1801.] On Surface-Draining Machines, 311

ſmall, may be conſidered worthy of attention, Under this idea I requeſt you will do me the favour of giving the following brief hints on the ſubje& of ſurface-draining, a place in your Magazine, in order that they may come under the obſervation of many occu- piers of wet land, who may, perhaps, benefit themſelves and the community by the adoption-of them.

The neceſhty for draining the ſurface-water from clay-ſoils, in wet ſeaſons, is fufficiently evident, but none of the methods now in general uſe appear to me to be ſo ſimple and effedual for that purpoſe as might be wiſhed. Covered drains are not only very expenſive, but frequently fail to produce the deſired effe, in con- ſequence of the covering material being of too cloſe a texture to ſuffer water to filter through it with ſufficient freedom. ne beſt-conltru@ted mole-plough reguires a team more powerful than molt farmers.can aford to keep; and the number of horſes em- ployed to draw ſuch a plough do much harm by poaching the land. Open drains, made with a ſpade, are objeCtionaovle on many accounts; firſt, from their being too large, unſightly, and inconvenient to the harveft-cárts; next, they are dangerous to full-grown ſheep and young lambs; and laſtly, from the circum- ſtance of much clay, of a natúre very inimical to vegetation, be- ing dug up in making them, which, being ſpread over the richer ſurface-(oil, does conſiderable miſchief. Covered drains are alſo liable to the- laſt obje&ion. The method diſcovered by Mr. Elkington of well-deſerved fame, is not applicable to the convey- ing a ſuperabundance of ſurface-water from off a deep clay ſoil. In conſequence of the objections which ſeemed to me to lie againſt the ſeveral methods here enumerated, T was, ſome time ago, induced to turn my thoughts to the ſubje&, and at length hit upon the following very ſimple contrivance, which I have found to anſwer the purpoſe on my gra(s land.

Tt conſiſts merely of a trifling addition to the felly of a common cart wheel, as repreſented in Plate I. Fig. 1. i

A, The felly of a ſix-inch cart wheel.

B, An addition of wood to be put on, round the felly A.

C, A rim of iron, of a triangular ſhape fixed to the wood B.

The cof of this addition is about a guinea,

A wheel of this deſcription put on the axle of a cart in the uſual way, will, of courſe, reſt on the edge of the rim of iron marked C; and, on driving the horſes forward, make a ſmall in- dent in the ground merely by the revolution of it. But ¡n order to make it preſs down to the depth of ſix or eight inches, that ſide of the cart muſt be loaded with ſtones, iron, or any other heavy material which happens to be at hand, until the whole of the parts marked B and C, and, if neceſſary, the part marked A, ſink into the ſoil, The cart ſhould chen be drawn along in fuch a manner that the cutting-wheel may revolve where the drains are intend- ced to be made. In land that is in ridges and furrows it will ſome-