Process of Warping. 
401 
dimensions were 30 feet wide at the bottom, 90 feet wide at the 
surface of the land, and 1 1 \ deep ; the banks were placed 9 feet 
from the edge of the main drain, the base of each bank was 60 
feet wide, and thev were 10 feet high ; this main drain extended 
originally for near 3 miles, and cost, with the purchase of land 
and erection of sluice, about 18,000/. 
This main drain and its extension is now, and has been, used 
as a canal for vessels of about 75 or 80 tons burthen, and has been 
found very convenient for the purpose of conveying one of the 
chief productions of the warp-land, namely, potatoes, to the Lon- 
don market (where they command a high price under the name 
of Yorkshire Reds), bringing in return manure, an immense 
quantity of which is used in the cultivation of potatoes, and is 
chiefly brought from Hull and London. 
In commencing the warping of any plot of land, it is first en- 
closed with banks, the size of which varies according to the quantity 
of land to be warped, and also to the level of the land about to be 
embanked ; the general batten or slope of the banks is irom 15 
to 18 inches on each side for every 12 inches' perpendicular rise ; 
they are left from 2 to 3 feet wide at the top. Particular care 
must be taken in erecting the banks to procure the proper levels, 
' which should be taken by an experienced person, and laid out by 
the spirit-level. 
The main drain being cut up to the newly-embanked compart- 
ment, the tide is suffered to flow in. At first it is very advisable 
only to take rather small tides in, beginning to admit the water 
before they are at their height, and allowing them to increase by 
small degrees, for the banks being generally made of very porous 
materials — that is, peat-moss and bad sand — they are subject to 
leak very much, and in some instances considerable damage has 
been done by a breakage of the bank. Soon after the com- 
mencement of the works in question, a breakage of the main bank 
incurred a loss of 1200/. In case of a bank being rather exposed 
to the action of the wmd, which is one of the greatest enemies that 
a warper can have to contend with, it is generally what is called 
" puddled," i. e. a trench from 2 to 3 feet wide is cut longitudi- 
nally through the centre of the bank into the foundation, the ma- 
terial is chopped up and mixed with water, which being pressed 
down and beat by repeated treading, becomes a solid mass. 
The water is allowed to flow over the land during the spring- 
tides. The reason why the spring-tides are only generally made 
use of is, that the neap-tides are much smaller in body of water, 
and although they might in certain instances be of sufficient height 
to flow the land, yet as one of the greatest difficulties in warping 
is to keep the main drains in order by preventing the warp from 
being deposited in them, and as that is chiefly done by the return 
