476 
Report of the Judges on the 
used, a single stone being placed over the joints of the pipes, 
the clay put in first, and the soil in its original position. J3ut 
there is a considerable area of land which was drained 6 yards 
apart and 30 inches deep twenty years ago, and that now re- 
quires redraining. It would seem a question quite as important 
to consider what material is best to use in draining, and the 
manner in which it should be employed, as to discuss the best 
course to be adopted in regard to depth and distance apart. The 
draining adopted by the Government system, of 5 and 6 feet 
deep, to 10 and 12 yards apart, with pipes alone, the clay pounded 
upon the pipes, is proved by experience to be in many instances, 
if not all, a failure. No better proof is needed of the uselessncss 
of putting the drains too far apart, no matter what depth, than 
the state of wet land by the deep cuttings of railways. Where 
cuttings of 10 yards, or more, extend through wet land, it is 
not dried more than 3 or 4 yards from the edge of the embank- 
ment. Drains, therefore, are best not more than 6 yards apart, 
no matter what depth they are made. The next question to be 
considered is, what material is best to be used in draining? 
Pipes alone, pipes and stone, stone alone, and in some rare 
instances turf, has been used severally as material for draining. 
Even brushwood has been used alone, and has acted quite well 
for a time. Draining with pipes alone at various depths and 
distances has proved ineffectual from various causes. Never at 
any time did draining with pipes alone equal that done with 
pipes and stone combined. Frequently have drains been stopped 
up in a few years when only pipes have been used, and never do 
they last the same as when a portion of stone has been put upon 
the pipes. Pipes have been stopped up in a few years after 
being laid, from the following causes : from a fibrous-looking 
substance resembling heckled flax, which proved to be a water- 
grass root, or alga, fed on water and showing no top, also from 
the roots of mangold wurtzel ; further, it has been known that 
where manure-heaps have been made over drains, the pipes 
have become choked up by a fungus produced from the 
manure heap. No such cases have been known to occur where 
a layer of stone has been put over the pipe. If the pipe became 
stopped up from any cause, when there are a few inches of stone 
over the pipe the water can escape over the pipe. It would 
appear that stone without pipe is preferable to pipe without 
stone. For much draining was done with stone alone forty 
to fifty years ago on grass-land that to all appearance is as 
perfect and acts as well now as when done. This is not the 
case where pipes alone have been used, but it often happens that 
land so drained in ten to twenty years requires redraining, and 
before that time in very wet seasons such draining seems to 
