It is of importance. in many dry pastures, to water lands covered with fog (moss, or with broom, heath, or other plants of less value to the farmer, for the purpose of extirpating these plants, and encouraging palatable grasses. On store lams, which have no tendency to produce the not, this practice may prove useful ; but when there is any degree of risk from this distemper, the farmer will be cautious ; he will suffer no summer watering ; and lie will allow no water to stagnate any where.
When lime and marl are %cry expeasise, or difficult to be obtained, and water is at command, farmers in Scotland sometimes water dry slopes, with a view to enrich them for crops of grain. This practice is ancient, and has often succeeded. But, it is admitted, that water enriches the soil for grass better than for corn.—The grain is often late and husky.
A flat meadow can only be watered in ridges, and requires a man of skill to lay it out in proper form, and the work is accomplished at a considerable expense. A slope may generally be watered in catch-work, at much less expense, and with much less water. It is an error, to prefer the flat grounds to the gentle slopes, for water meadows, unless there be ample commtuid of water, and skill and money, to go through the necessary ope rations. The most rational method of improving flat grounds, is generally by draining, and then giving them a top dressing. Yet, if they can be formed into ridges by the plough, they may be converted into meadows at much less expense, than is necessary, if they should require levelling with the spade. This distinction may he kept in view.
A gentle declivity. which can he watered in catch work, is an inviting subject. It perhaps produces little in the state of nature, but it may become productive by the application of water.
The quality of the soil is of little importance, when the water deposit', a of enriennig sediment . for by means of that substance, any soil is remit red productive. This observation very commonly amine.: to the water meadows in England ; but it will seldom found to Scotland. And in this latter coun try, loam appears always to repay the irrigator with the heaviest and best crops ; mossy soils answer very well . clay does not produce b0 abundantly ; and gravel i. generally poor and unproductive, in least for some years, and unless fully watered, or the water good.
It will readily occur to the reader, that streams of equal quality may differ materially in respect of the fa cility and safety with which they can be managed, and conducted to the grounds which are intended to be floated : that whatel er stream is fixed on for this pur pose, the operator should determine, by means of a level, what lands are capable of being watered from it : that it is always convenient, and generally necessary, to en close the meadows with proper fences : and that a man of prudence will have an eve to the quantity of water, the demands of his farm, the chance of markets for any surplus he may have to spare, and the prospect of ob taining sufficient assistance in making his crops of hay, with case and expeditious. All these matters will have their due weight, in determining the grounds where a meadow shall be formed, and in fixing on the extent of it. The very common error, of laying out a greater quantity of meadow, than can be fully and properly float ed, should by all means be avoided ; as it leads to great expenses, and brings the practice of irrigation into dis credit." After giving an account of the wears or dams, the, conductors or main carriers, and the sluices and hatch es, and after describing the method el forming a flat meadow, and a meadow in catch-work, Dr Singers pro ceeds.
" It ought to be observed, that in catch-wo•k, the surface of the meadow is seldom very much broken. Rough parts may be pared oft', and some trivial work done in rafter levelling,• which leaves a part of tax: sward. If any seeds are wanted, the proper kinds ma:, be understood, by attending to what f011ows respecting flat meadows.
These are formed into ridges by the spade or plough. and are therefore almost totally destitute of grass, when newly laid down. To sow any seeds that are not peren nial, or that would not agree \%ith the soil and water, would prove a serious hiss.
If any trial have been made of the water, and it have been found to cacaurage a set of good plants, these ought to be preferred. But it is also necessary to con sider the soil, and to sow the seeds of such plants as ate known to prosper in soils of a similar description. Attention and experience will be found the surest guides in this important point; that from the first, the meadow may be stocked with such plants as may answer every purpose.