170 
Farming  of  Gloucestershire. 
of  gentlemen’s  sons  who  desire  to  follow  .agriculture  either  for  a 
pursuit  or  as  an  amusement;  and  for  the  sons  of  farmers,  who 
are  intended  to  follow  farming  as  a business  by  which  to  obtain  a 
livelihood.  The  College  building  is  situated  on  a farm  of  410 
acres,  including  woods  and  plantations,  and  occupies  the  site  of 
the  farm-yard  formerly  called  “Starveall  Farm,”  which  was 
afterwards  known  by  the  name  of  “ Port  Farm,”  and  now  the 
“College  Farm.” 
Since  the  time  of  Rudge  an  enormous  quantity  of  draining  has 
been  effected.  It  has  become  so  general,  that  there  is  not  a 
parish,  scarcely  a farm  in  the  county,  but  has  had  some  drain- 
ing done  on  it  since  1813,  a great  deal  since  1830.  Stones, 
tiles  with  soles  and  pipes,  are  now  the  principal  materials ; and 
within  these  last  five  or  six  years  pipes  have  come  greatly  into  use. 
Many  tile-yards  have  been  established  in  the  county,  at  which 
pipes  are  manufactured. 
Since  October  last  I have  purchased  not  less  than  180.000, 
with  which  I have  drained  108  acres,  and  have  under  hand  80 
more  : some  parts  at  4 feet  deep.  The  cost,  including  pipes,  &c. 
is  a little  under  4/.  per  acre.  Some  of  the  land  is  greatly  im- 
proved by  it ; and  one  tenant,  before  our  commencing  it,  agreed 
to  pay  an  advanced  rent  of  10s.  per  acre,  on  the  condition  that  we 
drained  the  land.  Since  1813  many  tile  and  pipe  factories  have 
been  erected  for  the  manufacture  of  tiles  and  pipes  for  draining  ; 
and  within  the  last  seven  years  the  cost  has  been  very  much  re- 
duced, in  consequence  of  the  general  introduction  of  machines 
for  making  pipes.  Pipes  are  made  of  several  sizes,  and  sell  at 
various  prices  : a list  of  such  as  we  have  used  is  as  follows  : — 
£.  s. 
d. 
1 inch  diameter  . 
. 0 13 
0 
per  thousand. 
1*  • 
. 0 16 
0 
»» 
>.  ■ 
. 1 0 
0 
91 
*-4  J>  • • 
. 1 4 
0 
3 „ . . 
. 1 10 
0 
»» 
A discount  from  these  prices  is 
allowed  for 
ready  money.  Pro- 
bably  they  may  be  had  in  some 
parts  o 
f the  country  somewhat 
under  these  prices. 
18  inches  used  to  be  the  minimum,  and  30  inches  the  maxi- 
mum depth.  From  30  inches  to  3 feet  is  now  the  usual  depth, 
but  occasionally  4 feet.  About  one- fourth  of  the  land  in  the 
vale  has  been  drained,  part  of  which  is  not  effectually  done. 
There  is  an  open  drainage  of  part  of  the  parish  of  Kempsford 
mentioned  by  Rudge  which  is  still  worthy  of  notice,  as  we  may 
there  see  what  can  be  done  by  having  a command  of  distance  in 
a flat  district.  This  parish  lies  mostly  between  the  rivers  Thames 
and  Coin.  For  a distance  of  between  4 and  5 miles,  at  the  time 
