Farming of Cumberland, 



285 



These early drains were usually about 2 feet deep, placed with 

 " sets and chocks " — that is, stones set up against the sides of 

 the drain, and wedged with a larger block, and then filled with 

 smaller stones, till they could occasionally be touched with the 

 plough — some having an idea that a shake with the plough now 

 and then tended to keep the stones loose and the drains open. 



Where brushwood was handy and stones scarce, the thicker 

 branches were cut into lengths, and set sloping against one side 



of the drain, thus : — mml , or crossed 



and the upper space filled with the smaller branches, over which 

 a thick sod was laid and trampled down, and then the remaining 

 space filled with soil. Some drains were filled with brushwood 

 at random, without any special opening at the bottom. 



The wedge sod-drain was in partial use in the stifFer mossy 

 soils, and all were very imperfectly planned and executed, when 

 compared with the drains of the present day. 



The great aim of the old drainers was to cut off and intercept 

 the water flowing down the slope, by drains conducted diagonally 

 or directly across the fall. This was carried to such an extreme, 

 that some who thought they understood draining better than 

 others, would only allow as a rule an inch of fall to the rood of 

 seven yards, whatever the declivity of the surface might be. 

 This was the most usual method ; but there were still some few 

 who were laughed at for their ignorance or obstinacy in persisting 

 to give their drains the greatest attainable fall, as is now com- 

 monly practised. 



Early in the present century the late Mr. Curwen, of Working- 

 ton Hall, gave a powerful impulse to draining by offering pre- 

 miums and prize cups for the greatest number of roods of stone 

 drains executed on any farm. Among others who received drain- 

 ing prizes was the late Mr. Dawson, of Shatton, near Cocker- 

 mouth, whose prize cup is dated 1811. A trustworthy neighbour 

 of his, who is still living (1852), was called in to measure and 

 certify to the C[uantity of drains, and he informs the writer that 

 these drains were mostly 2 feet, and from that to 5 feet deep, 

 walled, covered, and filled to about a foot from the surface, with 

 stones. One of the fields * drained was 10 acres and 28 perches, 

 and the drainage of the 1000 roods of drains cut in it cost oOOZ. 



* The writer examined the land in the autumn of 1851, and found it in want of 

 re-draining, though the stone drains were discharging a great quantity of water, 

 and appeared to have been well executed. The land is now certainly not worth 

 the cost of its drainage in 1811. 



