ON THE RECLAMATION OF WASTE LAND. 8 1 



ON THE EECLAMATIOX OF WASTE LAND ON THE FARM 

 OF BALLIMORE, IN THE COUNTY OF BANFF. 



By George Grant, Allamichie, Dufftown. 

 [Fremium — Five Sovereigns.'] 



The reporter is the occupier and reclaimer of ten acres of 

 waste laud, which, in couj unction with the arable land on the 

 farm, is held under lease. The ten acres referred to have an 

 elevation of 800 feet above sea-level, with a northern exposure : 

 the soil is a mixture of clay and granite, with clay subsoil. 

 Previous to reclamation, it grew only heather, with the exception 

 of a small proportion of inferior grass, and its annual value would 

 not have been more than Is. 6d. per acre. The principal 

 obstacles opposed to its reclamation was a large quantity of 

 stones ; and the half of it being wet, necessitated draining. 



Process of Bedamation. — The heather having been previously 

 burned, the iirst operation was to dig out all the stones which 

 could be found about the surface ; and with a view to fencing, the 

 largest of them were carted off and laid down along the margin 

 of the ground ; the smaller ones were also carted off and laid 

 down for drains. This greatly facilitated the ploughing, the 

 mode of wliich I shall notice afterwards. 



Draining was the next operation, and as the subsoil was of a 

 close and compact nature, it was found necessary to put in the 

 drains not more than 21 feet apart, or about 594 yards to the 

 acre, at a cost of about 2|d. per yard, or £6, 3s. 9d. per acre. 

 They were cut a little over 3 feet deep, 14 inches wide at the 

 top, and about 8 inches mde at the bottom. Stones were then 

 spUt as small as at least three of them could be set perpendicular 

 between the two sides of the drain. Smaller stones, to the depth 

 of about 6 inches, were put on the top, while over them was laid 

 a thin covering of heather, to keep the mould, which was then 

 filled in, from falling down among the stones. 



Ploughing was the next operation, and in order to ascertain 

 the result upon the crop grown upon land ploughed six or eight 

 months (the usual time before sowing), and that ploughed and 

 left exposed to the ameliorating influences of the atmosphere for 

 a much longer period, I commenced, in the summer of 1869, 

 Avith a common plough, drawn by three horses, and turned over 

 two acres. The average depth of the furrows was about 7 inches, 

 and the average breadth about 10 inches. Notwithstanding the 

 large number of stones which were picked from the surface, as 

 has been already noticed, a considerable number were laid bare 

 by the plough, and during the time of ploughing two men were 

 required for picking out stones and turning over part of the 

 furrows. The two acres having been finished, notliing more' was 

 done until the following summer, when the remaining eight acres 



