334 
DRAINAGE OF SOILS, 
sand and gravel, which contained the water. The former tenant spent 
a great deal of money in attempting to drain it, hut with no effect, as 
the drains were not deep enough to reach the cause of the wetness, 
on which account the field lay nearly waste for several years. His 
lordship being anxious to bring it into cultivation, I was desired to 
get it drained; and, accordingly, I found it necessary to deepen the 
outlet, and to have it covered, on account of its great depth: the 
conduit was made twelve inches wide and two feet high, which not 
only gave the necessary fall for the drains in this field, but also for 
others connected with it. It was also necessary to make three new 
drains in this field, instead of the numerous small drains which were 
made by the former tenant, one four feet, one five feet, and the other 
seven feet deep, which completely answered the purpose, and made it 
nearly as valuable as any other part of the farm. I could point out 
many other such instances, but I consider that those already stated 
are sufficient to put it beyond doubt, that if any drainage is executed 
without due attention to the quality of the soil and the nature and 
inclination of the strata, a failure will most probably be the result. 
Accordingly, every precaution ought to be taken before any operations 
are commenced in an undertaking on which the whole success of every 
other branch of agriculture depends; and, therefore, every circum¬ 
stance of the art must be weighed and strictly observed, otherwise 
handed proprietors will most assuredly be led into serious mistakes. 
To obviate this as far as lies in my power, I have been induced to 
draw up this practical essay, with the view of its being the means of 
introducing a more perfect knowledge of the principles necessary to 
be applied in draining every kind of land; and which I have found, 
during thirty years’ practice, to be uniformly successful in every case 
where the plans and specification were strictly attended to. This will 
not, however, be the case if alterations are made, as is frequently 
done, with the plans of professional men, and which I have some¬ 
times experienced myself, in the drains not being made either the 
depth nor filled with the same quantity or quality of materials as 
prescribed, and even, in some instances, the lines of the drains have 
been altered, consequently the land has been imperfectly drained, 
whereby the system has come into disrepute, as not answering the 
soil, or on some other frivolous pretence. 
Too much cannot be said in favour of draining, which, particularly 
when conducted on proper principles, must be beneficial to all par¬ 
ties concerned. Whatever, therefore, may be the defects of this 
essay, I hope it will call the attention of agriculturists to this system, 
as first practised by Elkington, and which has proved so useful, not 
