326 Tlie Improvement of Grass Lands. 
of adjoining; proprietors ; and if it is not deemed desirable to 
engage these Companies to provide the funds and construct the 
drainage-works, they will obtain an outfall upon very reasonable 
terms. The mills upon the different streams throughout the 
country have long presented an obstruction to the improvement 
of valuable low-lying meadows. The occupiers of many of these 
mills have from time to time gradually dammed up the water to 
a higher and yet higher level, and though the increased depth of 
water was imperceptible at the time it was made, yet hundreds 
of acres of most valuable land have thereby been seriously injured. 
Great facilities are now, however, given for the removal of ob- 
jectionable mills, under the Land Drainage Act of 1861, and 
these facilities have been availed of in many cases, and in some 
with which I am acquainted with immense advantage, as not only 
can the mill-dam be removed, but also all impediments io the 
free flow of water, the cost being extended over the whole area. 
I believe that one or two deficiencies in the Act are the reasons 
why it has not been more largely adopted. For example, the 
Commissioners are empowered to purchase by arbitration only 
the water, and not the mill, so that the owner gets nearly as much 
for the water as water and mill together are worth. The miller 
naturally asks, of what use is the mill without the water ; but if the 
Commissioners were empowered to purchase the mill as well as 
the water-power, the cost would be very little more, and the mill 
might be re-sold to be worked by steam-power. Again, power 
should be given to the Commissioners to rate mills upon the same 
stream higher up than the limit of their districts, because these 
mills derive great advantage from the increased discharge of the 
tail-water at flood-times, and at present pay nothing for the ad- 
vantage. Further, the Act should clearly provide that the rates 
should be levied according to the benefit each proprietor derives 
from the works. Still, as I have before stated, immense benefit 
has been derived from the carrying out of the Act, and I would 
strongly recommend owners of wet lands by rivers and streams 
to avail themselves of its provisions. It has been adopted in the 
following places : — 
District. County. 
Leadon Gloucestershire. 
Wormbrook HereCordsliirc. 
Moiedon Cans Duihani. 
AVisscy Norfolk. 
Llangorsc Brecon. 
Longdon and Eldcr.sfield .. .. Worcestershire. 
Maxy Northamptonshire. 
Martham Norfolk. 
River Idle Nottingham. 
Dysynny Valley Merionethshire. 
