On Thorough- Draining. 
25 
Seed-time and harvest are undoubtedly forwarded by drainage, 
but to what extent it is diihcult to say, there being no means of 
comparison, as almost all the heavy lands hereabouts are drained 
more or less recently. Pasture is as much benefited as arable 
land. The grass is improved both in quantity and quality, and 
comes earlier in the spring. 
We can carry more stock, owing to drainage, being thereby 
enabled to grow root-crops, particularly mangold-wurzel, and to 
feed off vetches in place of a portion of the clean fallow. 
Old farmers describe a variety of practices (at present un- 
known) which existed before under-draining became general : 
such as laying the land for barley in 3-feet ridges, much as we do 
now for mangold-wurzel, and sowing broadcast ; and drawing a 
log of wood along the furrow to let off the surface-water. They 
speak of the produce as increased from IG or 18 bushels per acre 
of wheat to '2,4 and '28 ; vvhile the increase in the barley-crop is 
quite as great. 
The following extract from Dixon's ' Practical Agriculture,' 
vol. i. p. 373, new edition, published in 1807, may possibly be the 
means of further illustrating the advantages of under-draining; 
and it might be well to ascertam the present state of the farm in 
question, as well as the materials with which Mr. Salter filled up 
his drains : — 
" At Michaelmas, 1795, Mr. Salter of Winburgh, East Devon, entered 
upon the occupation of more than 800 acres of heavy land, which had 
been so entirely neglected by his predecessor as to be almost altogether 
what it ought not to have been. 
" Mr. Salter immediately saw that unless he could get rid of the 
surface-water all his labour must be fruitless, and his money expended 
in vain ; he therefore began his operations by cutting 342 rods (7 yards 
to the rod) of river through the centre of the farm, 7 feet wide and 6 
feet deep perpendicularly : in order to obtain an outlet for the water to 
flow from his other works, he cut 2937 rods of new and old ditches, 6 feet 
wide and 5 feet deep perpendicularly; 1116 rods of open drains, of 
various widths and depths from 4 to 5 feet wide and from 3j to 4^ feet 
deep perpendicularly ; and he cut a7id filled up 487 1 rods of under-drain- 
ing, of which the leading'-drains were 36 inches and the feeding- drains 
to the same 30 inches deep perpendicularly. The whole of this work was 
executed and completed in one year. Mr. Salter has continued to do a 
great deal every year since 1795 ; between Michaelmas, 1800, and 
Michaelmas, 1801, he executed 4423 rods of under-draining, of widths 
and depths as before expressed ; and he is now going on with the spirit 
and judgment of an experienced and an understanding agriculturist. 
" The effect has been, that on the land which was so much impover- 
ished by stagnant water, and so much inundated by land-springs, as not 
to reproduce the seed used upon it, his crops have been abundant : and 
while Mr. Salter reaps the benefit of his judicious exertions, he may very 
fairly be regarded as a public benefactor. He may almost be cou- 
