1804. Letter from a "Pe^i Ai^riculturiji, 1()\ 



of Cambru^^efbire. But there is, notwlthftanding, a very ^reaf 

 difFerence in rlt- quality of this fame dcfcription of foil; ia 

 depth, in riclinefs, in elevation, and the advantaojes nf drainajrc. 

 The fens of Chatteris and March, I believe, are by far the licheft 

 trails of this fort of land. 



Of the fecond-rite land, the foil is flill lighter, and in all 

 refpe£ts inferior for cropping, but fweeter for palturage; it is 

 only recko!ied fecond-rate on account of its elevation, for a rea- 

 fon which applies to its natural hiilory, as before obferved. Th<* 

 fubftruum of this is a very hard brown peat, about 4 inches 

 thick, incumbent upon a flilTclay, which is now in many places 

 within reach of the plough. A great proportion of Thorney-Fen, 

 for inflance, is of this defcription ; the foil is extremely per- 

 meable to the rays of the fun, and therefore quickly afFe£led by 

 drought, which alfo divides the peat into angular pieces, and, 

 vhen exc.flive, rends the clay alfo to the depth of 3 or 4 feet 5 

 through thcfe fiffures the foil gradually percolates and trickles 

 down, loofened by the treading of cattle and other caufes, and 

 leaves the furface of the land very uneven. 



Land of the firft-rate, is a rich black loam, with a fubftratuni 

 of mild clay, and in fome places^////,* without any intervention 

 of peat. This land is fit for palture, and of more value for 

 grazing than the plough ; for though it might produce plentiful 

 green crops, the ^^'hire crops would run more to flraw than corn. 

 When ploughed, for the purpofe of im-roving the pallure grailes, 

 it is very feldom burnt •, the firil crop is oats ; the fecond year 

 well fallowed, to deftroy the couch-grafs or twitch, and fowed 

 early in July with colefeed— being, with the fallow, generally 

 well dunged. The beft method of returning it to grafs, without 

 lofs or deterioration, is to fow it the following fpring with grafs 

 and clover feeds, &c. with fpring wheat. It is a doubt, even with 

 this magagement, whether the land, for the purpofe of feeding 

 large cattle, is much improved ; — for the purpofe of feedin? flieep, 

 it certainly is : But to be thus renewed once in half a century is 

 certainly enough. 



With refpeA to the fecond-rate land, it is firft ploughed and 



burnt, and the firft crop is uniformly colefecd, as your Chatteris 



correfpondent obferves. The fecond year generally oj.rs, or fpring 



wheat. The third year oats. The fourth year (if grafs feeds 



are not fown with the fecond crop of corn) the land is fallowed 



for colefeed. The fifth year, oats or fpring wheat with grafs 



feeds. This may be taken as the general rotativ-n for {(tn lands ; 



adding, that the grafs continues from five to ten years, either 



mowed 

 J *" ■ ■ ■■ ■ I • , ■ .. 



* Originally fea-fand. 



