On the Formation of Hill- side Catch- Meadows. 143 



a distance, or in difficult situations for swilling away. The soil 

 removed by the cutting of open water-courses through the valleys, 

 may be washed away to the dry hill-side meadows by this plan, 

 without ever being thrown out upon the banks, as also the after 

 slopings of their sides to the required batter ; this is both a cheap 

 and useful practice. In every case where the surface-water from 

 the uncultivated hill lands has to form a part of the waters, to keep 

 up an even and general supply it is found absolutely necessary 

 to improve them in some way or other. The longer distance 

 peaty water has to run the better it becomes for irrigation, as a 

 sediment is deposited in its onward course ; hence the water gra- 

 dually purifies and improves. To effect a proper change in 

 these waters, arrangements should be made along the main 

 carriages (which take their rise from the brook-course at the 

 foot of the uncultivated hill, and wend their way through the 

 respective meadows) to form sheds for young cattle upon them, 

 that the dung and urine may daily mix with the passing stream. 

 These sbeds are placed at the higher end of the meadows, a 

 short distance above the water-carriage, just leaving sufficient 

 space between for the passing of the cattle. Upon the main 

 water-course, and opposite the sheds, a small pond is formed for 

 the reception of the manure when thrown from the cattle-shed ; 

 the water on its route thus passes through the pond, and by 

 mixing with the manure and sewerage from the shed^ becomes 

 changed for the better, and the effect is certain and cheap. 



After the season for watering has passed away, and the stream 

 lias been turned off to its original or new course formed to convey 

 it to the brook — the cattle removed to other fields— the meadow 

 sown with a few grass-seeds (if necessary) — effectually cleaned, 

 brushed, rolled, and laid up for hay, to be again supplied and 

 used at the sheds for reproduction, the pond or dung-pit is cleaned 

 out and thrown into a heap to decompose, upon which a covering 

 of peat earth may be thrown, and the whole heap turned and 

 mixed about twice during the summer months. When the season 

 for irrigation again arrives, the compost in its decayed state is 

 thrown into the passing water, and thus conveyed to the meadow 

 without the aid of horse and cart, and the compost thrown down to 

 the water instead of up to the cart. The pond or pit may be used 

 during the summer for collecting soil (sedunent) from the passing 

 water (after it has been emptied), and let off to the bottom as 

 opportunities offer. It is further desirable to form compost-heaps 

 during the summer for the same purpose, and to plan conveyance 

 by accumulated surface or flood-water, where spring or brook 

 waiter cannot be had ; the result of this plan will entirely depend 

 upon the active operations of the " waterman " and his men at 

 such a passing period. 



The practice of bringing a stream of water t® and; througiL the; 



