322 The Improvement of Grass Lands. 
must, if tliey are too wet, be drainage ; subsequently, its renova- 
tion and manuring. Many of the recommendations given as to 
the first section apply equally to this. The drains should be 
constructed in a permanent manner, the principal object to be kept 
in view being the removal of all stagnant water, which, remaining 
in the ground, evaporates at the surface, producing cold. I would 
also mention that I do not think it necessary to put the drains on 
meadow land so thick as upon arable land, for in the latter case 
it is necessary, not only to remove stagnant water, but also to get 
it dry as soon as possible to be able to work it. 
A plan should be made of every drain, so that it may be 
readily found in the event of its getting out of repair. Loss 
often arises from the neglect of this precaution. The mouths of 
all outfalls should be built in brick or stone, and have either 
Amies and Barford's iron outlet-pipe (which I can strongly 
recommend), or the mouth of the pipe should be grated in some 
efficient manner, so as to prevent rabbits and other animals from 
getting into and stopping the drains. 
I can add but little to the remarks already made as to the best 
system of drainage for this kind of land. In some instances the 
drains may be 24, in others 30 and 35, and in others 40 or 50 feet 
apart. This can ()nly be determined by the nature of the soil 
(the resistance it off<ns to the passage of water), and must be deter- 
mined by the practical knowledge of the person interested, who 
would in all cases do well to consult one who is experienced in 
carrying out drainage- works, and who would not be influenced in 
any way to recommend unnecessary expenditure. But no drain 
should be put in upon this class of meadow land at a depth of 
less than 4 feet. Of the necessity of this I am perfectly satisfied, 
and 1 am a convert to the practice, having at first strongly con- 
demned the system of deep drainage. If the subsoil is ever so 
stiff, the water will find its way to the drains, though in some 
cases it will be a few years before the drains act thoroughly on 
very retentive subsoils. Every dry summer, however, will help 
to bring them nearer to thorough efficiency, while I do not re- 
member to have met with a single instance of shallow draining 
on this class of meadow laud in which the persons interested were 
not dissatisfied, and wished that the work had been better done. 
On this class of land, as with the preceding, it is absolutely 
necessary, after providing for the removal of stagnant water, and 
also in case the land does not .rec|ulre draining, to renovate with 
fresh grass-seeds ; and I respectfully request attention to the 
remarks on this subject farther on in this paper, as it is an im- 
portant Item in the improvement of grass land. It may be 
advisable, in the case of very wet land, to wait a year or two for 
the water-grasses to die out and the drains to get into working 
