312 



Farming of LincolnsJdre. 



with innumerable curves and branches in every possible direc- 

 tion except that of the outfalls at which they finally arrive. From 

 the inadequacy of these sewers to carry off the amount of rain 

 falling upon the land, and the circumstance that the lov/er ground 

 only is liable to be wet in certain seasons, it may be concluded 

 that the water finds another means of escape. The soak, or sub- 

 terranean water, prevails throughout the district ; and as the 

 surface of the fields is absolutely without slope, the rain sinks 

 directly downward, and forms the underground springs. The 

 subsoil being remarkably porous, and the soak continually vary- 

 ing in depth from the surface, lead to the supposition that the 

 excess of water filtrates to the larger rivers and the sea; at any 

 rate, as there is but little land under- drained, the ditches must 

 receive their water from the fields in this manner, and this sup- 

 position involves merely an extension of the same action.* 



The southern parts have an excellent drain called Risegate 

 Eau, running in nearly a straight line from Hammond Beck to 

 the Welland near Fosdike. The chief outlets for the remainder 

 of the district are the Hammond Beck (for a small portion)^ 

 Fosdike Gout into the Welland, and Kirton Gout through the 

 sea-bank. The marshes of Sutterton, Frampton, &c., also drain 

 by these two gouts, besides having one or two smaller sluices 

 through the sea-bank ; the state of the drainage depending in a 

 great measure upon the willingness of the occupiers to cleanse 

 out their respective ditches for the accommodation of themselves 

 and neighbours. 



The narrow band of salt marsh between the mouth of the 

 Witham and WainHeet Haven is drained by sea-gouts through 

 the frontier banks, of which every parish has one or more. The 

 water is kept tolerably well off the land, so as to prevent its being 

 flooded ; but the drainage is not so complete and effectual as the 

 nature of the soil requires. 



The maintenance of the frontier banks round the whole of the 

 marshes in this county is a costly labour, and a great burden to 

 the frontage proprietors,— frequently occasioning a tax of 35. or 

 more per acre. Various calamities are upon record as having 

 occurred in consequence of the breaking of the sea-barriers : one 

 of the severest was occasioned by a gale and higher tide than 

 usual, in November, 1810. The old banks were insufficient in 

 height, and the surge dashed over them along nearly their whole 

 extent, in its fall scouring away the soil of the bank on the land 

 side from the crown to the base ; by which means numerous 



* Probably this is a reason why the atmosphere is healthyj notwithstanding the 

 length of time during which the dikes remain full of standing water ; the water, though 

 apparently motionless, is not really stagnant, as it is being constantly, though imper- 

 ceptibly, withdrawn and replaced by the gentle currents of the soak. 



