146 



On the Formation of Hill-side Catch- Meadows. 



the surface water from the upper lands to a certain point, most 

 eligible for a pond, others may be arranged to convey the water 

 from the pond to the nearest meadows. By this plan the " water- 

 carriages" are made when the "sodfence" is erected, conse- 

 quently included in its cost — a saving of at least a shilling per 

 chain — the carriage formed in an otherwise useless dike, and the 

 land saved on which the carriage would otherwise have been cut. 

 In laying out these water-carriage fences" care should be taken 

 that the little irregularities in the line of levels are properly 

 adjusted, that no extreme cuttings or bends be made in the fence, 

 but that each small cutting may produce sufficient soil for making 

 good the small slopes where they may occur from the straightening 

 of the line of fence. This practice is desirable in a hilly country, 

 as immense falls of rain take place at certain seasons of the year, 

 w hich must be quickly carried oflf by natural or artificial means. 

 Nothing can exceed the loss of a hill farmer, if the fine particles 

 of soil, manure, lime, or ash, be washed to the bottom of the hill, 

 by collecting currents — never, alas ! to be regained ; while no plea- 

 sure is so great as to witness a collection of these agents (on their 

 way) in a pond or reservoir, with every facility to remove them at 

 will when and where we like. 



Water-carriage fences are now (where practicable) universally 

 adopted upon this property, especially in the divisions of the table 

 and hill-side lands, the upper table-lands being set out for the 

 arable farm, and the hill-side for ''catch-meadows." These 

 levels are laid out under the joint direction of myself (on the part 

 of the landlord) and the tenant; the tenant erecting the fences 

 and repaid at the succeeding rent- day. An experienced person 

 versed in the art of levelling, is kept to take all the necessary 

 levels for the tenants, in the formation of these fences and subse- 

 quent water-carriages, free of charge ; and a liberal tenant 

 right'' allowed at the end of the lease for all unexhausted im- 

 provements that have been made in carrying them out. The 

 facility and encouragement thus afforded by the landlord is duly 

 appreciated, and it is interesting to notice the consequent effect. 

 New meadows are being laid out upon nearly every farm, the 

 desire being to unite the uses of the water-wheel with that of the 

 meadow below the yards, which is universally arranged to receive 

 the sewerage and water after it has passed the wheel. 



The valleys upon my farm are narrow, and contain many 

 springs at the side and foot of the several hills, which from their 

 long and unmolested course had formed dangerous bogs. These 

 springs have been drained by a cheap process, and the water put 

 into immediate use for irrigating the lands below. The plan 

 adopted is by taking the levels, for the w^ater-carriages, from a 

 point at which a level may be driven up to the spring at a proper 



