V 
IRRIGATION. 
Sterility, seem to reproach the owner with 
neglect ! 
In treating this subject, we must suppose 
the speculator to be a free agent, not 
shackled by, such an unhappy neighbour- 
hood ; and content ourselves with caution- 
ing him not to injure the property of otliers, 
such as mills, bleaching grounds below the 
lands, &c. &c., by drawing off that water 
on which their very existence depends : a 
want of attention to this particular, has ru- 
ined many a deserving and enterprising in- 
dividual, and converted a blessing into a se- 
rious mischief I - ' 
Wliere the stream is rapid, the bed has 
usually a very marked declivity, such as ad- 
mits of throwing the water over the lands, 
and of withdrawing them when they have 
flowed, in every part, to a sufficient lieight. 
The first step towards this, is to hold it up 
by means of a dam or weir, laid across the 
stream, (if its breadth admit, and that it be 
not navigable), so that, in the first place, 
the level may be raised as circumstances 
may admit. In this, it will be necessary 
to guard against injury to the property of 
other *persons, above the danr ; for the rais- 
ing a head of water, by means of a dam, 
might subject lands, which before were per- 
fectly dry, to be inundated; and, even 
though such should actually prove benefi- 
cial thereto, the owners might recover in a 
court of law, under various pleas of da- 
mage. 
The water should, if practicable, be rais- 
ed to one foot, at least, above the level of 
the highest land to be irrigated ; because 
that depth may be then kept as a surplus, 
in case of long-continued drought; being 
let in upon the first drain, by a very small 
penstock, made only to the depth of the 
first level. The water, when abundant, 
may flow both into the upper level, and 
over the weir, so as to make a fall. When 
the water is not wanted over the land, the 
penstock may be shut up altogether. It is 
to be remarked, that authors -of eminence 
in this branch differ in opinion, though some 
suppose water to be more r ichly impreg- 
nated with vegetable sustenance, in pro- 
portion as it is taken nearer to the spring ; 
provided the water be clear. The lands 
over which it is made to flow, will be bene- 
fited in exact proportion as they may be 
near to the first level, which will always r e- 
ceive the most obvious benefit. In foul 
streams, the result is usually found to be in 
an inverse ratio ; the water being richer, in 
propprtion as it is more remote from its 
source ; but the first level will still receive 
the greatest portion of the benefit. Where 
rivers are very muddy, and of any magni- 
tude, it is common to allow their flowing, 
to the depth of many feet, over low lands ; 
so that, when kept stationary for a few 
hours, the fecula and sediment may be de- 
posited ; as is often the case, to the depth 
of many inches during a single tide; and 
give a new stratum of the finest soil. See 
Warping. 
These points must be well understood, 
because they form a very prominent fea- 
ture in the practice of irrigation, and will 
be found highly worciiy the notice of all 
who lay their lands down with that inten- 
tion. But we must observe that many 
^ soils laying contiguous to streams, and well 
situated for irrigation are naturally so rich, 
as not to depend on any deposit from the 
waters for their annual produce : such re- 
quire but moderate watei'ing, and in some 
instances, more to bo sheltered during the 
winter by complete inundation, tlian by 
refreshing flows. Where snch prevail, the 
water ought to be admitted only when 
clear, and then from the very surface ; in 
contra-distinction to poor, or dry soils, 
which want heart as well as moisture. The 
fact is, that by means of an artificial supply 
of water, the grass will shoot out far more 
early, which is an object of the utmost im- 
portance to most farmers and graziers; and 
the crop will be much heavier than on 
lands not so watered. But the hay from 
watered meadows is frequently coarse, and 
not much relished by the more delicate 
classes of cattle. However, store cattle, 
which indeed scarcely ever refuse wliat- 
ever is offered, will consume it with avidity. 
Another objection to hay from watered 
meadows, is that being sometimes gritty 
in consequence of the sediment deposited 
by muddy water, it is in a measure in- 
jurious to the teeth of those animals, by 
which it is eaten. But the great impoi t- 
ance of an early bite, for at least a monffi, 
in general, before other pastures are suffi- 
ciently forward to receive cattle, is of itself 
such a consideration as outweighs every 
objection, and causes watered meadows to 
yield double the rent given before they 
W'ere subjected to irrigation. In many 
places the grass of watered meadows from 
the fifteenth of March to the fifteenth of May, 
lets from twenty to twenty-five shillings per 
acre. The crop is usually two tons, in all 
Seasons: in dry ones it is not subject to 
the ordinary risk of being burnt up ; and, 
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