On Trunk Drainage. 



367 



From Mr. Garnett to Mr. Pusey. 



Dear Sir, — I have used nitrate of soda as a top dressing for the last ten 

 years, but in all cases, when used in the spring, unless used along with the 

 soluble silicate of soda, I found that it produced a morbid action in the juices 

 of the straw, which was always followed by mildew, and the same result was 

 produced by guano ; but applied with salt in October the result is very different 

 — the over-luxuriance is dissipated long before the wheat is ready to shoot, and 

 the result highly beneficial. 



My present system of growing wheat year after year on the same land is to 

 plough in night-soil and coal-ashes ; and when the wheat is well up, sow 

 nitrate and salt, 2 cwts. of each per acre. By this plan I had a crop of 40 

 bushels to the acre in 1850; 50 in 1851, and in 1852 a little more than 60 

 bushels per acre. I had another field of wheat in 1852, which had been 

 potatoes in 1851. Here the wheat was sowed without manure, but received 

 the salt and nitrate, 2 cwts. each per acre, and in this instance my crop was 

 63 bushels per acre. My remarks as to spring-dressing are ordy meant to 

 apply to Lancashire. For instance, in the dry south-eastern counties it seems 

 a common practice to apply farmyard manure directly to the wheat crop, but I 

 never so applied dung to my own land without injury both to the straw 

 and grain. 



I am, Sir, yours faithfully, 



Thomas Garxett. 



Clitheroe, Jan. 12, 1853. 



XVII. — On the Improvement to he made in Landhy amending the 

 Channels of Rivers and other Watercourses. Bj W. Bryan 

 Wood, Land^Survejor, Barnbridge, Chippenham. 



To Mr. Pusey. 



Dear Sir, — The drainage of wet lands being justly regarded as 

 the most effectual and permanent improvement that can be made 

 in them, and their underdrainage having of late years been so 

 extensively carried out by the aid of Government and by private 

 enterprise, it appears not untimely now to call attention to the 

 great extent of wet land adjacent to rivers and brooks, which can- 

 not be drained for want of sufficient outfall, to the great injury 

 done to such land by the overflowing of their waters, and to the 

 frequent heavy losses the occupiers of them sustain from floods, 

 by sweeping off and damaging their crops, of which this year has 

 furnished too many proofs ; and to remedy which there exists in 

 most instances no difficulty in the fall of the land through which 

 the water passes. 



Every year makes it more necessary that the natural water- 

 courses of this country should be amended, as it is likely that the 

 injury resulting from their present state will increase ; indeed it 

 is already remarked that it has increased — the under-drainage 



