ENGLISH BOTTOMING TOOLS.] The last implement, which is a scoop for the bottom of trenches for round pipes, is one of the tools mentioned in Mr. Denton's letter, as not being found to the taste of his workmen. For scooping out our flat-bottomed trenches, we use a tool like Fig. 77. For boggy land, soft clay, or, indeed, any land where water is running at the time of the excavation, scoops like the following will be found convenient for flat bottoms. [Illustration: Fig. 80. Fig. 81. Fig. 82. DRAWING AND PUSHING SCOOP, AND PIPE-LAYER.] The pushing scoop (Fig. 81), as it is called, may be made of a common long-handled shovel, turned up at the sides by a blacksmith, leaving it of the desired width. The _pipe-layer_, of which mention has so often been made, is a little implement invented by Mr. Parkes, for placing round pipes and collars in narrow trenches, without stepping into them. The following sketch, by our friend Mr. Shedd, shows the pipe-layer in use. The cross section of the land, shown in front, represents it as having had the advantage of draining, by which the water-table is brought to a level with the bottom of the drain, as shown by the heavy shading. An "Irish spade" and a pipe-layer are shown lying on the ground. [Illustration: Fig. 83.--PIPE-LAYING.] The _pick-axes_ commonly used in excavation of trenches, are in the following forms: [Illustration: Fig. 84, 85.--PICK-AXES.] Pick-axes may be light or heavy, according to the nature of the soil. A chisel at one end, and point at the other, is found best in most cases. A _Drain-gauge_ is usually mentioned in a list of draining tools. It is used when ditches are designed for stone or other material than tiles, and where the width is important. In tile-draining the width is entirely immaterial. If opened by the rod, it is only important that they be of proper depth and inclination, with the bottom wide enough for the tile. [Illustration: Fig. 86.--DRAIN-GAUGE.] The above figure shows the usual form of the drain-gauge. Below, we give from Morton, drawings, and a description of Elkington's augers for boring in the bottoms of ditches. "The cut annexed represents the auger employed by Elkington, where _a b_ and _c_ are different forms of the tool; _d_, a portion of the shaft: _e_, with the wedges, _h h_, the cross handle; and _f_ and _g_ additional pieces for grasping the shaft, and so enabling more than one person to work at it." The auger-hole ought to be a little at one side of the drain, as in Fig. 3, at page 35, so that the water may not rise at right angles to the flow of water in it, and obstruct its current. [Illustration: Fig. 87.--ELKINGTON'S DRAINING AUGER.] [Illustration: