Derby Prize-Farm Competition, 1881. 
475 
advocated and to prove the results. Different depths and dis- 
tances apart have been tried, and also the material used has 
been differently employed. Many were of opinion that it was 
not the surface-water that damaged the land, but the deeper 
water, and those were in favour of deeper draining, so as to 
reach the lower strata ; and then it was not needed to have the 
drains so near together as in the case of shallow draining. 
Four and 5 feet deep and 12 yards apart was considered by 
them to be the best system. Others thought that this mode 
could not possibly answer on some land, as they had proved by 
experience that drains, no matter how deep, would not dry the 
land effectually at so great a distance. Practical engineers 
stated that in making deep cuttings in railways they found that 
the land was only benefited to a very limited distance by 
them. It was thought also by many that it was of the first 
importance to cut the drains as much as possible so as to cross 
the meadows, and thereby receive the greater amount of water, 
irrespective of the inclination of the land. These various 
opinions caused some warmth of feeling to exist between 
landlord and tenant in respect to draining. The practical 
tenant generally was in favour of not having the drains more 
than 6 yards apart, whilst the landlord was impressed with the 
advantages of the theoretical principle laid down by the Govern- 
ment plan, and insisted upon deeper draining and greater distance 
apart. It is the custom in many instances lor the landlord to 
find drain-pipes and the tenant to find labour, and in this case 
the greater distance the drains are apart the less tlie expense 
to the landlord. In some fields there are two kinds of draining 
done at this time, some 30 inches to 1 yard deep, and 6 yards 
between the drains, and the other 4 leet deep and 8 yards apart. 
Also there are in other fields draining done 30 inches deep 
and 6 yards apart on one half of the field, the drains extending 
in the same direction as the furrows, whilst the other half of 
the field is drained 5 feet deep and 12 yards distant across 
the furrows and the measures. This draining was done twenty 
to thirty years since, and in each of the fields named the deeper 
draining has proved a failure. The deeper draining is at this 
time quite worthless, and never acted effectually, whilst that 
30 inches deep and 6 yards between was satisfactory. Where 
the land was drained twenty to thirty years since 5 and 6 feet 
deep and 12 yards apart, the drains extending across the 
measures, it is now covered with rushes ; the other half of the 
same field drained 6 yards apart being in much a better state. 
In the most effectually drained half of the field, the drains extend 
in the same direction as the furrows, and thereby obtain the 
better fall. In most of the instances named two-inch pipes were 
