580 Abdract Report of Agricultural Discussions. 
vented wetness showing itself at tlie surface ; but it is doubtful, as the 
land is generally mown, whether the herbage would have been so 
profitable as that produced from less frequent drains, while the river 
would have suffered from flood on every occasion of heavy rainfall. 
This mode of drainage was not, however, carried out ; but the system 
exhibited on plan B was adopted. In lieu of 1 32 rods of drains only 
34 rods were put in, and instead of being of uniform dei)th, they 
varied in depth from 5 to 8 feet, and were more expensive in cha- 
racter per rod. The result of this drainage has most decidedly been 
a considerable saving in cost, the creation of a constant supply of 
water to the river in summer, the lessening of sudden floods in winter 
and spring, and the maintenance of a greater amount of moisture in 
the groimd itself, without stagnation within it. The second case is 
very similar in the circumstances attending it as exhibited in Plan C. 
Both were drained by test-holes ; and in order to explain the modus 
operandi, one of the monthly returns of the foremen conducting the 
works accompanies each plan, from which it will be observed how 
closely the water in the test-holes rises and falls in accordance with 
the rainfall. So fully satui*ated was the soil, that while the test-holes 
were open, before the di-ainage began, the cattle in the fields used to 
drink fi"om them. 
I The same mode of drainage has been adopted on the Eibstone Estate 
in Yorkshire, where a gentleman here present has watched with great 
care the progress of the work, and can speak to its effect. I refer to 
Mr. Dent Dent, M.P., who will, I have no doubt, corroborate the 
statement that a very different mode of operating had been designed 
fi'om that adopted of a wide and occasional system of drainage, based 
upon good outfalls, and carried out as deep as those outfalls would 
admit. At the present moment this drainage is being carried out by 
test holes, which regulate the number of drains to be put in. A 
monthly return of the rainfall and heights of water in the test-holes 
(of the same month, February, as in the previous cases, but in the 
present year, instead of 1862) is shown on the walls. It is not ex- 
aggerating the case to say that less than one-third the nimiber of 
di-ains are now adopted than would formerly have been used, and with 
better effect, and necessarily at less cost. Were this illustration only 
made to advance a particular engineer's practice, it would be imwprthy 
of your consideration ; but when it is shown that the adoption of the 
test-hole system not only secures an effective and economical drainage 
of the saturated free soils, of which Ribston is the type, but necessa- 
rily leads to less suddenness of floods, and sometimes to a constant 
flow of water when it is wanted, I think you will consider that it is 
the duty of any one interested in this subject to place it prominently 
before the country. Previously to the adoption of this system at 
Eibston, the parallel system was in vogue ; and on an adjoining estate 
with similar soil, it is now in operation with a far different effect upon, 
the question of our water economy. 
It will be asked, "To what practical end do these observations 
lead ? " The reply is soon given. It is admitted (as proved by expe- 
rience) that the drainage of wet lands is the basis of good cultivation, 
