DRAGUIGNAN

draguignan, the chief town of the department of the var in s.e. france; 51 m. n.e. of toulon, and 281⁄2 m. n.w. of frejus by rail; situated at a height of 679 ft. above the level of the sea, at the southern foot of the wooded heights of malmont, and on the left bank of the nartuby river; pop. (1906) 7766. it possesses no notable buildings, save a modern parish church, a prefecture, also modern, and a building wherein are housed the town library and a picture gallery, with some fair works of art. in modern times the ramparts have been demolished, and new wide streets pierced through the town. drainage of land. the verb "to drain," with its substantives "drain" and "drainage," represents the o. eng. _dreahnian_, from the same root found in "dry," and signifies generally the act of drawing off moisture or liquid from somewhere, and so drinking dry, and (figuratively) exhausting; the substantive "drain" being thus used not only in the direct sense of a channel for carrying off liquid, but also figuratively for a very small amount such as would be left as dregs. the term "drainage" is applied generally to all operations involving the drawing off of water or other liquid, but more particularly to those connected with the treatment of the soil in agriculture, or with the removal of water and refuse from streets and houses. for the last, see sewerage; the following article being devoted to the agricultural aspects of this subject. see also the articles reclamation of land, canal, irrigation,