This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 edition. Excerpt: ...it is desirable to allow the water-level to approach very near the surface, and that drains be only applied to remove an excess of water, with a careful regard to retain an ample supply of moisture for the continuous production of grasses. The objects to be attained are, to create for the sheep an improved pasturage, pure water, and a healthy atmosphere, which would allow of their being kept in greater numbers, and enable them to attain to a larger size and higher condition. "Assuming that surface drains are most adaptable for hill-pastures, the size of the drain that combines most efficiency in proportion to its cost, for ordinary purposes, is 24 inches wide at top and 6 inches wide at the bottom, with a perpendicular depth of 16 inches. They should be cut clean, the turf-sod being placed 10 inches from the lower side of the drain, and the bottom clearings thrown beyond it; they will thus not be liable to be dragged into the drain. Direct-action drains (viz. those put in on the quickest descent) are most effective, and should be adopted on land of first quality: such land is generally indicated by the presence of Bull snout (tufted hair grass), Blue-point (tufted bog or blue-edge), Wild Scavy (devil's bit), Spart (blunt-flowered rush), and common rush: and any danger of such drains washing deep can be avoided by putting them in, not more than 9 yards apart, and not running them extreme distances ere they are delivered into main drains. The cost of such drainage is too great for poor or peaty surfaces, producing little but Stool-bent (goose-corn), Deer Hair (marsh spiked rush), Wire-bent and Flyingbent (blue-bent); but on such ranges, gentle decimating drains, at an angle that will allow a fall of 1 in 25, and placed 35 yards apart, ...