434 The Improvement of Waste Lands 



course could not easily be made deeper, but an embankment 

 was raised by making a deep cutting alongside of the brook, but 

 at a distance where there would be little chance of the water 

 filtering through, and by forming a proper weir with the earth 

 taken from this cutting, an effectual cure was made of the 

 evil. The place whence this earth had been taken was filled 

 up with slag and other refuse and thereafter properly covered 

 with soil. 



Grass-land is generally found more profitable in the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood of mines than land under tillage. It 

 is less damaged by trespass and withstands the bad effects of 

 smoke better than any other crop I know, A case, however, 

 came under my observation where several acres of land were 

 rendered totally useless by the smoke, &c., from a row of coke- 

 ovens. The damage was cured by erecting two large chimneys, 

 one at each end of the row, and turning the smoke into them 

 instead of allowing each oven to emit its own. A flue is carried 

 along the top of the ovens, which from the centre of the row 

 conveys the smoke into its appropriate chimney, where it is 

 carried sufficiently high to disseminate itself, and consequently 

 does little injury. Moreover, it is considered that by this method 

 a good part of the smoke is consumed as it travels over the top 

 of the burning ovens. The result, however, is that several acres 

 of the adjoining grass-land, instead of remaining like a desert, 

 are now covered with good herbage affording keep for cattle. 



Faeming in Connection with Mines. 



Farming in connection with mines has both its advantages 

 and disadvantages ; if the farm is situated in a mining district, 

 but not in direct connection with mines, the advantages pre- 

 ponderate. The throng and bustle of a mining neighbourhood 

 is for the most part confined to certain spots or centres, and 

 fewer shafts than formerly are now necessary, as the under- 

 ground engines, assisted by the Shetland and Welsh ponies, can 

 draw the minerals underground for very long distances, so that 

 even in a mining and populous district large open fields and 

 well-cultivated farms are not wanting. My remarks, however, 

 will be confined to farming in connection with mines. 



The farm in connection with the mine is often looked upon as 

 an indispensable adjunct, but only as a kind of necessary evil. 

 To many proprietors and lessees of mines it is a source of great 

 loss, whereas, if properly managed, it would add its quota to 

 the general income. The reason is that the mining department 

 absorbs the principal share of attention. The charge of the farm, 

 as Avell as the mines, is frequently entrusted to a mining engineer. 



