Drain Level. 
247 
to it. Those who have ever had occasion to purchase a portion of land 
to add to their estates, can best conceive what would probablj- have to be 
given by the proprietor of this, if he wished to purchase 20 acres from 
an adjoining estate to add to this ; probably not less than 2000/. 
But the loss in space is not the only, nor even the greatest loss sus- 
tained in this case. There are 6 acres of meadow lying conveniently 
for drainage and irrigation, over which a person could not walk dry- 
shod in summer, saturated as they are with red and green stagnant 
water, and covered with cart-loads of rushes and other weeds. There 
are 50 acres more, which by being drained might be made to produce 
at least double what they do at present ; and over a great part of the 
rest of the estate, by a moderate outlay, there would be an immense in- 
crease in the returns. The estate lies upon the red sandstone, and is in 
general of fair, some of it of superior quality; it has a good aspect, and 
lies well for being drained. 
VI. — Drain Level. 
The idea of a " Drain LeveV having suggested itself to me, which for 
efficacy and simplicity is worthy the attention of drainers generally, I 
have taken the liberty of enclosing a rough sketch, with a description of 
the implement, which consists of an upright leg, a cross piece con- 
nected to the upright at its centre, a screw-joint, a vernier-scale fixed 
to the cross piece and running in a slide on the upright, a sight 
attached to each extremity of and under the cross piece, and a plumb- 
line. 
Tlie instrument would be stuck in the ground, and a stick of the 
same height placed where the drain is required, the two sights would 
be brought to bear on the top of the stick, and the instrument locked in 
that position by the screw-joint, the scale would mark the inches of 
fall per yard. 
