On Draining. 



509 



which paid both the principal and interest in that period. The 

 whole of this sum has been long since applied for ; and later 

 applicants are left regretting their ill fortune. All this, I say, 

 you probably know, and may think, with many others, that seeing 

 the inconvenience of such grants in times of pressure, Parliament 

 may be slow to vote any further sums for the purpose;' 1 ' but you 

 may not be aware of the powers and facilities which the legisla- 

 ture has given for obtaining the means from other sources on 

 terms but little if at all inferior to those of the Government loan 

 itself. Suppose then an owner of an estate of 500 acres of this wet 

 land obtains 25007., or 5/. per acre, under the provisions of this 

 Act,j the rent-charge on the land will be about 65. 4d. per acre, 

 which, with the original rent of 10s., gives 16s. 4d. an acre as the 

 rent of the land when effectively drained, but without adding any 

 present profit for the owner. But I apprehend once let the occu- 

 piers of such land experience the benefit of cultivating it in the 

 drained state, and they will infinitely prefer paying 20s. an 

 acre, or more, to continuing in the old course ; and thus both they 

 and the owner will realize all they desire. 



As respects the practical execution and effects of drainage, 

 without wearying you by entering into minute details, there are 

 yet some leading points which it may be well to notice. That 

 there is no one mode of drainage equally applicable and effective 

 on all soils, may now be considered as a settled truth; and 

 hence it necessarily follows that a certain knowledge and ex- 

 perience must be exercised in conducting the work in such a 

 manner upon each character of soil and subsoil as shall attain the 

 most perfect result at the least cost. And what, you will natu- 

 rally ask, is a perfect result ? for assuredly without a definite 

 perception of this there is little hope of its being attained. But, 

 fortunately it is one of those essential points which is not de- 

 pendent upon mere opinion for a practical settlement, because 

 we have presented to us in all the naturally dry turnip and barley 

 soils of the kingdom an example of suitable and effective dryness 

 which no one can dispute or gainsay. The more nearly then by 

 artificial drainage we make the mechanical condition of the clay 

 soils approach this standard, the more nearly shall we secure that 

 perfect state for cultivation which every scientific drainer ought to 

 understand and aim at obtaining. There may be, and doubtless 



* The Legislature have in the past Session passed an Act, entitled " The Private 

 Money ^ Drainage Act," giving the same facilities, and continuing the Inclosure 

 Commissioners and their staff the medium for its operation, as was given under the 

 general Act, the only difference being that the money is obtained from private sources 

 instead of from the public purse. — York, October, 1849. 



f The West of England Drainage Company's Act of Incorporation enables owners 

 of a limited interest to make the charge absolute on the land, as well as for a limited 

 period of 25 years; and the advantages thus afforded maybe regarded by some as 

 exceeding those given under the General Drainage Act. 



