Uii der-Dra {na(/e. 
575 
ootmtry where Iiigli-backed lands arc unknown, when he acTopted a 
uniform system of parallel undcr-drains, and called it " thorough 
drainage." To Smith must be accredited the origination of systematic 
drainage, but the principles upon w hich he advocated its adoption have 
been proved to be erroneous in many particulars. His object, to use 
his o\ra words, was to drain " the whole of the fields without par- 
ticular reference to wet and diy portions, in order to provide frequent 
opportunities for the water rising up from below, as well as that 
falling on the surface, to pass freely and completely off." In fact, 
Smith drained both clays and free soils alike, and was the first to lead 
the country WTong in this particular. He would vary the interval 
between the drains in accordance with the porosity of the soil ; but 
the same depth and the same parallel arrangement would pervade 
every description of soil. 
The next step was that of Parkes, who adhered to the parallel 
system of drainage advocated by Smith, but, on philosophical groimds, 
recommended increased depth. There can be no doubt that, by his 
able scientific papers, by which he traced the action of water, and 
explained the influence of the atmosphere on the subsoil, Mr. Parkes 
ciiected a great national benefit, and an apposite correction of the 
system recommended by Smith ; but the parallel arrangement of 
drains, which, it will be seen, has been, and continues to be the cause 
of loss and derangement in many instances, was still advocated as 
suitable to all lands suffering from wetness. However irregular, and 
vhatever the inclination of the surface of fields, and however free and 
mixed the subsoils, a parallel arrangement of drains was the principle 
advocated. 
It was at this junctiuro, when Parkes s improvement upon Smith's 
system had taken hold of the agricultural mind, that the Public 
Moneys' Drainage Act passed. The Inclosure Commissioners, who 
were the authorised medium for dispensing the public money, issued 
the best, in fact the only rules, that a limited experience suggested as 
consonant with the accepted views of " Parkes upon Smith." Tabu- 
lated forms.became the order of the day, and the parallel arrangement of 
drains, seldom varying from 4 feet deep, the type of systematic under- 
drainage in all descriptions of soil. " The Public Moneys' Drainage 
Act " passed in the year 18-45 ; since which time five different com- 
panies have obtained special Acts of Parliament to supply funds to 
landowners as the public money became exhausted ; and we now find 
LindowTiers still draining their wet lands under the rules laid down 
seventeen years back, with all the advantage of increased experience 
where they are rightly applied, as in homogeneous soils and even 
surfaces, but with equal disadvantage where the soils are of a free and 
mixed character, and the surfaces irregular, corrugated, or broken. 
In the mean time the result has been to affect our river system pre- 
judicially ; and this evil, which is to a very considerable extent 
unavoidable, has been unfortunately greatly increased by the mis- 
application of the parallel and frequent-drain system to the free soils. 
To this point I propose now to address myself, premising that, as 
under-drainage extends to the immense area yet undrained, the 
VOL. XXIV. 2 P 
