4 ? <5 Ohfervatlons on the JPi'aSlne 0£t. 



powers, being riclily impregnated with animal effluvia, and 

 other matters. With this knowledge of its valuable proper- 

 ties, it muft appear Rrange to fee the materials of fo many 

 decayed fences, and ruinous cottages, lying in heaps all over 

 the north, which might be rendered fo valuable with little 

 trouble, and almofl: without expence. 



To convey feme idea of the nature and extent of the mif- 

 chief ?.ri(ing from this practice, it is only neceflary to notice 

 the component part of the foil thus taken away. In all fi- 

 tuations where land has been long undifturbed by the plough, 

 the furface is found to confift chiefly of vegetable earth, a- 

 rifing from the annual decay of the leaves and other parts of 

 the plants growing upon it : Thele falling down and rotting 

 yearly, in procefs of time form a foil, whofe principal con- 

 itituent part is vegetable earth, and which, under proper ma- 

 nagement, is the bed of all foils. If this is admitted, it muft 

 follow, that, upon wafte lands, or even lands of a better qua- 

 lity, the prefervation of the iod is an objedt of the firll im- 

 portance ; and that every attempt to pare^ burn^ or carr^ it. 

 cway, for whatever purpofe, ought to be ftriclly prohibited. 

 In many infbances, the mifchief already done upon thin foils 

 is fuch, as muPc for ever prevent their imnrovement. 



Even in diilndls where agriculture is pretty well under- 

 flood, and where improvements have made confiderable pro- 

 ^refs, it is no uncommon circumftance to fee the proprietor 

 or occupier carrying away the furface of the field he is in- 

 clofmg, to*build the dikps, leaving little behind, in many 

 places, but gravel or rock. Were the mifchief arifing from 

 this pradtice out of the queftion, one would be .tempted to 

 fmile at the abfurdity of lavifhing fo much trouble and expence 

 in erecSling a temporary fence to inclofe fields, the future im- 

 provement of which is, in a great meafure, if not entirely, de- 

 feated, by paring and carrying off the moft valuable part of 

 the foil, V/hat adds to the folly of the praQice is, that every 

 purpofe for which turf is now ufed in thefs diflri£fs, may 

 ise aniwered much better by other materials that can be had 

 upon the fpot. Stones are every where plenty, and may be 

 applied, vi^ith advantage, to the building of cottages and dikes; 

 and, where draw is fcarce for making the roofs, heath may 

 be obtained in abundance, without any other expence than 

 the trouble of cutting, which, when properly laid on, forms a 

 very comfortable and lalling covering, both for cottages and 

 ilables. In this place, it is impolTible to pafs over a cir- 

 cumftance, which almoft exceeds belief, viz, that in moit 



cafes. 



