g§ IMPROVEMENT OF WASTE LAND, 



scarcity as most of our provinces have recently felt. And 

 again, under the blessing of Providence, witness a compe- 

 tency for ourselves, and a surplus for other nations; and 

 thence be commereially beneficial to a large portion of 

 mankind. 



I am, with sincere regard, 



Your respectful friend, 



JOHN WAGSTAFFE. 



V. 



Account of Waste Land improved by J. Butler, Esq, of 

 Bramshott, in Hampshire*, 



SIR* 



Wasfb land. JLN the year 1802 1 purchased an estate, situate in the 

 parish of Bramshott, in the county of Hants, of which 

 seventy acres and upwards were then waste lands, growing 

 a little timber, furze, and alder, and supporting a few cows 

 in the summer, but never cultivated or considered worth 

 that expense. 



General state. From particular engagements at the time, I did not be- 

 gin any improvement till 1804, when I found sixty-five 

 acres and a half (statute) of the said waste lands in the fol- 

 lowing state : twelve acres, the site of old fish ponds, 

 growing nothing but reeds and rubbish; eighteen acres 

 one rood thirty-seven perches, affording a little sour grass 

 and a few alders in wet places; twenty-seven acres three 

 roods one perch, quite a morass or bog, with a few alders ; 

 and seven acres one rood four perches of very indifferent 

 furze. 



First drained. As the greatest part of the waste was filled with innu-. 

 merable springs that deluged the whole, and caused the 

 bog to be saturated throughout the year, I considered that 



* Trans, of the Soc. of Arts, vol. XXVI, p. 117. The silver medal 

 of the society was voted to Mr. Butler. 



draining; 



