Farming of Lancashire. 



27 



The form of a covered or field drain is — 



14 inches wide at the top, 

 6 do. bottom, 



3 feet deep, 



and to be worked thus — 



1st sod, 14 inches deep .... 7d. per drain 

 2nd do. 10 do. .... 6 do. 



3rd do. 12 do. ... . 11 do. 



36 inches. 24d. per drain. 



The first sod makes the wedge-sod, and when dry will be 9 or 

 10 inches thick ; when taken out it is put on its side on the right 

 of the drainer to dry, and the second or third sods are thrown out 

 to the left, and chopped to fill up the drains when wanted ; pattens 

 are used by the workmen, as on Chat-moss. The breadth of field 

 is already fixed at 66 yards ; but it is calculated as 8 roods, or 64 

 on payment, so that one covered drain cost 2s., or 3d. per rood, 

 and the lie?., being the third charge, includes the returning and 

 fixing the wedge- sods, and filling up the drain, 6c c. 



The whole expense of draining a moss-held, rather more than 

 4 statute acres, will be as follows : — 



1 side drain, 37£ roods of 8 yards. 



2 end drains, 164 



— - £. s. d. 



54 roods 2 8 11 



28 covered drains at 2s., being 10 yards apart . . 2 16 0 



Total expense for 19,800 square yards . .£5 4 11 



Per statute acre, 4,840 do. about .£162 

 Per customary do. 7,840 do. do. .£220 



The expenses of the main drains and the roads must be charged 

 to the whole moss drained. 



For the above particulars, and any others connected with these 

 mosses, I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Wilson Ff ranee, of 

 RawclifTe'Hall. 



This gentleman had allotted to him, about 19 years ago, 736 

 statute acres of moss, which he immediately set to work to im- 

 prove; it is now all under cultivation, producing beautiful crops 

 of oats and potatoes, except 8 acres upon which the drainers are 

 now employed. He has drained it all on the plan given above, 

 made roads, &c, and after draining, marl, which is found under 

 the moss, is laid on the top at the rate of 150 to 160 tons per 

 customary acre, by means of a moveable railway as on Chat-moss. 



The marl is calculated by the fall, which is 64 cubic yards ; 

 1 and J fall to the customary acre. The cost of this is thus 

 estimated : — 



