506 



On the Advantage of Deep Drainage. 



Wheat. Straw, 



qrs. bush. tons. cwt. lbs. 



On 3-feet drains, 18 feet apart . . . 5 6| 1 11 108 



On 1 foot 8 inch drains, 18 feet apart . .6 4 1 14 56 



On 3-feet drains, 36 feet apart ... 6 0 1 9 84 



On portion undrained . . . .60 1 11 42 



" From the period when the land was sown, until the crop was reaped, 

 there never was more moisture in the soil than what was requisite for the 

 growth of plants. 



''The field was grazed in 1843 and 1844. Little or no difference was 

 observed in the pasture during the first year, though, in the second, 

 appearances were against the portion with deep drains. In the spring of 

 1845 the whole was ploughed up and sown with grey Angus oats. Before 

 harvest the effects of the drains were very obvious, the crop on the ground 

 ebb-drained being much heavier and bulkiest ; at one period it was laid 

 when the crop on the deep drains was all standing. On the latter, and on 

 the ridge undrained, the crop was sooner ripe, though the field was all cut 

 in one day. This accounts, in part, for the weight per bushel being greater 

 on these portions ; indeed, the quality improves as the quantity diminishes. 

 The following table exhibits the result, per Scotch acre: — 



Oats. Weight per bsh. Straw, 

 qrs. bsh. pks. lbs. tons. cwt. lb. 



On 3-feet drains, 18 feet apart JO 0 0 40 2 6 108 



On 1 foot 8 inch drains, 1 8 feet apart 12 1 2 39 2 17 96 



On 3-feet drains, 36 feet apart ..9 4 2 40 2 4 26 



On portion undrained .... 9 0 0 40J 2 4 40 



On the removal of the crop there was a marked difference in the condition 

 of the land, the deep-drained portion being full of couch grass, while the 

 part with the ebb-drains was comparatively clean. 



"In 1846 the field was sown with Skirving's purple-top yellow turnip, 

 the manure applied being 5 cwt. of guano, 1 qr. of bone-dust, and 16 tons 

 of farmyard manure, per Scotch acre. No difference was observable by 

 the eye, the whole crop being fine. One-half of the crop was consumed 

 on the ground with sheep, they being allowed at the same time 1 lb. of 

 linseed cake each daily. While the sheep were on the ground it was 

 found necessary to complete the drainage of the whole, every 18 feet, the 

 water having stood from end to end of the field on the undrained furrows, 

 for even the deep drains had little or no effect on the undrained furrow 

 betwixt them. In 1847 the field was again in spring wheat (Fenton), and 

 was a most magnificent crop throughout; it yielded, over the whole, 

 7 qrs. 6 bushels per Scotch acre, and weighed 63 lbs. per bushel. The 

 •field was pastured last year, and it kept but a small stock. It is now in 

 oats, which, unfortunately, are a light, shabby crop, similar to most of the 

 oats this season in the neighbourhood, and one part of the field cannot be 

 said to be better than another. I have therefore no hesitation in giving it 

 as my decided opinion, that on land with a stiff clay subsoil free from 

 under-water, 30-inch drains are all that is required to carry off the surface 

 water. All practical men are well aware that no general rule ever can be 

 laid down for either the depth or the distance betwixt drains ; this can 

 only be determined by the nature of the soil and subsoil in each particular 

 case. I have seen material benefit obtained from making drains 4 and 5 

 feet deep, when 2^-feet drains would have been money thrown away ; but 

 from the above and other experiments under like circumstances, I am also 

 satisfied that to insist upon it as a rule to go deeper than 30 inches in all 

 cases, the difference of the expense may be worse than money lost, that 

 the crops may be materially hurt into the bargain. — I am, Sir, &c, 



Fenton Barns, Aug. 10, 1849. George Hope. 



