffefs a ftraight unimpeded courfe. 

 And by this means the proprietor on this fide not only ob- 

 tains an acquifition of ground in the old river bed for differ- 

 ent purpofes, but on his own fide of the river gains a length 

 of ftraight ground for the plough or fcythe. But at the 

 time this proprietor is thus benefited, the property on the 

 other fide may be injured ; as by fhortening the length, and 

 I hat of (heightening the direction of the river, the force 

 of it- ftream or current at the upper bend may be consi- 

 derably increafed, snd the land there greatly endangered. 



pro- 



11 I V 



Hence Mr. Marlhall thinks, that this obvious alteration 

 fhould not be undertaken, except under the fanftion of a 

 commiiuon of drainage, or till the proprietor below be in- 

 demnified for the injury that may be fultained. It is fug- 

 gefted, that in the above inftauce, half of the bed of the 

 old river might be a fufficient indemnification. There is, 

 however, a great variety of fmall dreams and rivulets in the 

 bottoms of fteep declivities, that have fuch winding and 

 ferpentine courfes, that they might be ftraightened with not 

 only profit, but vaft advantages to the lands on the different 

 fides. In many iituations it is difgraceful to fee the ueltruc- 

 tion and injury that is caufed by thefe little winding 

 ftreams in the time of floods, and when they are in high 

 water. 



The proper protection and management of river -banks is 

 unqueftionably a work of great interelt and importance in 

 many inftances ; as they are very liable to be extenfive!} 

 deftroyed by the ftreams, and much lofs of valuable land to 

 be thereby produced, as well as to be the caufe of frequent 

 difputes and litigations between neighbouring landholders,. 

 Rivers for the moft part form the molt tedious, troublefome, 

 and indifferent boundaries of any betwixt landed 

 perties. 



The fubject of guarding and fecuring their banks has 

 hitherto been but little underftood, either in theory or 

 practice, though it obvioully requires equal, if not more 

 attention, than any other rural practice, as being very 

 ferious in its coniequences, both as to the mifchiefs, and 

 the ineffectual, though expenfive, modes of preventing them. 

 The practical directions that have been given above (hould 

 therefore be well confidered, as they may fave much labour 

 and expence, when well applied ; as well as prevent a va- 

 riety of difputes, and the frequent lofs of much ufeful land. 

 Plans of the methods of accomplifhing the work in different 

 cafes, may be feen in the fecond volume of the Farmer's 

 Dictionary. 



Before undertakings of this nature are begun, proper 

 plans and eltimates of expence and profits (hould conitantly, 

 as has been feen, be prepared, and contracts, where poflible, 

 entered into for their execution with perfons of experience, 

 always binding them to uphold the works for a certain num- 

 ber of years afterwards ; as by thefe means much money, 

 timber, labour, and unneceffary trouble, will be faved, 

 which would otherwife be thrown away, and the works be 

 improperly managed. Bcfides, the means will be properly 

 proportioned to the ends which are deligned, in nil cafes. The 

 intereit of oppofite proprietors will likewif'e often be {hewn 

 to be one and the fame, which will greatly promote fuch 

 works indifferent inftances. See EMBANKMENT. 



River Guards, terms applied to fuch piers, mounds, or 

 other folid embankments, as are carried out for the purpofe 

 of altering, directing, or confining, the courfes of rivers. 

 They are diitinguiihed into common, and what are termed 

 dwarf guards ; the former being thofe employed for large 

 rivers, and the latter, fuch as are made ufe of where the 

 force of the currents are lefs violent and lefs heavy. 



With regard to the fubitances that are molt commonly 

 made ufe of in this intention, they are all forts of hard 

 weighty materials, fuch as rough coarfe ftones of different 

 kinds, large pebbles, heavy pieces of timber fecured by 

 piles firmly driven into the ground, and fupported behind 

 by coarfe gravel ftones, or other fimilar materials, the roots 

 of trees with the earth about them, pofts firmly driven in 

 with planks nailed to them, and well banked with ftrong 

 lubltances, piles driven in and wattled with fods, being well 

 banked with the fame fubitances. Befides thefe, various 

 other materials are prefented to the attention of the work- 



3 men 



