being frequently overflowed at improper feasons, so as to prevent the farmer from ha ving it in his power to improve them as he might incline; which grounds are commonly known in the north of Britain by the name of Meadows or Laighs. As it is of confequence for common farmers to know the way of fencing these, I fhall add a few words with regard to them; although others of a more comprehensive understanding may, perhaps, think it unneceffary, after what has been already said.

As the inconvenience complained of in this cafe arifes entirely from water that falls from higher ground, the firft ftep that is neceffary to be taken, is, to defend the fields from that, by fencing them all round the fides by a ditch and bank like those already described, of a sufficient fize and strength to contain and carry off the whole water that may fall into it at any time. This ought to be continued all round, and to fall into the

i

main drain by which the water is ultimately conveyed from this level bottom.

If the defcent from this be very fmall, fo as not to allow of a fwift current of water, make the ditch of a confiderable width, and clean it frequently from the mud and weeds that will, in a fhort time, be in danger of choaking it up entirely. This ditch, or water-course, being made in the lowest part of the ground, must be fecured on each fide with a bank, like thofe already described upon the fide of the river; and through that let there be made a fmall conduit, paffing from the lowest part of each field, (as at LL; Fig. 17th, into the drain. But, as the current of water is here fuppofed to be very fmall, each of thefe must be clofed with a water-fluice to be opened or fhut at pleasure by the hand, and not by folding fluices, which could in this cafe be of no use.

The meadow

may

be divided into as ma

ny inclosures as fhall be thought neceffary,

by

by means of earthen banks, (A, Fig. 19th,) raised to any height above the level of the ground, that may be thought neceffary, by means of earth taken from the ditch on each fide of it, B B. And, upon the top of each of these banks, plant a fence of poplars, willows, or elms, (as described in § XXIII.) which will foon become a defence against cattle, and fhelter the fields from wind, while the bank is fufficiently ftrong to refift the preffure of the water when you shall chufe to let it into any one field, and effectually prevent it from having access into any of thofe that may be around it. If you have not poplars, good truncheons of any of the ftrong growing kinds of willows may, in this cafe, be fuccefsfully employed.

In this manner, these meadows

may be kept conftantly, either wet or dry, as the

7

poffeffor may incline; and have the fame

advantage from watering as the haughs a

bove described. I have feen many extenfive

tracts

.

tracts of very valuable land of this fort; which, by being fenced and divided in this manner, might have been made of three or four times its former value, at an expence fo inconfiderable as to be fcarce worth mention. ing. There are, indeed, fome fituations fo very low, that it might be on fome occafions neceffary to raise the water out of them by artificial aids, as is done in Holland, and perhaps in many other low countries; but there are many extensive tracts that are just now in a great measure useless, that might be perfectly recovered by this method of inclofing, without any other aid whatever.

I make no doubt, but that these methods of fencing are well understood and practifed in the fens of Cambridge, Lincolnshire, &c, with others perhaps more efficacious than any of these. But, it is not to instruct adepts, like the inhabitants of these counties, that I write, but the induftrious farmer who

may

may not have had accefs to fee thefe im

provements,

§ XXXIV.

Obfervations on the most oeconomical Way of making Fences where Rills or running Water is the Boundary.

It is imagined, that, by employing one or other of the kinds of fences already mentioned, it will be in the power of the farmer to fecure almost every field that he can be poffeffed of, whatever its fituation may be. But, fome cafes may occur, in which he will find much greater difficulty than others in this respect. This he will find to be particularly the cafe, where he means to fence any ground that is bounded by any kind of stream of running water. When this ftream is confi