374 Cultivation of Moorland. 



large dimensions would of course meet this difficulty, but the 

 outlay would far outstrip that of the stones and really be of no 

 increased value to the drains. 



The carriage of foreign materials in a hilly country is alwa3-s a 

 formidable affair, and is never quite convenient to the tenant when 

 making his advances in other works of cultivation. The teams 

 are better engaged in drawing lime for the decomposing of the 

 reclaimed bog-earth. A -portable raihoay, supplied by the land- 

 lord for the use of the general property, would be an excellent 

 means of meeting extreme cases, such as the improvement of 

 bogs or hill-sides, by dressings of soil of an opposite charactei\ 



Peats and Flow Mosses. — The lowest class of peats are those 

 designated the " peat or flow mosses," such as are common in 

 Ireland and Scotland. These are usually situated upon flat 

 ground, lying upon underground basins, impervious to drainage 

 and natural outfalls, and thus an accumulation of stagnant water 

 breeds a collection of coarse aquatic plants ; and as one moss or 

 grass decays, another is found to spring up upon its decayed 

 remains, and so on for ever, until arrested by enterprise and 

 capital. These stagnant bogs may well be compared to a sponge 

 which has been filled from time to time, even to overflowing, 

 and thus becomes useless — once emptied of its fluid the sponge 

 is convertible to other and better uses. Below these morasses 

 are found even good furrows of earth, on which trees have grown 

 in former ages, before these flats and basins became so far in- 

 undated and saturated by stagnant water. 



To mark the original cultivation and habitation of these lands 

 I may quote the late Arthur Young's remarks contained in his 

 'Irish Tour :' — ■ 



" Mr. Eowley keeps a very considerable domain in bis own bands ; adjoin- 

 ing to it is a black turf bog of admirable use for firing. I viewed it atten- 

 tively, and am clear tbat all sucb bogs as this, with a fall from them (!) for 

 draining, might easily be improved into excellent meadow. They have fonnd 

 at 14 feet deep evident marks of the plough in the soil at bottom, also 

 reinains of cabins, cribs for cattle, mooses' homes, oaks, yews, and fir, being 

 good red deal." 



Here we have a striking instance of original fertility super- 

 seded, or we may say literally swamped, by neglect. The ques- 

 tion for modern art is. How can this huge mass of vegetables 

 be reduced, at the least expense, to a state of complete decay ? 

 How can it be made (what other masses of vegetables are made) 

 a dunghill for poor lands, or, where it lies, be converted into 

 an inexhaustible fertile soil ? If water is the originating cause 

 of a peat-moss, take away the water, and it is surprising how 

 soon a deserted morass, bog, or channel of a river, obtains 

 verdure and suitable plants for its improved occupation. If the 



