Cultivation of a Cold-Clay Farm. 



263 



set, not so liable to have the drains broken in, the turf giving way to the 

 drift, whereas the tile breaks and the earth follows. I now cut across 

 the old tile-drains to make turf ones in opposite directions, and deeper 

 in the ground. The tile-drains are frequently found to be destroyed — rats, 

 rabbits, moles, or narrow-wheeled carriages passing over them are all 

 injurious. Turf is found to be sound which has been laid 16 years, but 

 it pays w^ell to renovate the drains every eight seasons. The shape of 

 the drains corresponds with the turf. I send a slight sketch. The first 

 operation is with a double-breasted plough, which makes a deep im- 

 pression in the land : the labourer then takes a shovel to clear out the 

 loose earth; afterwards he uses the spade; lastly he uses the land- 

 ditch tool, with which the low^er part of the drain is excavated to the 

 depth of 12 inches more: the width of this aperture is about 3 inches 

 at the top, and is gradually reduced by the shape of the implement to 

 1 at the bottom. The drain is perfectly cleared by a drawing-tool or 

 hoe. The turf is then pressed into the drain by the foot to its depth, 

 which is about 3 inches, leaving an open course for the water of about 

 9 inches deep underneath ; when expanded by moisture, with the earth 

 filled in open, it will bear any weight of horse or cart. The party of 

 men who undertake the job generally carry to the field a small iron 

 drift, wath which they break or remove any stone that may interrupt 

 the spade ; if a large one they dig it out, filling the space with clay out 

 of which the drain is formed for the turf. A little boy or girl, from six 

 to eight years old, commonly attends each drainer, with a tin mug, often 

 an old powder-tin, attached by a bit of string to the end of a stick, and 

 filled frequently with water out of a pail, with which the child follows 

 the spade, and by pouring it out when necessary loosens any stiff piece 

 of clay or earth ; when not wanted, the boy shovels out the moulds, 

 previous to the operation of the spade, or collects the stones cast out, for 

 w^hich he is paid per load. The price of draining varies from 3^. 6d, 

 to 5^. per score rod, including boy's wages ; a good hand will execute 

 14 rod, some more, in the day. Sometimes 2, or even 3, spades' depth 

 is taken out to get a proper level, or to penetrate the clay, when the 

 price of course rises in proportion. If the shoulders of the drain give 

 way in a gravelly or galty place, bushes or stubble are placed under the 

 turf, which is doubled to fill a larger aperture. 



Land-ditching, as it is here termed, is a work in which labourers take 

 an interest : families work together; there is a competition between dif- 

 ferent parties, which is a stimulus to all ; the work is never too hard for 

 children, their attention must be always engaged; and the advantages 

 arising to landlord, tenant, and labourer, are so abundant, that I hope 

 I may be excused in prolonging this communication, as well as in 

 earnestly recommending this simple and economical method to all 

 classes not convinced by experience of the benefits arising from fre- 

 quent drainage of surface-w-ater in a heavy country. 



For the growth of turnips on this heavy soil, Mr. King's method is to 

 plough his land after wheat upon 8 furrow ridges, twice if necessary, 

 during winter : early in the spring, about April, these ridges are split 

 by the plough ; the manure is ploughed in as upon the Northumberland 

 system. These ridges are not disturbed till the time of sowing turnips, 



VOL. II. T 



