On the ])rainage of Land. 



285 



fact, they frequently thus expend their time and money to little 

 good purpose, and verify the homely adage of being penny-wise 

 and pound-foolish." 



Every farmer who is familiar with the use of the spirit-level 

 conceives himself competent to the drainage of his land without 

 the assistance of a surveyor ; and, in cases applying solely to clays 

 and surface -drains, the object is generally well effected. But, in 

 springy soils, the springs must be sought for wherever they can 

 be discovered, and the water carried from them in efficient con- 

 duits at whatever depth they may be found ; for if the water be 

 forced to find its way through the earth without artificial assistance, 

 the greater portion will remain there in a stagnant state : thus 

 turning good land into bad, and causing the injury to which allu- 

 sion has already been made. This, however, demands more sci- 

 entific knowledge than most farmers possess; and if they have 

 land of that nature to drain, they would do much better to employ 

 a professional man to commence and superintend the work, than 

 to rely upon their own judgment, and thus, perhaps, injure their 

 land by unskilful management. In being thus guided by a person 

 who is in the constant habit of laying out drains, and who has the 

 opportunity of observing their operation and effect in every variety 

 of situation and soil, they will assuredly find that many errors 

 inseparable from first trials w411 be avoided, and much expense 

 saved in the prosecution of the practical details ; w^hile his charges 

 will be but trifling in comparison with the advantages which will 

 probably be derived from his directions.'^ 



Of this any one who is aware of the great difference in the 

 nature of soils must be sensible^ if he reflects for a moment upon 

 the steps which should be taken previous to the drainage of an 

 estate. First, the surveyor has to make himself accurately ac- 

 quainted with both the nature of the adjoining land, and its 

 inclination, if it be higher than that to be drained. He should 

 then measure the extent, and carefully examine the different 

 strata, of every field of which the latter may be composed : taking, 

 at the same time, the levels of each, and using the auger freely 

 for the search of under-ground springs. He will thus be enabled 

 to ascertain the proper distance and the requisite depth of the 

 main-drains, together with the number of cross-drains as feeders; 

 each of which should be distinctly marked out upon a plan of 

 the ground. The price of labour and materials being known, a 

 correct calculation may then be made of the probable efficiency 

 and cost of the operation ; from which the farmer may make up 



* See Black's "Account of the Drainage of the Estate of Spottiswoode," 

 Prize Essays of the Highland Soc, N.S., vol. i., and "Thoughts on Fer- 

 tilizing the Soil."— Quart. Journal of Agric. N.S., vol. vi. 



