666 Additions and Corretions

water from the furrows. By this means, and condu@ing the water from this drain into the rivers by conduits, formed a little above their ordinary levels, much land which is annually loft would be preferved*..

Various injuries happen to the farmers in level traéts, where the banks of the rivers are low, and where the courfes are not of fufficient breadth to contain the water in time of flood. By forming mounds of earth, the fides of the drains propofed to be made for carrying off the land- water being well floped on the fides towards the rivers, the rivers would be prevented from doing injury to the adjoining lands; as by thefe mounds being placed at a diftance from the river, the force of the ftream would be much leffened, and the natural boundaries of the rivers greatly enlarged, And where injury is fuftained by the rivers during floods flowing back into the channels of the flreams that bring the waters from the more elevated grounds, the beft method is to ere¢t mounds at a diftance from the banks, and of a fize propor- tioned to the quantity of water which, from tbe caufe now mentioned, may be fup- pofed at any time to ftagnate in thefe channels. This may be done at a very trifling expenfe either in money or land. If the proprietors do not choofe to ornament the country and improve their eftates, by planting trees on the borders, the farmers may fo conftruct the mounds as that they may become fences to their arable fields, while the portion of land cut off may be devoted to pafturage+.

Where the water coming from the hills or high lands are confiderable, and the courfes of the rivers extremely ferpentine, fo as to produce much injury on the flat lands below by the fiagnation that is produced, advantage may be derived in other ways, as by ftraighteningthe courfe of the rivers, and interrupting the water coming from the high lands above them, by cutting proper drains and channels along the face of the declivity as fhown in Plate XX XVII. L1G 0.5%

In embanking againfi lakes, it is obferved that“as the waters fabfide greatly in the fummer feafon, and rife confiderably in winter, or when the feafon is wet, advantage may in fome cafes be taken to confine them within their fummer limits, or at leaft to cut off fome of their branches or creeks, When either of thefe is to be attempted, the principal outlet mut firfi be examined, and that fhould be enlarged and widened confiderably, which, upon the fame principle as already mentioned refpe@ing the widening of rivers, will prevent the water rifing fo high as formerly. If the levels will not admit of much depth being got, or if the ground is rocky, and would be difficult and expenfive to deepen, let the breadth be increafed as much as pothble, and

* Modern Agriculture, Vol. IV.+ Ibid. { Farmer’s Magazine, Vol. II. Pp. 179.