390 Cultivation of Moorland, 



a liberal lease. These are better taken in hand one year previous 

 to the sowing of a root-crop, as they require time, and will never 

 pay to be forced into cultivation. 



In place of paring the sod, men are engaged to " grub up " 

 all the land, and to set free every existing bush or root ; these 

 remain for a time until the weather permits them to be burnt in 

 heaps. This over (the land not being intended for turnips the 

 first year), the soil is ploughed up to the depth of six inches, and 

 as the work proceeds the neighbouring ashes are thrown over it, 

 and so remain for months, until the weather has so far acted upon 

 the soil as to suggest further operations, which generally follow 

 about the succeeding March by scuffling, dragging, cross-plough- 

 ing, or other process for its refinement. 



Turnips ought to be sown in the next summer under the cus- 

 tomary course of management, while some few occupiers, greedy 

 of a corn-crop, will at once place their land under oats, and thus 

 ultimately ruin the " goose " that would otherwise have pro- 

 duced them golden eggs. 



The cost is extended over rather too long a period, but if the 

 early stage of the work is done chiefly after the turnip-sowing 

 upon other lands, the process may be termed a good and con- 

 venient one : — 



Cost of Reclaiming for Moots. 



Per Acre. 



£. s. d. 



Cost of grubbing 300 



Burning and spreading tbe asbes 4 6 



Ploughing 6 inches deep 10 



Cross-ploughing in tbe spring 10 



Subsequent draggings, harrowing, roUings, &c. .. 10 



3 tons of lime 3 2 6 



Drilling turnips, &c 2 6 



Two years' rent and rates 100 



£8 19 6 



This class of moorland is costly to improve in the outset, but 

 practice has clearly shown that there is not a more paying pur- 

 suit in agriculture than that of their permanent improvement 

 under long and equitable leases, and is truly a tenant's business, 

 as but a small proportion of this class of rugged land occurs upon 

 each farm. 



Upon all moors (more or less) there is a certain amount of 

 good-looking, clean, dry, and inviting land, and this is frequently 

 ploughed down at once, just previous to winter, or otherwise in 

 the spring, and from its clean and healthy appearance is not 

 unfrequently sown with oats without further trouble, preface, 

 manure, or lime. I confess that I have been amongst this class 



