328 
On the Drainage of Land. 
above described, taking care to have the bottom of the drain to fit 
the blocks tolerably close ; the way to use the tool is to cut down 
with the wing on the left-hand side the depth required, then with- 
draw the tool without moving the soil, turn the tool half-way 
round, and the wing will cut down the right-hand side, and the 
back or chisel part will cut a piece off 6 inches forward, which 
must be brought out with the tool ; then on again, the man work- 
ing backwards, thus, I / or thus, \ / Some prefer the latter. 
thinking the shoulders will catch the dust falling in if the land 
should crack, as it will, if it is a very dry summer the first year 
after it is done ; but I never found any injury from this cause. 
After a certain portion is taken out, put the blocks in, wetting 
them well at the beginning ; take the prong and put in first upon 
the blocks those pieces of clay which came out from the lowest 
part, treading them down ; then take the rammer and ram it well 
down on the blocks, the firmer the better ; then put on the other 
soil and serve it the same ; put the turf on, and there is your land 
as whole as before. Then take hold of the lever and fix it firmly 
in the bottom of the drain and draw the blocks forward, leaving 
one joint in the piece that was done before, to support it while you 
make a good joint of the clay. If you have clay-mains it will 
require two sets of blocks, putting the end of one set against 
the side of the other ; and in clay-draining it will be necessary 
to start the branch drains at right angles, as at an acute angle, 
the thin part A would be likely to swill off 
No water would ever penetrate such drains as these, on such 
land as mine," exclaim some hundreds of persons, who think it 
necessary to fill drains with something porous very nearly to the 
surface. It is out of your power to keep it out, say I. What, 
after being rammed in as you describe? Yes; there is sufficient 
space below the arch of the drain, an area of 14 inches at the sides 
and bottom, in its natural state through which the water will per- 
colate and enter. This kind of draining must be done while the 
land is in a wet state, as the block will not slip or the clay be in a 
fit state to ram if dry ; therefore it is carried on when employ- 
ment is somewhat scarce, namely, in the winter months. Although 
