290 



Farming of Lincolnshire. 



is the impetus of the upland rivers, \vhich, descending from a 

 higher level in streams of considerable force and volume, can 

 drive out the Impediments from their beds, and maintain a sea- 

 ward channel through the shifting deposits of the Wash. But 

 this power has to be made available by works of engineering. 

 Naturally these rivers pour down the accumulated floods from 

 this and other counties upon the fens at their lowest points, when 

 they at once lose their velocity and momentum, being in reality 

 discharged many miles before they reach the sea ; and thus, in- 

 stead of opening an outfall for the fen waters, assist more dis- 

 astrously to deluge the level. To prevent this, the high land 

 rivers are caught at the point of their fall, and conducted over the 

 land as in raised aqueducts, between high and strong embank- 

 ments. Nevertheless the fall thus secured is very trifling, only 

 from 3 to 4 inches perm.ile. The high-country water being thus 

 disposed of, and an outfall thereby provided for the low land 

 water, the desiccation of the level is effected by erecting barrier- 

 banks to fence out the tides, and then providing adequate means 

 for drawing off the water. The general drainage of uplands is 

 accompHshed spontaneously by their natural slopes and valleys, 

 without the contrivance and labour of man ; but these marsh grounds 

 must be embanked, and the issue of the land-waters regulated by 

 sluice-doors in the banks, emitting the freshes when the tide 

 sinks beneath the level of the inside water, and preventing the 

 ingress of the sea when risen above a certain level. Over a large 

 portion also, the drain-water has to be mechanically lifted into 

 the necessarily high-riding main-drains and rivers. About one- 

 fourth of the whole surface of 362,000 acres is at present arti- 

 ficially drained. 



The distribution of the drainage connected this wide low- 

 land is as follows : — The river Witham (nearly the whole course 

 of which is within the county), originating among the limestone- 

 hills, not far from South Witham, flows through a narrow valley 

 to Grantham and Marston, where it leaves the foot of the cliffy 

 and enters upon the broad lias valley, receiving many becks and 

 rivulets as it winds towards Lincoln. About 5 miles before 

 reaching that city it is joined by the river Brant, which skirts the 

 oolite ridge from Hough. These waters, from about 130,000 

 acres, are joined at Lincoln by the water of the river Till, &c., 

 from about 46,000 acres ; and the river has then to flow at least 

 36 miles across the fens, v/ith only a slight fall. Near 

 Horsley Deeps it receives the Langworth river from the Heath 

 and the broad drift district; and at Dogdike, the river Bain, 

 about 28 miles from its source among the chalk hills — this being 

 the drainage of 162,000 acres. Between Lincoln and the con- 

 fluence of the Sleaford navigation and Witham, the river passes 



