which is the expensive part of draining. Gathering and getting stones was done by the day, and employed a number of women and children, besides the persons occupied in the quarries, which were fortunately near at hand. The depth of the drains is from 3 feet to four feet; the breadth, twenty inches at the top and twelve inches at the bottom. The drains have a cavity at the bottom of six inches, being set with two side stones, and a cover, and then filled with stones to the top, the six inches next the top being filled with small stones, that in case the plough should strike into them, no injury is done to the drain. The drains are thus filled to within ten inches of the surface. It required a solid yard of stone to fill a rod of seven yards; in weight above two tons. To furnish such an enormous quantity of stones as eight hundred and fifty-nine rods required, was an undertaking of no small difficulty, and could not have been executed in the time, had not other substitutes been found. In coal countries there are strata known by the name of sill or schistus, and rattler, which is a mixture of coal and schistus. Sill is a substance that will not bear exposure to the atmosphere, but rattler does not fall, and is very light in comparison to its bulk.

Recourse was had to these substances, and many hundred cart-loads of both were collected from the coal-banks; the remainder was gathered from the ground, and obtained from the quarries. S. d.

The cutting, filling, and setting was
Collecting stones, supposing two ga-

thered to each rod

Two Carts from the quarries

1 3 a Rod

0 8

1 0

The distance the sill and rattler had to be led, so increased the cost of cartage, as to make their cost equal to that of

stones.

Cutting and filling 859 rods of 7 yards, at 1s. 3d.

3,436 cart-loads of stones for filling, at 10d. a cart Carting the above, at 6d.....

Filling, at 1d.

Fifty acres of the field have been benefitted by this drainage. The general quality of land deciding the value at which it would be estimated to let, it was considered as worth 40 shillings an acre; from its locality, I conceive I am within bounds, when I rate it as worth from 50 to 55 shillings. The expenditure of two hundred and ninety-seven pounds, has added sixty pounds to the value of the field, which is obtained at five years purchase, or a little less for interest. It is to be observed, the horse-work is valued as if it had been hired; the real cost of that part, done at such a season, is not, to a farmer, one-half. My object was to put the cost at the highest point, more strongly to enforce the advantage resulting from the practice, as it thus leaves nothing to object to.

This field had in the last course 30 tons of manure; it is strong clay. First crop, potatoes, product 26 hundred stone per acre: sown with wheat and clover; both these crops were admirable. The oats this last year are calculated to produce 60 Winchester bushels per acre; it is now preparing for green crop again, and to have 50 tons of manure per acre. Admitting the green crop to profit three pounds per acre by the drainage, which is only half what was lost at average prices this year on the Swede crop, this on the 50 acres would be one hun

dred and fifty pounds; calculating it to yield three Winchester bushels per acre more of wheat, at 7s. per bushel, this would be fifty-two pounds ten shillings and ten-pence per acre; for the clover for two years 50l. more, making a probable increase of produce, without any extra expense, of 252l. 10s. Thus, in a five years course the whole expense will, in all probability, be repaid, and an annual permanent increase of rent, to the amount of 60 per cent, gained.

Wet is more destructive to pasture than it is to grain and green crops; and as pasture is the most material object near to towns, draining, in such situations, is a more profitable improvement than in any other situation, and will consequently justify a greater expense.

When once dry land is well laid down to pasture, the improvement is permanent. If flooded with water, it cannot remain for any length of time in pasture, but must be again brought under tillage. On wet soils, improvement is almost labour in vain-costly at all times, but now ruinous.

Should the Society deem this undertaking as meriting their attention, it will be highly gratifying to me, who owe them many and great obligations.

The ambition of meriting the honour of their rewards, first directed my attention to agriculture, and I trust the result has not altogether been without its advantages to the public.

I am, Sir,

&c. &c. &c.

JOHN CHRISTIAN CURWEN

PAPERS

IN

POLITE ARTS.

N° I.

DRAWING-PAPER FOR ARTISTS.

The small or ISIS SILVER MEDAL was this Session voted to Mr. GEORGE STEART, of the Montalt Paper-Mills, Coomb Down, near Bath; for his LINO-STEREO TABLETS, or SOLID LINEN TABLETS FOR DRAWING ON, &c. The following communication has been received from Mr. S. on the subject, and specimens of his Tablets, both plain and tinted, are placed in the Repository of the Society.

SIR;

De Montalt Paper Mills, Coomb Down, near Bath, Feb. 12th, 1819.

I BEG you will lay before the Society of Arts, &c. the six dozen Lino-Stereo Tablets inclosed, invented and manufactured by me, for their inspection. If the Society should be pleased to consider my improvements in an article at pre

sent in great request worthy their patronage, I shall feel

much pleasure in receiving it, and also in communicating any further information if required.

A. Aikin, Esq.

Secretary, &c. &c.

I am, Sir,

&c. &c. &c.

GEORGE STEART.

The Tablets are of two sorts, rough and smooth; the former finished with a grain or tooth, the more effectually to receive the full touch of a pencil, chalk, or crayon, for which kinds of drawing they are principally intended; while the latter have a much more level surface, for painting in watercolours, or for other delicate works.

The Tablets will be sold to the public at the usual prices charged for the pasted card boards. I have already manufactured many thousand dozens for that purpose.

The extra-stout Drawing-Papers, or Card-Boards, as they are usually denominated, are always made by pasting several sheets of paper together, in the manner of a common pasteboard, and afterwards bringing them to a smooth face by pressing and rolling. The pasting is a dirty operation, and the occasion of many defects, some of which are fatal to the degree of perfection and nicety required in a good drawingboard; for it often happens that, let the workmen be ever so careful, the boards are contaminated by a portion of the paste being left on the surface in handling the sheets; and although this may at first escape the eye of the Artist, yet it will be discovered, perhaps when too late, in finishing a picture. But a far more serious accident than this frequently occurs, which it is impossible to foresee or avoid; for after the artist may have spent many days and even weeks upon a favourite drawing, having occasion perhaps several times to re-wet a partipart of it, in order to produce a desired effect in the

cular