On Trunk Drainage, 



371 



improvement by unclerdrainage, and frequently the whole produce 

 of the year is swept away or spoiled by a summer's flood. 



That sufficient outfall may be obtained in the Thames, the 

 weirs, locks, and other impediments testify. With the Avon I 

 need only remark on the great elevation of the country it runs 

 through above Bath as compared Avith that city, as it needs only 

 ordinary observation of that fact to convince that there is ample 

 fall for the water. 



In support of my observations on smaller streams, I will give a 

 few instances of the comparatively trifling cost of amending the 

 course of small streams selected from some of the works I have 

 had executed under the powers of the Enclosure Act of the 8th and 

 9th Victoria. 



At Milton-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire, a watercourse of 

 about a mile in length, made at a cost of about 50/., passing 

 through land which was always more or less wet, and occasionally 

 flooded for an avera2,-e width of 4 chains, to2:ether with some 

 cottages and gardens lying near its course, has carried off all the 

 water in the most rainy seasons, and altogether improved the land 

 mentioned ; the increased annual value of which, and the cottages, 

 in consequence of the new watercourse, is not less than 500/. 



In the same place, another watercourse of about half a mile 

 long, and from 4 to 5 feet deep, was made at a cost of 25/. through 

 land that for the most part was boggy for an average width of 



3 chains; one field at the lower end being so much so, that it 

 was difficult to pick one's way about it without sinking ankle 

 deep ; all of which became perfectly drained after cutting through 

 it, some of the wettest being now ploughed to the edge of the 

 new watercourse. It also provided an outfall for draining about 



4 acres of boggy land near, then scarcely of any value, and an 

 outlet for the drainage of the adjoining lands. I estimate the in- 

 creased value of the land cut throuo;h and the bog; at 380/. 



In stating the value of the improvement made by these water- 

 courses, I have only taken into account the property immediately 

 and wholly affected by them ; in addition, they afforded good out- 

 let for the drainage of other land, and partially drained some of 

 it. The advantages thus derived from the watercourses would 

 alone be of more value than the cost. 



In an adjoining enclosure a brook newly cut, 20 feet wide 

 and 7 feet deep, the length of 54 chains, and improved for 

 12 chains, and a smaller brook cut straight, 5 feet deep, for 

 about 30 chains, at a cost together of 158/., improved the 

 meadows in the hamlet not less than 500/., and the meadows on 

 the other side of the larger brook, and higher up the stream, to 

 the same amount at the least : the owner of part of them paid 

 42/. 10s. of the expense. In this case the damage to the crops 



