the bags to be suspended above the tubs until the infusion is entirely drained off. As soon as the liquor is fully drained off, let the seed-corn be spread upon canvas-sheets in the sun and air, if dry weather; but otherwise on the sheets on the barn-floor. When spread upon the sheets to the quantity of four bushels, sprinkle over it two pounds of fine flour of sulphur, and rake the seed over and over again, to separate the grains. If the grains appear still to adhere to each other, it will be proper to add a little fine sand to make them separate freely for sowing. The destructive ground-grub will not readily attack any seed pickled with this infusion, and the spring it gives to vegetation is astonishing.

W. P.

ON THE

DRAINING

OF

LOCHCOAT LOCH.

BY PETER WISHART, Esq. of Lochcoat.

THE

6th November 1822.

HE Highland Society of Scotland having offered premiums for Draining in a certain district, with a view to the amelioration of the climate, the following statement is submitted to their considera

tion.

The operations to be detailed having been commenced before the date of the Society's advertisement, without any prospect of remuneration, but from the improvement to be effected, the present detail is submitted, rather with the view of exhibiting a pretty nice operation in draining, than from any wish on the part of the reporter to withdraw the well meant bounty of the Society, particularly in these times of severe suffering to farmers, from equally industrious competitors.

VOL. VI.

Lochcoat Loch is situated in a deep valley, nearly at the eastern extremity of the parish of Torphichen, in the county of Linlithgow. The extent of it, and of the adjoining marsh, was about 22 Scotch acres.

It is surrounded on every side by high grounds; nearly the whole was covered by water, and chiefly overgrown by the Equisetum palustre or large bog pipe. It was amply stocked with pike, but, except the amusement afforded to the angler, and its beauty, the lake seemed a useless appendage to a property of a few hundred acres.

On the other hand, as, upon different soundings, the greatest depth of water was found to be five feet, and below it twelve feet of the richest alluvial mud, the value of such an acquisition, supposing that the draining could be accomplished, seemed very great.

The only obstacle seemed to be the want of a sufficient outlet and fall for the drains, for though there was a subterraneous passage, through which the water from the lake had for ages found an issue, at first glance it did not appear likely to answer the object in view.

An experienced leveller was therefore applied to; the levels were taken by him, and he reported that L. 400 might be necessary for opening an outlet at the west end, besides the expence of the necessary drains; and, he added, that no reliance could be placed on the natural outlet.

It subsequently appeared that he had under-calculated the extent that the mud might subside