Draining.  403 
this  very  November  for  drainage  at  different  depths  and  intervals 
upon  strong  land  : 
Cost  of  Cost  of 
Depth 
Labour 
Interval 
Workmanship 
Pipes 
Cost 
in  Feet. 
per  Pole. 
in  Yards. 
per  Acre. 
per 
acre. 
per  Acre. 
d. 
£.  s,  d 
s. 
rf. 
£.  s.  d. 
5 
4* 
ii? 
1 8 4 
17 
3 
2 5 7 
4 
4 
ii? 
15  0 
17 
3 
2 2 3 
3* 
3* 
ii? 
1 2 0 
17 
3 
1 19  3 
3* 
3* 
15 
0 17  0 
15 
0 
1 12  0 
A few  shillings  must  be  added  to  each  sum  for  the  main  drain. 
These  drains  are  in  a clay  subsoil,  and  clay  is  often  the  cheapest 
to  drain,  because  it  is  easiest  to  work  with  the  proper  tools,  but 
then  a gravelly  subsoil  draws  farther.  The  breadth  of  the  ridges 
is  a good  guide  to  the  right  interval  between  the  drains ; for  our 
forefathers  shaped  them  to  the  quality  of  the  soil.  A drain,  then, 
in  each  furrow  will  generally  be  enough  ; nor  where  the  ridges 
are  high  would  I attempt  to  level  them.  The  crown  of  the  ridge 
is  long  in  recovering,  the  draining  is  less  effectual,  and  besides, 
after  all,  the  farmers  are  right  in  saying  that  more  can  be  grown 
on  a sloping  surface  than  on  a level  one,  that  is,  with  an  equal 
depth  of  soil  ; for  the  number  of  plants  depends  on  the  allowance 
of  space  to  their  roots.*  Again,  it  has  been  said  of  late  that 
drains  should  always  go  straight  up  and  down  hill.  This  is  true, 
I believe,  where  the  water  to  be  drawn  off  is  rain-water;  but 
constantly  a line  of  wetness  may  be  found  on  a hill  side,  where 
the  springs  are  thrown  out,  oozing  through  the  field  below. 
Draw  your  drain  deeply  along  this  line,  and  you  will  require  no 
furrow  drains  lower  down.  Again,  I know  of  my  own  knowledge 
that  in  this  southern  part  of  England  grass-land  may  easily  be 
overdrained ; that  consequently,  where  drains  have  been  cut  too 
thickly,  every  other  drain  has  been  blocked  by  the  tenant  pur- 
posely and  properly.  One  field  of  good  land  was,  I know,  so 
much  injured  that  the  grass  became  of  inferior  quality,  as  was 
proved  by  its  requiring  only  three  days  instead  of  four  to  make 
into  hay — the  effect  of  impoverishment  in  the  sap  of  the  grass. 
A most  able  agriculturist,  to  whom  the  fact  was  stated,  could  not 
believe  it ; but  he  lived  in  Cumberland,  in  sight  of  the  mountains, 
which  enjoy  124  inches  of  rain  for  our  24.  So  true  is  it  here,  that 
on  my  own  meadows  I have  adopted  the  plan  of  damming  the 
streams  in  summer.  The  water  in  the  land  consequently  does  not 
escape  from  the  land,  whilst  the  stream  finds  its  way  up  the  drains, 
and  rises  as  in  a sponge;  so  that  this  kind  of  subirrigation  keeps 
the  bottom  cool  and  the  surface  green,  while  other  meadows  are 
scorched  by  the  summer  sun.  I say,  then,  that  if,  avoiding  system 
* If  any  one  doubt  this,  let  him  reckon  how  many  rows  of  swedes,  at  a given  in- 
terval, he  can  drill  along  the  side  of  a hill,  as  compared  with  a flat. 
