Field Drainage. 



49 



to of putting sods at the bottom of the trench, and treading 

 them well down, so as to give a firm bed for the pipes to 

 lay on. This is often absolutely necessary, and the only 

 way of putting pipe-drains in boggy soils. 



As the expense of carting pipes from the maker's is a 

 consideration in the cost, it may be mentioned that a one- 

 horse cart will carry 8oo 2-inch or 500 3-inch pipes ; and 

 one horse will take this load easily on a good road, but it 

 will require two horses to drag it over soft ground. 



Cost. — The cost depends upon so many local circum- 

 stances — as the quality of the soil, the rate of wages, the 

 depth at which the pipes are laid, and the distances apart — 

 that it is impossible to give any fixed or definite sum. But it 

 may be stated, as an average, that two men can dig out the 

 trenches in a soft clay soil free from stones, lay the pipes, and 

 fill in again at the rate of from four to five chains a day ; 

 and that an average price for pipes, at the maker*s yard, is 

 21^". per 1000 for 2-inch pipes, and 42^. for 3-inch pipes. 

 Having ascertained the cost of the pipes, and the rate of 

 wages for the district, the cost per acre can be calculated 

 from the following table : — 



Distance apart. 



No. of Pipes required 

 for One Acre. 



Yards. 





5 



2,905 



1* 



2,640 



6 



2,420 



7 



2,o7S 



8 



1,816 



9 



1,613 



10 



1,452 



II 



1,320 



12 



1,209 



13 



1,117 



14 



1,037 



15 



974 



16 



907 



i6i 



880 



No. of Chains of 

 Digging. 



Chains, Rods. 

 AA O 



IT 



40 







3^5 



'-1 



31 



I 



27 



2 



24 



If 



22 







20 







i8 



n 



17 







IS 



3 



IS 



04 



13 



3 



14 



li 



Note. — The contents of this chapter are extracted from a pamphlet published 

 by the author in l868, entitled * Practical Remarks on the Pramage of Land,' 

 copies of which may be obtained from the publishers of this book. 



