WATERING OF LAND. 



volved in obfcurity ; and while trials in the field, on the very 

 land which is defired to be improved, may be made with fa- 

 cility and prompt decifion. 



The efFefts of watering are remarkable in many inftances : 

 in Wiltfhire, it is not uncommon to fee, it is faid, lands, 

 where water has been diverted for the purpofe of improve- 

 ment, divided by a hedge or a ditch only, the grafs on one 

 fide of which is of the moil luxuriant nature and abundant 

 growth, but on the other fo diminutive that the ftrongeft 

 blades have never reached the height of three inches. The 

 fame is the cafe in other fituations, which fufficiently marks 

 the importance of the praftice. 



It will be neceffary, before we ftate the different methods 

 of performing the bufinefs of watering in different circum- 

 flances, to give fome account of the implements which are 

 requifite for the purpofe, as well as fome explanation of the 

 terms employed in carrying on the work in the different 

 modes. The firft and principal inftrument in the execution 

 of the work is a proper level, of which the fpirit one is per- 

 haps the beft. It is neceffary for taking the level of the 

 I land at a diftance, compared with the part of the river or 

 (Other ftream, from whence it is intended to take the water, 

 jto know whether it can or cannot be made to float the part 

 |defigned to be watered. It is particularly ufeful in works 

 ; of this fort on a large fcale, though the labourers too fre- 

 quently negleft the ufe of it, bringing the water after them 

 ' to work by in-cutting the feveral parts that are to convey 

 the water. It fhould, however, be moftly ufed as being 

 more certain and correft. See Level, and Water- 

 Level. 



A proper line and reel and cutting-iron are likewife abfo- 

 lutely neceffary, as well as a breaft-plough, which fhould be 

 of the beft kind, as being of great ufe in cutting turfs for 

 the fides of the channels and other parts. See Water- 

 Llne and Reel, Water Crefcent, and Breast-P/ow^A. 



The fpades ufed in this fort of work fhould have the flems 

 or handles confiderably more crooked than thofe in common 

 ufe, the bit being of iron, about a foot in width, in the mid- 

 dle, terminating in a point, a thick ridge running down the 

 middle part, from the top to near the point ; the edges on 

 both fides being drawn very thin, and kept quite (harp by 

 frequent grinding and whetting : when they are become thin 

 and narrow by wearing, they are ufed for the fmaller 

 trenches and drains. By means of the handles being made 

 fo crooked, the workman, ftanding in the working pofition 

 in the bottom of the drain or trench, is enabled to make it 

 perfeftly fmooth and even without any difBculty. 



Both fhort and narrow fcythes are alfo neceffary, in order 

 to mow and cut away any weeds or fuperfiuous grafs that 

 may be prefent, during the running of the water in the 

 trenches or other cuts ; as well as forks, and long four or 

 five-tmed crooks or drags for pulling out the roots of the 

 fedges, rufhes, reeds, and other fuch matters, that may be 

 in the large mains or other channels. Thefe crooks fhould 

 be made light, and have long Aiafts to reach wherever the 

 water is fo deep that the labourers cannot work in it, fo as 

 to remove fuch obftruftions. 



Wheel and hand-barrows, too, become neceffary and 

 ufeful, the former for removing the clods and earths to the 

 flat or hollow places, for this ufe they may be made open, 

 without fides or hinder parts ; the latter are ufed where the 

 ground is too foft to admit the former, and where the clods 

 or other matters require to be removed during the time the 

 land is in water. But when large quantities of earth are 

 wanted to be removed, efpecially when to be conveyed to 

 fome diflance, three-wheeled carts are proper. 



And in all cafes a flout large water-proof pair of boots is 

 Vol. XXXVIII. 



abfolutely requifite, having the tops made fo as to draw up 

 halt the length of the thigh ; they fhould be large enough 

 to admit a quantity of hay or other fuch materials to be 

 itutted down all round the legs, and be kept well taUowed, 

 in order to refift the running water for any length of 



time, 



The terms ufed in the praftice of watering are very nu- 

 merous. A weir is a work thrown over or acrofs a brook 

 river, rivulet, ftream, main, or other fuch parts, the ufe of 

 which is to divert the water; and when the hatches are all 

 properly adjufted and in their places, to ftop the whole cur- 

 rent, in order that the water may rife high enough to over- 

 flow the banks, and fpread over the adjoining land ; or, by 

 flopping the water in its natural courfe, turn it through mains 

 or channels, cut to convey it another way, to fome diftant 

 lands that are to be watered. See Weir. 



A fluice differs from the above fimply in having but one 

 thorough or opening, as when there are more than one it be- 

 comes a weir. It is applicable in fmall ftreams in the fame 

 way that the weir is in large ones. See Sluice. 



The covered fluice or trunk is conftrufted and had re- 

 courfe to in all fuch cafes, as where two ftreams of water 

 are to crofs each other at the point of difcharge, and to ferve 

 ad a bridge. The drain-fluice or trunk is that which is 

 placed in the loweft part of a main, as near to the head as it 

 can be formed, and put low enough to drain the main and 

 other parts. It is put with the mouth at the bottom of the 

 main, being let down into the bank ; and from the other 

 end of which a drain is cut to communicate with fome 

 trench-drain that is the neareft. It is ufed for carrying off 

 the leakage through the hatches when (hut down, to convey 

 the water to other grounds, and for fome other purpofes. 

 See Sluice. 



Hatches are flood-gates, and ufed for the fame purpofes : 

 they are confequently differently formed in different cafes ; 

 but fuch as have about a foot to take off, and let the water 

 pafs over fo much of them, are thought ufeful by fome in 

 different cafes of watering. Others fuppofe them the bell 

 when made whole and of good timber. See Hatch. 



A carriage is a fort of fmall wooden or brick paffage, 

 built in an open manner, for the purpofe of carrying or con- 

 veying one ftream over another, and is ufeful in many cafes, 

 though very expenfive in the praftice of watering. 



Head-main in watering land implies that part of the prin- 

 cipal cut or channel which takes the water firft out of a river 

 or ftream, and conveys it to fuch lands as are laid out for the 

 purpofe, by means of fmaller mains and trenches. It is 

 neceffarily formed of various breadths and depths, accord- 

 ing to the quantity of land to be watered ; and to the 

 length, or the fall of the ground it is cut through. Small 

 mains are the next order of cuts for the diftribution of water 

 on lands, as connefting between the head-main and trenches. 

 Thefe fmaller mains are moftly taken out of the head- 

 main ; and the only difference between them is, the one 

 being much lefs than the other ; they are commonly cut 

 at, or nearly at, right angles with the other, though in fome 

 cafes at many degrees lefs. The ufe of both thefe forts 

 of mains is to feed the various trenches and gutters that 

 branch out in all parts of the land with water, and to con- 

 vey it for floating the ground in an equal manner. By fome 

 thefe fmalkr mains are termed carriages, but improperly, as 

 it is confounding them with. the open trunk fo named, as 

 already fcen. 



The trench, in watering, is a fhallow narrow cut or ditcli 



made to take the water out of the mains for floating the 



land. It fhould always be drawn in a ftraight line from 



angle to angle, with as few turnings as poflible. It i* 



X never 



