378 
Report on Drain- Tiles and Drainage. 
The price of the pipes cited is that of No. 5 in the table, as 
Mr. Kepping would have used them of that size instead of No. 4, 
could he have procured them. 
Mr. Golding, of Peckham, has also done much draining in a 
similar manner, as well as many other agriculturists in the Weald 
of Kent. 
Mr. John Taylor, of Brewer's Hall, Mereworth, Kent, makes 
and authorizes the following statement : — 
" I first commenced using the round tiles on a farm called Tatling- 
bury, in the parishes of Capel and Tudely, in 1840. They were 12 
inches long, 1^ inch bore, cost 48s., and weighed about 25 cwt. per 
thousand. These were the original kind of pipes. In every instance 
they gave me perfect satisfaction. There is now another sort of pipe- 
tiles made by machine, having no opening in their length, only at the 
joints, and much thinner, which are used to greater advantage. They 
are to be bought at 22^. per thousand, and are nearly two-thirds lighter, 
which, with the carriage, makes the cost of drainage less by quite 
40?. per acre, at 80 rods of drain per acre : I have used them in 
drains over 40 rods long, and never saw one pipe more than two-thirds 
full of water. Within half an hour after heavy rain commences these 
drains run fast, and in a few hours after its cessation they run but slowly, 
consequently a large and expensive tile is useless where a much smaller 
and cheaper one will do the same work. I have my drains dug from 
3 feet 6 inches to 4 feet deep ; the bottom of the drain is left for the 
pipe to quite fill it, so that it is impossible for the pipe to move after it 
is put into the drain. Clay is then well rammed over the pipes to 2 feet 
in depth, which I prefer to anything else when it can be got to cover the 
tile. Digging costs me in my clay land from 6(/. to yd. per rod, at 3 
feet 6 inches to 4 feet deep, as in some of it there is a subsoil of black 
gravel which requires the pick-mattock ; and under the gravel are land- 
springs. I have also used these pipes on boggy soils which would pro- 
duce neither grass nor corn ; they now give good crops of both. These 
drains run throughout the whole summer. I have thoroughly drained 40 
acres, and have many other fields partly drained. I should be glad to 
drain the whole farm, which contains about 300 acres, provided my land- 
lady would find tiles; or I would gladly pay 5 per cent, upon the outlay ; 
but, I am sorry to say, she discontinues to support that first step of im- 
provement, land-draining." 
The principle that less frequent but very deep drains are equally 
effective with more numerous and shallower ones, is recognised 
by these intelligent and practical farmers; but in respect of 
number, as well as depth of drains, it is evident that no precise 
rule can be laid down, as so much depends upon the procuring 
an outfall, upon the character of the soil, &c. It must also be con- 
sidered as a discovery of no slight national importance that experi- 
ence has proved a very much smaller area of drain to suffice for 
passing the water filtrating through an acre of land than has 
hitherto been imagined ; for it is mainly owing to the substantia- 
