On the Advantage of Deep Drainage. 



505 



crop which had been yielded on the field above referred to, even 

 after only six months had elapsed from the execution of the 

 drains, he calculated that an increase of about 20 bushels of oats 

 (equal to about 27.) per acre had been obtained. This result 

 was in conformity with what had been obtained from other fields 

 previously drained by him. But on the general benefits of drain- 

 ing- it was unnecessary to dwell. The great question now was, 

 What is the system of drainage which could be done most effi- 

 ciently, and at the least expense ? To this point inquiries ought 

 to be specially directed." 



Mr. Hope's experiment, alluded to by Mr. Milne, is favour- 

 able to shallow draining, as the following account shows : — 



To the Editor of the North British Agriculturist. 



" Sir, — In reply to your inquiry as to the result of the experiments made 

 by me, in draining with tiles at different depths and distances, I may pre- 

 mise that the field operated on may be described as rather a free loam, but 

 upon a very stiff retentive clayey subsoil, mixed with small stones, quite 

 free from under-water. The ridges were 18 feet in width, and were 

 gathered up from the stubble, leaving every furrow open, to save spade 

 labour. Into eight contiguous furrows, each upwards of 330 yards in 

 length, there was put a drain of 3 feet in depth below the plough furrow. 

 Then one furrow was missed, but in the following another drain of the 

 same dimension was put. After that followed two furrows without any 

 drain, thus leaving a ridge which may be said to be undrained. The rest 

 of the field was done with drains 1 foot 8 inches in depth below the plough 

 furrow. The land since then having been ploughed flat, the drains may 

 be considered as 10 or 12 inches deeper than the depths cut with the 

 spade. The cost of the 3-feet drains was 6d. per rood, or 4Z. per S. acre ; 

 the ebb drains, 2^d. per rood, or 11. 10s. per statute acre. 



"The draining of the whole field, which contains 15 S. acres, was 

 finished early in February, 1841, and in summer was sown with turnips, 

 the drills running across the drains or ridges. One half was made white 

 globe, the other half Swedish turnip, the manure applied being half a ton 

 of rapedust and 12 carts of farmyard dung to each variety per acre. The 

 crop was removed and weighed on the 14th December, and the produce 

 found as follows, per Scotch acre : — 



White Turnips. Swedish Turnips, 

 tons. cwt. tons. cwt. 



On 3-feet drains, 18 feet apart .... 21 8 13 15 



On 1 foot 8 inches ditto, 18 feet apart . . 24 6 13 17 



On 3-feet drains, 36 feet apart . . . . 20 14 15 — 



On portion undrained . , . . . 21 8 10 15 



" It was only after the white turnip had finished growing that the land 

 could be said to be wet, and to receive any benefit from the draining. 

 The subsoil, from the deep drains, appeared to be against the white tur- 

 nips ; but the Swedish were much larger where they came in contact with 

 it. At the same time they were obviously thinner en the ground. 



"About the middle of February, 1842, the field was sown with wheat, 

 drilled across, that a like quantity of seed might be given to each part of 

 it. Three bushels per acre was the quantity sown. The different portions 

 were cut, stacked, and threshed separately ; and the following is the result, 

 per Scotch acre, the weight of all being the same, 62 lb. per bushel : 



