PREPAllATION OF THE GROUND. 125 



therefore be necessary to make several parallel ones, 

 at such distances, that the top of the second may be 

 on a level with the bottom of the first, and so on ; 

 and that the bottom of the last may be lower than 

 the least elevated part of the ground. Sometimes 

 a considerable extent of ground is rendered wet by 

 a spring, in which case the fountain-head should be 

 carefully ascertained, and a ditch of sufficient capa- 

 city to carry off the water which it throws out, 

 made from it, in the most convenient direction. It 

 is almost unnecessary to observe, that ditching or 

 draining of any kind presupposes a proper declivity 

 for carrying off the water, and where this is want- 

 ing, the drying of ground is hopeless. 



In making ditches, the earth thrown out should 

 be thrown to some distance from the edge, and the 

 bottom should be left entirely free of any inequali- 

 ties. The sides should slope considerably, otherwise 

 fragments of them will be continually falling dow^n, 

 and filling up the channel. Water runs quickest, 

 and does least injury, to the banks that confine it, 

 when it has a straight course. A ditch, therefore, 

 will best answer its intended purpose, and continue 

 longest in repair, when it is free of crooks and 

 angles. It is in consequence generally better to 

 form several straight ditches, than to endeavour to 



