ient passages leading from their burrows to the
day-light, and drains in which they live will always be found perforated
with holes from the surface. In the Spring, or in heavy showers, the
water runs in streams into these holes, breaks down the soft soil as it
goes, and finally the top begins to fall in, and the channel is choked
up, and the work ruined. We have tried many precautions against this
kind of accident, but none that was effectual on light land.

The general mode of construction is this: Open the trench to the depth
required, and about 12 inches wide at the bottom. Lay into this poles of
four or five inches diameter at the butt, leaving an open passage
between. Then lay in brush of any size, the coarsest at the bottom,
filling the drain to within a foot of the surface, and covering with
pine, or hemlock, or spruce boughs. Upon these lay turf, carefully cut,
as close as possible. The brush should be laid but-end up stream, as it
obstructs the water less in this way. Fill up with soil a foot above the
surface, and tread it in as hard as possible. The weight of earth will
compress the brush, and the surface will settle very much. We have tried
placing boards at the sides, and upon the top of the brash, to prevent
the caving in, but with no great success. Although our drains thus laid,
have generally continued to discharge some water, yet they have, upon
upland, been dangerous traps and pitfalls for our horses and cattle, and
have cost much labor to fill up the holes, where they have fallen
through by washing away below.

In clay, brush drains might be more durable. In the English books, we
have descriptions of drains filled with thorn cuttings from hedges and
with gorse. When well laid in clay, they are said to last about 15
years. When the thorns decay, the clay will still retain its form, and
leave a passage for the water.

A writer in the Cyclopedia sums up the matter as to this kind of drains,
thus:

"Although in some districts they are still employed, they can only
be looked upon as a clumsy, and superficial plan of doing that
which can be executed in a permanent and satisfactory manner, at a
very small additional expense, now that draining-tiles are so cheap
and plentiful."

Draining-tiles are not yet either cheap or plentiful in this country;
but we have full faith that they will become so very soon. In the mean
time it may be profitable for us to use such of the substitute