282 



On the Drainage of Land. 



able instance has lately been related of an experiment made by 

 that very highly-informed agriculturist the Rev. Mr. Rham ; of 

 which the following is an extract : — 



" The field which was the subject of the experiment was once a por- 

 tion of the open common in Windsor Forest, and brought into cultivation 

 in 1813. The soil consisted of a very moderate loam, inclined to yellow 

 clay, only a few inches in depth ; the subsoil chiefly a stiff clay, but 

 with occasional portions of a very gravelly loam, nearly impervious to 

 water. The land, being slightly undulated, and sufficiently incHned to 

 let off the surface water by means of open drains, was usually dry enough 

 to kt the turnips be fed off upon it by sheep ; and being pared and 

 burnt, chalked and manured, it bore a fair average of crops. Six acres 

 of this land were subsoil-ploughed in 1838 to the depth of 14 or 15 

 inches, by the Rackheath plough, which stirred the subsoil 9 or 10 

 inches deep, after a common swing-plough had made a furrow of about 

 6 inches. The land was sown with turnips, but, the winter being wet, 

 it was soon necessary to remove the sheep ; and the ground — which had 

 been so loosened by the subsoil-ploughing as to hold water like a sponge 

 — was foimd too hollow either to bear the cart-wheels or the tread of 

 horses for carrying off the roots. The operation was, therefore, ruinous 

 to the land, and the only effectual remedy was to underdrain it. This 

 being immediately done, with footed tiles, a copious mass of water ran 

 out, and, soon after the drains were covered over, the sheep were re- 

 turned to the fold; the cart took the daily supply of turnips to the 

 cows ; the following crop of oats v»'as 9 quarters per acre ; the field has 

 been during the succeeding wdnters as dry and sound as any pasture on 

 the farm ; and, according to a recent personal communication, ' there 

 is now standing on it a splendid crop of wheat.' 



" The conclusion to be drawn from this experiment is," as Mr. R. 

 says, " important ; as it shows that, wherever the subsoil is retentive of 

 moisture, complete underdraining is essential, and the subsoil-plough 

 should never be used until the water can run off below. It also shows 

 what an improvement can be made on moderate land by the union of 

 draining and subsoil-ploughing. The cost (which was hi. per acre) is 

 nothing when compared with the result; and,'' he adds, " I consider 

 the sum laid out on this field as the most profitable investment I ever 

 made." He concludes by saying, " that the subsoil-plough does won- 

 ders in lands which have a porous subsoil, even when employed by 

 itself ; but, unless its apjjlication on stiff wet lands be accojnpanied with 

 draining, it makes them worse ; keeping in the water which would 

 otherwise run off the surface."* 



All farmers are not aware that land, if meant to be irrigated, 

 should be, in most caseS;, even more deeply drained than common 

 meadow. Although draining and irrigation are apparently of 

 opposite means, they are yet equally beneficial in their effect on 

 the herbage ; for flowing ivater, if at complete command, so that 



* See " Experiments on the Improvement of Poor Lands," by the Rev. 

 W. L. Rham, vicar of Winkfield.— This Journal, vol. i. art. 30. 



