DRAINS. 



101 



soil. If the object be to pile the earth from the drains into 

 heaps, with a view to composts, this purpose is completely 

 accomplished by means of the scraper." 



To make a covered drain, dig a channel between thirty 

 and thirty-six inches Vvide at the top, and six inches, or the 

 breadth of a spade, at the bottom, and three feet deep, giv- 

 ing it just descent enough to make the water run briskly. 

 Fill it half full or more of small stones, thrown in at ran- 

 dom, and cover them with a layer of straw, leaves, or the 

 small branches of trees with the leaves on them ; then fill 

 it up to a level with, the surface, vAih. the earth that was 

 thrown out. 



In forming small drains, chiefly for retentive soils, the 

 ''lommon plough may be used. A mode described in 

 Voiing''s Annals of Agriculture^ from very ample practice, is 

 his: he says, w^hen he has marked the drains in a field, 

 usually a rod asunder, he draws two furrows with a com- 

 mon plough, leaving a balk betwixt them, about fifteen 

 inches wide ; then, with a strong, double-breasted plough, 

 made on purpose, he splits that balk, and leaves a clean 

 furrow fourteen or fifteen inches below the surface ; but 

 where the depth of soil requires it, by a second ploughing 

 he sinks it to eighteen or twenty inches ; it is then ready 

 for the land-ditching spade, with which he digs, fifteen 

 inches deep, a drain as narrow as possible. But the method 

 followed by some farmers, who do not possess ploughs made 

 on purpose for the work, is this : wdth their common 

 plough, drawn by four or five horses, and usually stirring 

 about four or five inches deep, they turn a double furrow, 

 throwing the earth on each side, and leaving a balk in the 

 middle. This balk they raise by a second bout, in the 

 same manner ; then they go in the open furrow twice, with 

 their com.mon double-breast plough, getting w^hat depth they 

 can. After this, they shovel out all the loose mould and 

 inequalities to the breadth of about a foot ; and thus having 

 gained a clear, open furrow, the depth varying according 

 to the soil and ploughs, but usually about eight or nine 

 inches, they dig one spit with a draining spade sixteen 

 inches deep, thus gaining in the whole twenty-four or 

 twenty-six inches. But as this depth is seldom sufiicient, 

 when necessary, they throv>7 out another, or even two other 

 spits, which makes the whole depth from thirty to forty 

 inches. — Loudon, 



Turf-covered drains may be made as follows : — Turn up a 

 deep furrow with a strong plough, clear the sod from the 



