52 



information, as well as much that is unimportant, has 

 been made public in this way. But the only conclusion 

 that can be arrived at, is, that as all soils differ in their 

 mineral constituents, so do they differ in their retentive 

 powers ; and that while Elkington's system of deep 

 drainage would apply best to one, and Smith's or the 

 Deanston system of shallow drainage would apply better 

 to another, there are still innumerable cases where both 

 would be rejected as inapplicable. Therefore, that 

 course will prove to be the most practical which is 

 based upon a knowledge of the character of the soil in 

 each particular locality. 



Italian of •grains. 



The circumstances which develop themselves as the 

 work progresses, will go far to determine the precise 

 location of the drains. As a general rule, the principal 

 drains should follow the lowest depressions, the branches 

 running directly down the slopes. Where the ground 

 is nearly level, they should oblique towards the main 

 drain ; and where the ground descends from all points 

 towards a common centre, it would be judicious to run 

 a drain around the edge of the slope to intercept the 

 flow connecting this through the branches with the main 

 drain. 



Si^e of grains. 



The size of the drains is governed by the probable 

 amount of water which must be carried off. As the 

 volume of water increases by means of the lateral 

 branches, the size of the drains will require to be in- 



